Ayah Marar

Ayah Marar
Born September 20, 1980
Amman, Jordan
Origin London, England, UK
Genres Drum and bass, pop, dance
Occupation(s) Singer-songwriter, musician
Years active 2004–present
Labels Hussle Girl, Transmission Recordings, Hospital, Signal Records, Sony
Associated acts Calvin Harris, DJ Fresh, Camo & Krooked, Dilemn, Jack Penate
Website ayahmarar.com

Ayah Marar (Arabic: آية مرار‎, born September 20, 1980) is a Jordanian singer, songwriter, performer, radio show host and label owner based full-time in the UK. She has been featured as a vocalist and/or writer on music from UK artists including Calvin Harris, DJ Fresh, Camo & Krooked, Bassline Smith, Dilemn and Jack Penate.

Early life

Ayah was born in Amman, Jordan on 20 September 1980, to a Jordanian/Palestinian father and a Czech-Bulgarian mother. She spent most of her adolescence in Jordan, before emigrating to the UK at 18 years of age, where she began her musical career at Warwick University.[1]

Musical career

She is involved in the drum and bass scene and recorded her first single, 'Dance Child', with Loxy & Ink (Signal Records).[2] She recorded several singles in this genre, before meeting and collaborating with Calvin Harris and Toddla T in 2004.[3] Marar and Harris shared a home for a brief period, she toured the world as part of his live show and she collaborated on his debut album, performing the vocals on 3 of the tracks, as well as a guest spot on Toddla's album and a single with his previous band Small Arms Fiya.[4]

Ayah worked at a record shop, Uptown Records, in Soho where she met and formed bonds with several radio and club personalities. In the meantime she helped to establish and run Lucky Devil Records and promoted events in and around London.

She wrote and recorded on albums by Jack Penate,[2] Bassline Smith, Calvin Harris (forthcoming and previous LP) and DJ Fresh.[5]

Marar receives support from Kiss FM,[6] Ministry of Sound radio[7] and BBC Radio 1Xtra,[8] appearing on the latter several times for shows and PAs, and with support from the likes of MistaJam[9] and Bailey. She has guest-hosted several radio shows. Her recent single 'Unstoppable' was Jam Hot Record of the Week.[10]

Ayah launched her solo career and created her own independent label, "Hussle Girl", as a platform to release her own singles and forthcoming album, "The Real".[11]

Her album The Real was released on 15 October via Hussle Girl and Transmission Recordings in the UK and Radikal Records in the US and Canada.

She held a residency as a DJ at Herbal[5] in Shoreditch for four years and worked as a touring MC with Hospital Records[12] and other companies. She formed a funk band, SlinkyFix, toured the UK and performed at events with Gilles Peterson and at the Jazz Café.

With the Austrian drum and bass duo, Camo & Krooked, she performed at Brixton Academy and throughout Europe.[13] Ayah is currently touring her solo material with DJ Tenku.[14]

Discography

Albums

Singles & EPs

As featured artist

Charting
Year Title Peak chart positions Album
UK
 AUS
 BEL (FL)
[15]		 CAN
[16]		 FRA
[17]		 GER
 IRE
 NL
[18]		 NZ
 US
2013 "Thinking About You"
(Calvin Harris featuring Ayah Marar)		 8 28 27 58 92 56 11 23 40 86 18 Months
Others

Videography

2011

2012

2013

References

  1. ↑ http://www.chaseandstatuslondon.com/ViewArtist.aspx?Id=209
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Introducing: Ayah Marar". Kmag.co.uk. 2011-01-17. Retrieved 2014-05-05.
  3. ↑ "Ones to watch: Ayah Marar - Music Blog". Digital Spy. 2012-03-29. Retrieved 2014-05-05.
  4. ↑
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "404 ERROR". codaagency.com.
  6. ↑ "Ayah Marar added to KISS FM playlist". Absolutemarketing.co.uk. 2012-02-24. Retrieved 2014-05-05.
  7. ↑ "Ministry Magazine". Ministryofsound.com. Retrieved 2014-05-05.
  8. ↑ http://mixdeluxe.net/1xtra-db-m1x-–-2012-08-23-–-crissy-criss-guest-ayah-marar-live
  9. ↑ "BBC Radio 1Xtra - MistaJam, Adam F, Two Inch Punch and Ayah Marar". Bbc.co.uk. 2012-07-18. Retrieved 2014-05-05.
  10. ↑ "BBC Radio 1Xtra - MistaJam, C4, True Tiger and Childish Gambino , Jam Hot: Ayah Marar 'Unstoppable'". Bbc.co.uk. 1970-01-01. Retrieved 2014-05-05.
  11. ↑ "Ayah Marar, founder of Hussle Girl, on making it on the UK music scene". Managementtoday.co.uk. 2012-04-03. Retrieved 2014-05-05.
  12. ↑
  13. ↑ ""Cross The Line" feat Ayah Marar – Out Now «". Camoandkrooked.com. 2011-11-14. Retrieved 2014-05-05.
  14. ↑ "Ayah Marar 29/08/12 | Kiss Presents". Kissfmuk.com. 2012-08-28. Retrieved 2014-05-05.
  15. ↑ "Discografie Ayah Marar" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 October 2012.
  16. ↑ "Calvin Harris – Chart history: Billboard Canadian Hot 100". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  17. ↑ LesCharts.com - Ayah Marar discography
  18. ↑ "Top 40-artiest: Aah Marar" (in Dutch). Stichting Nederlandse Top 40. Retrieved 18 January 2013.


External links

References improved