Amaarae Tells Us What She’s Bumping in the Bedroom

This is SOUND ADVICE, a weekly destination for playlists curated by Interview’s friends, enemies, and lovers. Over the past few weeks, we’ve gathered playlists from Petey, Tems, and DJ Miss Parker. For this week’s installation, Ghanaian-American artist of the moment Amaarae joined us before taking the stage at Austin City Limits, marking her very first time in Texas. After “Sad Girlz Luv Money” hypnotized TikTok two years ago, the artist and her sweet soprano soundtracked this summer with her sophomore album, Fountain Baby. Playing with Afro-pop, R&B, and house influences while exploring sexual fluidity and simple pleasures, it’s a refreshing sip. As her tour approaches and she takes on ACL and fashion ventures like her new Depop edit, she spilled on her festival essentials and her guilty pleasure Paris Hilton song.

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Where do you dance? I’m not the best dancer so you’ll always find me dancing in my room.

What’s on your bedroom playlist? Bedroom playlist is a mix of trip-hop and R&B. So if I check right now, it’s real old school:

• “No No No” by Destiny’s Child
• “T-Shirt” by Destiny’s Child
• “Say Yes” by Floetry
• “Weekend Love” by Dwele
• “Butterflies” by Michael Jackson
• “Do It All Again” by Jon B
• “The Love Scene” by Joe
• “World of Girls” by Joe
• “Stutter” by Joe
• “Feeling U, Feeling Me (Interlude)” by Alicia Keys
• “Almost Doesn’t Count” by Brandy
• “Ex-Factor” by Lauryn Hill

 

Bluetooth or wired headphones? Bluetooth, for sure.

Who do you trust most with the aux? I’d have to say my brother!

What was your first concert? Dizzy Rascal and Sway in Ghana.

What song do you have on repeat? This new Majid Jordan and Naomi Sharon song called “Waiting for You.”

Three things you keep on you at a festival? A refillable water bottle, vaseline for my lips and hand sanitizer.

Favorite era of vintage clothing? From ‘98 to ‘04.

Which musician is your biggest fashion inspo? It would be a mix of Janet Jackson and Rihanna. You can see that inspo in my Amex x Depop Festival Edit Shop that I just launched for Austin City Limits, which I’m performing at. It has some of my pieces from my favorite brands like Diesel and Jean Paul Gaultier.

Name a song that reminds you of your childhood: “Someone to Call My Lover” by Janet Jackson.

Dead or alive, who is your dream collaborator? This one’s easy – Young Thug.

Name your favorite artist no one knows about: My favorite, maybe not-so-known artist right now is Ragz Originale. I’m playing his album all the time.

The world is ending, what are you wearing? Hopefully a robe because I go to sleep naked!

What song is your guilty pleasure? “Stars Are Blind” by Paris Hilton

What’s your favorite album cover of all time? Wow… that’s an incredibly tough question to answer. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy by Kanye West.

Who’s the queen of R&B? I don’t know if there’s an overall queen of R&B for real, but if I had to give it to someone, it would be Whitney Houston, because she has the most R&B hits over a span of several decades.

Where’s the afterparty? I won’t be there, I’ll be asleep.