Dina Ayada Embraces Her ‘IDENTITY’ with Debut Album
- Sarah Tan
- 1 hour ago
- 2 min read
Born and raised in Belgium with Moroccan heritage, Dina Ayada is now ready to share her story with the world. Known for viral hits like “Miles Away” and “Games,” she released her debut album IDENTITY on January 16, which was executive produced by Grammy-nominated artist and producer Gunna. The new album comprises 12 tracks, including the title song “don’t get me started” and pre-release single “no rush” featuring Gunna himself.
To give fans an intimate look into the evolution of her new album, Dina first announced IDENTITY on December 20 through a video documenting her creative process as she explains that “this isn't just an album, this is my identity.” Drawing from different musical genres, cultures, and fashion influences that have shaped who she is today, Dina worked alongside Bugz Ronin, KayCyy, and Victor Thell to solidify her mature and self-assured artistic voice.
The music itself shows her growth by blending confident R&B with the raw edge of underground rap. With Gunna’s melodic style, Dina’s able to move between different sounds while remaining intentional and keeping her own flavor. Rather than a collection of songs to vibe to, IDENTITY’s a leveled-up version of her art, where the production and lyrics mirror the woman she has become.
Her clarity comes from a life full of big changes and moving to new places. While her earlier music was written from the perspective of a teenager, IDENTITY reflects Dina’s life as an adult. After dropping out of law school and leaving home at 18 to pursue music full-time, she quickly learned how to be independent while her career was taking off. The songs in the album talk about the chaos of finding her way through a busy and lonely life that comes with chasing dreams in unfamiliar spaces.
This project is the result of Dina spending the past year focusing on her mental and creative growth. By working quietly on the album, she learned a lot of lessons from both the good and bad times. In doing so, this discipline turned her experiences into a clear message, showing that she has truly found herself.
As Dina looks forward, her journey continues to grow as she expands her international footprint. This spring, she’ll star in a new Salomon campaign that features music from her album IDENTITY, before heading out on a European tour.
What do you think of Dina Ayada’s debut album? Which song are you putting on repeat? Let us know in the comments or by reaching out to us on Instagram or X.
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Edited by Martina Yee