Seven Songs a Week: 05/02/21

Hello, Welcome to Seven Songs a Week

Today, I am reviewing on of my favorite songs to come out of the "RuPaul's Drag Race" franchise and one of my favorite contestants from the show, Aja (who uses they/them pronouns). I have been following Aja on Instagram even before they were on my television and dressing in Harajuku fashion mixed with urban street wear. Aja finally got on TV on the ninth season of "RuPaul's Drag Race" and quickly become a fan favorite. Aja even went on to release ballroom and vogue music and an entire EP after they competed on "RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars". Both the show and EP "In My Feelings" find Aja in-between their former cute, cutthroat aesthetic and their new spiritual Santeria practitioners aesthetic. With their newer songs about their religion, They sample classic music about the gods, much to my and my mother's liking. My mother liked their song "Chango" so much that she used it as a ringtone. But that's for another day because today's song is "Ayo Sis"

EP cover for "In My Feelings"

"Ayo Sis" references their catchphrase on "RuPaul's Drag Race" and would eventually be used for anything Aja. "Ayo Sis" the song is about strong women throughout history and comparing themself to the women. Aja references their fans and how they are "multiplying" like "mitosis." Describing their fans as feminine, strong like "metal," genre and material. Aja also describes their fans feisty and ready to fight and the naming begins. Aja "...stay getting fly like Amelia..." referencing Amelia Earhart and Aja's swagger. "Cruising on these bitches, me llamo Celia." referencing the act of looking for anonymous sex and the Queen of Salsa, Celia Cruz, although I don't think Aja is using the term "cruising" in this way. "Put my face on a coin...I’m Susan B" Aja once again brags about her importance while referencing the Susan B. Anthony who was put on the one dollar coin for her achievements. Aja then blends three lines referencing Nefertiti, former queen of Egypt. Tina Turner and Diana Ross. On the Nefertiti line, Aja references her status, their status and their career as they are all queens. Aja begins the next line mixing "Nefertiti" and "Tina" together as they get "turnt like a boss" referencing Turner's last name, partying and Diana Ross as she is the subject of the next line. "Leading The Supremes like my name Diana Ross" references Ross' career with The Supremes and American Horror Story as "The Supreme" is the head which. Aja leads the Supremes so they are above the highest rank. "Monroe, Kennedy, Hillary Clinton. I’m the first lady played by Tilda Swinton" references Marilyn Monroe, Jackie Kennedy and Hillary Clinton who are all very important women in political history. Tilda Swinton is an important groundbreaking actor. "I’m winning, I’m Venus and Serena." referencing Venus Williams, Serena Williams are their achievements in tennis. "Latina señorita imma channel Miss Selena." is a nod to Selena Quintanilla and Aja's latinx identity. "Imma put a spell on you, Annie Lennox or Nina" references Aja's Santeria and "I Put a Spell on You" by Screamin' Jay Hawkins. Both Annie Lennox and Nina Simone have covered "I Put a Spell on You" in their own styles. Aja ends the verse referencing their wealthy and the former name of singer, Marina. The chorus is mostly Aja continuing the party and shouting out their fans with an "Ayo sis"

Aja is "...just getting started..." with the "...chase..." cause their "...winning the race." Aja then again references more women, starting with Laila Ali, the famous boxer. "...I’m a knockout." references the Ali's career and her and Aja's beauty. "Doing big things for a beauty school dropout." references the song from the musical Grease and the fact that Aja dropped out of high school to do drag. Aja continues referencing beauty with reality tv star and singer, Amara La Negra. After referencing the poet Sappho, Aja slickly references her feud on "RuPaul's Drag Race" with another drag queen named Valentina. During an argument with Valentina, she calls her Linda Evangelista sarcastically, she references the fight with the line "Why would I be Linda when I could just be Naomi?" as in Naomi Campbell. "I could be Wonder Woman dipping on them like Leiomy" referencing the DC Comic and the Leiomy Maldonado who is known as the "Wonder Woman of Vogue." Aja continues the dance references stating that their a "Bad gyal, me gwan wine like Rihanna." speaking in Jamaican Patois, as Rihanna is Caribbean and essentially saying that they are going to dance like her. "A dangerous woman fifty shades of Ariana" references Ariana Grande and her album "Dangerous Woman" and the book "Fifty Shades of Grey." "Chilling with Lupita mujer afro-mexicana" is referencing Aja's status once again about how they are friends with Lupita Nyong'o and her Latina identity. Aja continues flaunting their status and how their "Hot saucing with Beyoncé..." while referencing her Lemonade album. Aja then references the Nicki Minaj and Cardi B feud with finishing off the verse stating how their changing the world like Marsha P. Johnson.

The final verse is Aja defending their gender and sexuality. Aja calls themself a "...feminist f----- with a lot of sex appeal." Aja shares the criticism they receive during their come up but silences the haters stating their "making so much money that [their] cash flow is obscene." Aja continues to brag but they don't think they are referencing their song "I Don't Wanna Brag" and finishes the song with how much women inspires them.

Aja released the video for "Ayo Sis" as a double feature with "B---- I'm Kawaii." Aja wasn't sure which video to make a video for and after being inspired by Missy Elliot, Aja decided to release two in one. "Ayo Sis" is the second part of the feature, They wake up in their bed after the nightmare that is "B---- I'm Kawaii." Their girlfriend asks them if anything is wrong but Aja just tells her that it was a bad dream. The video begins with Aja out of drag with them in bed with their girlfriend or clips of her on a rooftop with their girlfriend. The second verse begins showcases Aja in drag with their boyfriend in bed and at the same rooftop party at night. Near the end, clips from the "B---- I'm Kawaii" are cut in between

I really appreciate when a "RuPaul's Drag Race" contestant is good at their craft, there are very few contestants that are good at singing or rapping and Aja is one of them. I also really appreciate the duality between Aja and their imagery because with drag artists, it's usually in drag or out but Aja does both. Aja doesn't really do drag anymore but the music still hits. My favorite Aja project continues to be their first album "Box Office." I also really appreciates a song that lists people like "Just Playing" by The Notorious B.I.G. and "Barbie Dreams" by Nicki Minaj

I give "Ayo Sis" 4.5 strong women out of 5

I hope you enjoyed my review. How do you feel about "Ayo Sis"? Leave a comment and a request for Saturday down below.

I listed my sources below in case you are interested in reading more.

Take Care,

Jonathan