When singer-songwriter Alemeda steps onto The Van Buren stage on Sunday, Sept. 27, it will mark her first hometown show. 

“I can’t wait to perform in Phoenix. It’s going to be nostalgic,” she said. “I remember driving past The Van Buren. It’s definitely crazy for me to be performing there now.” 

At the gig, she will open for Isaiah Rashad on his “Lil Sunny’s Awful Road Trip” jaunt. They wrap up the tour on Monday, Sept. 28, at Tucson’s Rialto Theatre. 

DEEPER DIVE: Here are Arizona’s Most Admired Companies of 2026

Born Rahema Shifa Alameda, Alemeda spent ages 1 to 5 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and then split time between there and Phoenix. (She adjusted the spelling of her last name early in her career to help fans find her online.) 

While in the Valley, she attended the Phoenix Union High School District’s North High School, worked jobs to save for a car, and posted covers online sparingly.

Her upbringing — strict, culturally rich and often disconnected from contemporary music — shaped her independence. It also helped her develop her raw, genre-fluid sound. Her music channels “self‑discovery and emotional honesty,” blending pop, rock and indie sensibilities.

That honesty is at the center of her latest single, “The World Keeps Spinning,” a collaboration with Fousheé. 

“I really felt like this song made sense with her vocals and the vibe,” Alemeda said. “We blended on the song and put it out.” 

The track explores the surreal dissonance of grief and how life keeps moving even when you can’t. 

“This song is a vulnerable one about experiencing a loss and still having to keep going,” she said. “You just want to yell at the world — hold up — I just went through this — can I get a moment?”

2026 has been a banner year for Alemeda. Earlier this year, Alemeda made her network TV debut on “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” where she sang the EP’s song “Happy With You.” She performed at the Vans Warped Tour in Long Beach, California, in July. 

She’s already deep into her next project and teasing two unreleased songs on tour: “I’m Done” and “Roses by the Ocean.” One is pure anger; the other is No Doubt‑inspired. 

Alemeda is working on the songs with Stint, a Canadian record producer and songwriter who has worked with Kesha, Gallant, MØ, Carly Rae Jepsen, Demi Lovato, NAO and Zara Larsson. Her most recent EP, “But What the Hell Do I Know,” reflects her experimentation and growth. 

“I feel like a lot of people resonate with my story,” Alemeda said. “I’m excited to bring it all back now.”