Alycia Bella - Muse (2021)

Singer and entertainer Alycia Bella’s debut album Muse is finally here. After being a low-key songwriter in the entertainment industry and fashion it-girl, the R&B crooner has taken reign of her talent and put out a solo project. “I think it’s the right time because I’ve become more self-sufficient and I have more self-belief and awareness,” Alycia tells ESSENCE.

“I got rid of a lot of toxic people and I’ve honed in on my purpose, what I want to say to the world, and what I want to say to myself.”
The project for Alycia signals a new chapter in her life. Previously working on songs for industry greats like Justin Timberlake, The-Dream, will.i.am, NE-YO and more, Muse allows the singer to create her own identity showcasing her elevation as an artist. “A lot of my peers that actually inspire me have told me that I inspire them, and that feeling is priceless,” she exclaimed.

Two years in the making, the 14-track-album pulls from the singer’s Bay-Area upbringing featuring artist like Westside Boogie, Vince Staples, and E-40. On Track 6, Summer Walker makes an appearance for “Gotta Go Down Interlude,” verifying Alycia’s longevity in the industry, particularly the new wave of R&B singers. “It’s the most vulnerable and authentic that I’ve been,” she says. The album is coated with the raw emotion that R&B brings including moments of vulnerability that confronts her rise, loss, love and journey of reclaiming her own identity. “It assures me that I’m headed in the right direction and new people who discover me are getting an authentic view of who I am.”