We had a great conversation with ALYA on The Chris & Sandy Show. We talked about so many things from family, music, sacrifices, she told some amazing story about her journey plus a whole lot more!
With her new single, “Pleasure Is Mine,” ALYA brings Russian fairy tales to life and encourages women everywhere to own their personal superpowers.
Nearly a decade ago, after a successful career as a journalist in Moscow, ALYA left her native Russia for a new life in the United States. Turning to music as a vehicle for her storytelling, she chronicled her struggles and triumphs as an immigrant and evolving artist on her well-received 2019 debut album Ten Years of Solitude and its subsequent single, “American Beauty.” Now, the multi-talented singer/songwriter returns with her new single, “Pleasure Is Mine.”
Written by ALYA, “Pleasure Is Mine” reunites the artist with her collaborator on “American Beauty,” legendary Grammy, Emmy, and Dove Award-winning engineer/producer Bill Schnee. “American Beauty” generated nearly 500,000 streams on Spotify, and an explosive remix by Dave Audé (the Grammy Award-winner for his remix of “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars), stormed up Billboard’s Hot Dance/Electronic Club Songs chart, reaching No. 16 in only two weeks.
“Pleasure Is Mine” is a steamy, sultry, and at times a symphonic midtempo expression of female empowerment. The song owes its inspiration from Russian culture, which ALYA—drawing on years of opera training with her lyrical soprano voice—hopes will help broaden people’s preconceptions about her homeland and break down tired stereotypes.
“There’s a common misconception in film and television narratives of Russian women being objectified as sex objects or victims,” ALYA says. “The truth is, we are very diverse. Our femininity unites us, but there is nothing weak about it. You don’t have to wear a suit and tie to rule the world; instead, follow your heart and do the things that please you.”
ALYA researched countless Slavic legends and fairytales featuring strong, independent female characters in preparing for the record. Beneath the combination of urban beats with live orchestrations—a nod to the golden age of Russian classical music—“Pleasure Is Mine” is a song about self-reflection and owning one’s personal superpowers. “I am so excited to share what I’ve learned with this song,” she adds.
“‘Pleasure Is Mine’ is about finding a true sense of who you are and, on a very personal level, the song is a nod to my cultural Slavic roots,” ALYA says. “Water and rivers have existed in Russian folk traditions for as long as people have expressed themselves through music and art. Rivers were trade routes for Slavic people, populated by countless mystical creatures, and represented the force of life in general.”
Drawing on her journalistic training, ALYA combines the power of words with fresh mainstream beats to invite listeners to a deeper conversation. Connecting the theme of “Pleasure Is Mine” with her life journey as a global citizen, ALYA created the Beautiful Journey series, now available on her website (alyamichelson.org). It offers a mix of written, podcast, and video interviews that focus on the lessons that brave, beautiful, generous women have learned while building lives in a new home.
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