Meet Inayah Lamis: Storyteller, Innovator & The Future of R&B (Interview)

Believe it or not, but back in the day songs told stories, lyrics had meaning and R&B lived up to it's acronym, Rhythm and Blues. If you're like so many others surviving off throwback Rap City clips and 90's playlists, you already know the game is in need of change. Don't trip though because Inayah Lamis has got you covered, choosing "Storytelling Over Lyrics and Rhymes." S.O.L.A.R.

S.O.L.A.R. isn't just the name of her debut EP, it's the approach Inayah takes with all her work. You might know her from her clever remake of Ella Mai's "Boo'd Up" or have heard the name through word of mouth. Whatever the case maybe, just know she's dope and definitely somebody you want to keep on your radar. Boasting over 1Million followers, as well as getting daps from Jamie Foxx, Maxwell and Tiffany Haddish, Inayah handles fame well, remaining humble yet quick to "chop off your head" if you come for her.

We recently we had the chance to chop it up with the Houston native where we touched on her influences, upcoming EP, staying in her lane and the power of vision boarding. With a spirit just as fresh as her songwriting, it'll only be a matter of time before everybody knows the name: Inayah Lamis. In the meanwhile, stay on top of game by getting to know the budding star below. Then, press play on Inayah's new single "N.A.S. (N*ggas A’int Sh*t)." Just in time for National Side B*tch Day.

Thanks for coming through. Tell us a little about yourself.

I’m 28 years old, a single mom, been singing since I was two years old, wrote my first song when I was 10 and I went viral last year. Got signed in the same year, with a project coming out. Everything has just kind of been coming at me back to back to back since then.

We heard you had a Vision Board, are you all about the “Board Life”?

I’m into Vision Boards and I had a Vision Board party for my 28th birthday last year. It's crazy because I actually spoke all of the things that are taking place now into existence. I just put them on my vision board and um, everything is manifesting this year. With all that has happened so far, without sounding cocky.

How does it feel to have all these new things coming at you so quickly?

I’ve kind of always known that this moment was going to come. God showed me this a long time ago. I'm just trying to put myself in position. But, it’s coming pretty natural to me.

How do you handle having all those followers?

I’m overwhelmed by the love I get. I go to Walmart and people cry, people ask for pictures, people show love, you know what I mean? So I think the love is what makes me feel normal. It actually keeps me grounded. The fact that these people love me like that and appreciate my craft and my music, there's no way I could ever get cocky or big headed about it. 

Tell us about your creative process as we’ve heard you release music that fans can relate to right away.

With my music, I speak on everyday events. Anytime something impacts my life in a major way, I always write it down and make a song out of it. Most of my songs are storytelling, you know what I mean? And I do that so well because it all, most of it really happened.

Now a lot of the times, some of it is what I've actually went through or someone close to me that I love has went through and I'll just take that situation and put it on top of an instrumental. 

Since writing your first song at 10 years old, did it come to you right away that you’re gonna do this for a living?

My Mama is Songstress as well as she taught me notes, and is an inspiration for what I do. I also have an Aunt that was a Singer who helped me as well. She taught me rifts and runs. Pertaining my background, my foundation has been Gospel Music and Blues. So, I use my foundation as the core mixed with my storytelling on top of that kind of the new way of music today. So I like to say that I have my own genre and I call it SOLAR, which is Storytelling Over Lyrics And Rhymes.

Apart from your family, did you have other musical influences growing up?

I grew up listening to the Clark Sisters, Johnny Taylor, Aretha Franklin, Fred Hammond and John P Kee. Like I said, my roots are Gospel and Blues. So, I'm grateful that I have that as my core because a lot of this new music is so repetitive. I’m bringing back storytelling and music you can learn from. I think my approach is so unique that it's just going to be different from what a lot of people are used to. Like I said, I don't stick to one genre. I wouldn't say it's just R&B, I wouldn't say it's just Hip Hop, it’s kind of a mixture of everything.

What are you working on now?

I’m currently working on my EP. My next single will be set to drop on February 15, and the acronym for the single is N.A.S. It's basically a story of how men tend to manipulate women quite a bit and then we just take back that power and be like, “Hey, y'all ain’t sh*t” in song form. 

The track is dropping on “National Sidechick Day” and it's the perfect time because it's going to be so many women that have been abandoned by the men that they love with a person that they wanted so badly and it didn't work out. It's just going to be a lot of bitter b*itches in the world that day. So, it's just appropriate and perfect. 

Tell us more about the EP, what do you want your fans to take from it?

With my EP I mainly just want my supporters to know that I'm much more than just what they see on Instagram because I’m labeled at times as “The Singer from Instagram.” There's so much more to me than just that.

So with this EP I’m showcasing that, yes, I can tell the story, but I can also write a dope ass record. I have a variety of different genres and I make them my own and put them into one. I think that they'd be very pleased with the project.

Anything else you want your fans to know?

To my fans, I just want them to know and understand that this is literally me. What they see on Instagram is all me. I’m crazy for real, I’m funny, I’m cool and I’ll chop off your head if you come for me. For the most part I’m direct and what you see is honestly what you get with me. I love Love and I love back when people love and appreciate me 100%.