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Artist Spotlight: SaintAhmad is an outrageous personification of the '90s club scene

SaintAhmad is the creator of a musical vortex that rests between '90s club kid nostalgia and an originality that speaks to a new club kid generation. He is a Black, queer visionary with a firm grasp on musical electricity and raw energy. 

Born in Tachikawa, Japan, SaintAhmad discovered his love for singing and performing at church, a medium that would carry him through the rest of his life so far, and earn him a BFA in Dance from Florida State University. 

Today, SaintAhmad is based in Brooklyn and has expanded his talents to rap, songwriting, singing and dancing. He began releasing singles in 2021, beginning with alternative hip-hop tracks "It's Just Me" and "Clouds," both of which introduced his fluidity and avant-garde approach to the genre. 

SaintAhmad released "LGC" earlier this year, featuring NYC artist Lolita Leopard. The invigorating club track is fierce and androgynous, creating a self-love anthem of freedom and letting go both physically and metaphorically. The song combines hyperpop vocals with pulsating bass to bring listeners along to the otherworldly space that SaintAhmad occupies. 

The accompanying music video to "LGC" introduces the energy that SaintAhmad is bringing to the music scene. The artist said in a press release, "I knew that I wanted the video to take place in a club setting because that was the entire video of this record. The idea of being drag came because I wanted to feel outside of myself. I want to actually step into the idea of getting crazy and releasing a different part of myself."  

At the end of September, SaintAhmad released "MINDS," inspired by queer revolutionaries RuPaul and Leigh Bowery who laid the groundwork for SaintAhmad to transform the NYC club circuit with his provocative energy and extravagant anthems. On the song, SaintAhmad said, "This song is a reminder for me to let go of all the past ideas I had of myself and what I felt I needed to be." 

"MINDS" will be featured on the artists' upcoming EP, which will explore the various states of mind that SaintAhmad has experienced to survive being a Black, gay man, as well as a club kid who is healing from a troubled past. 

The song's music video, directed by Joe Cohen, is a celebration of SaintAhmad's inner-wild-child, featuring fellow club artist Apollo, drag queen Syrennara and DJ Maxwell Vice. The video contrasts moments of quiet intimacy with kaleidoscopic explosions of hedonism and larger-than-life revelry. This juxtaposition is fitting for a song that masterfully intertwines modern club music tropes with 90s inspiration. 

"MINDS" is an unhinged and unapologetic club track that defies genre. The song incorporates the styles of UK club, Jersey club, pop, R&B and throwback hip-hop. The song is a condensed view of SaintAhmad's charisma, infectious passion for life and hopeless romanticism. It chronicles SaintAhmad's journey through self-doubt, overcoming expectations and finding community within the NYC club space.  

SaintAhmad is a magnetic creative force of self-expression and authenticity. His depth of imagination and captivating stage presence contribute worlds to his already intoxicating musical style that will be looked back on as the redefinition of the modern club scene. 

@sophiarooks_

sr320421@ohio.edu 

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