ilham is Keeping Score on New Single "games"
ALT-R&B ARTIST ILHAM IS
KEEPING SCORE ON NEW SINGLE
“GAMES”
Alternative R&B artist ilham (pronounced like Elon, but with an "m") has released “games,” available now on all digital platforms via The Orchard. Spotlighting her unique voice, ilham reminds listeners not to let anything dim their light on the new single. The accompanying visual, directed by Dragan Andic (Chris Brown, Coi Leray, Fridayy), features ilham and her crew as they tee up on the golf course and emulate the unbothered nature of “games.”
“‘games’ is a song I wrote right after letting go of a team I considered family,” shares ilham on the track. “Realizing that those around you may not have your best interests at heart is a terrifying feeling that can leave you blindsided. While it’s a heartbreaking experience, the decision to remove myself from those who don’t truly celebrate me has been in an effort to reclaim my power.”
“games” comes off the heels of “uhm...ok?,” ilham’s first single in two years, which premiered on Zane Lowe’s Apple Music 1 Show. The sexy drill track speaks on not caring what people think and no longer taking things personal. With over 1.5 million streams and the attention of Olympic Gold Medalist Simone Biles, the song landed on Spotify’s Fresh Finds R&B and Apple Music’s #OnRepeat and High Maintenance playlists in addition to scoring her a performance with On The Radar.
ilham’s seductive new-age music and dreamy visuals are influenced by R&B legends and her Moroccan heritage, offering a new take on the ever-evolving genre. Raised in New York City’s infamous Queensbridge Housing Projects, ilham’s formative years were spent studying music theory at LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, and graduating early from Cornell University, setting the stage for her evolution as an emerging singer and songwriter.
In 2018, ilham made waves with her debut EP 41-10, home to collaborations with Dave East and Arin Ray, earning early support from Billboard, VIBE, The FADER, and Earmilk. The project also received nods from Issa Rae and Raphael Saadiq who featured “none of your friends business” in the season 2 finale of HBO’s Insecure. ilham’s self-released 2019 follow-up EP with time soared to #1 on iTunes Top R&B Albums Chart and attracted the attention of industry tastemakers like Joe Budden, Travis Mills, and French Montana. Since then, the trailblazing Arab-American/North African artist has collaborated with prominent record producers including London on da Track, TBHits, and The Fisticuffs in addition to making her festival debuts at Day N Vegas and Sol Blume Festival. Her discography has earned over 40 million streams across platforms to date and garnered media support from NPR, Marie Claire, UPROXX, Essence, LA Weekly, Hypebae, L'OFFICIEL, Office Magazine, and Ones To Watch among others.
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