Fresh off of the release of her first single of the year “Royal”, Empire artist Dounia has made it clear she’s the queen and we’re just living in her palace. She may not have ties to the royal family but she’s New York’s very own princess. Rising to Insta fame with a racy photo or two paired with her unapologetic sense of body positivity; the 21-year-old has shown she’s a lot more than a pretty face. Unbeknownst to the world underneath that Instagram model star quality was a talent greater than finding the light and knowing your angles. That talent being the ability to carry a tune and spit rhymes.

Eager to get her voice onto the airwaves Dounia released her first EP independently, and while the entire EP was a vibe, “East Coast Hiding” (Her first song) was the clear standout. Dounia maintained her sensuality, harnessing it into a track that embodied the essence of being a young adult in New York City. Her distinctive raspy vocals and relatability to today’s youth earned her a place on the Empire roster where notable label mates like Tyga and Hayley Kiyoko are signed.

This past year she transcended to another level with her sophomore EP “Avant Garden” and has truly defined herself as a music artist. Avant Garden being her strongest body of work to date, it delivered bop after bop. From “Rich Girl Mood” featuring Kehlani- where both of the singers declared that money is of no issue, to “Avant Garde” an anthem about being booked, busy, and of course avant garde. From the release of her first project to her first single of 2019 “Royal”, Dounia has blossomed into a full-blown music artist; we can’t help but look forward to her next chapter. Listen to her latest hit “Royal” below.