Dreamville Fest 2025: AKIA Sets the Tone With Raw R&B on its Last Day Ever

Yahoo

10-04-2025

Rising R&B star AKIA ain't one to sleep on. Signed to SinceThe80s and proudly repping Arkansas, the singer-songwriter opened Day 2 of Dreamville Fest 2025, marking a historic moment as the final edition of the beloved hip-hop festival wrapped. With her fiery energy, sharp vocals, and her sultry single, 'DND,' AKIA made quite the statement as a newcomer.
'Just being from where I'm from, it's not much opportunity,' she shared backstage after her set, also mentioning how much she misses her family. 'So just being able to walk through these doors—I'm glad to be here.'
If you've heard 'DND,' you already know AKIA doesn't hold back. She kicks off the guitar-laden track with an angry voicemail message ('Hold on, if I call this n**** one more time…') before her sweet vocals contrast the preceding tension ('You gon' say I'm trippin' askin' where you have been when your business is my business.'). The way she paints the picture when she coos, 'I done left out my house in a bonnet,' translated literally into her 'From The Block' performance around mid March 2025.
It's a smooth, emotionally charged record born out of real-life drama—namely, her current relationship. 'My man,' she said with a laugh, when I asked who had her in her feelings. 'And he be singing them songs! I be like, yeah, you singing them sh*ts about you.'
Delivered with the kind of honesty only a (fellow) Virgo could truly embody, 'DND' is the lead single off her new project, a three-part EP series called DUMB, CRAZY, STUPID. The first installment, DUMB, was released on Friday, March 28, 2025.
'Everybody's been like, 'When are you gonna drop music? You're never gonna drop.' Now I've dropped,' she said proudly. AKIA confirms what the titles suggest: 'So, like I said on stage, I'm a little crazy. Y'all, like, I'm missing a few screws.' Don't say she didn't warn you.
Now based in Atlanta, AKIA credits the executives at SinceThe80s for believing in her vision and helping shape her sound. 'I couldn't ask for a better team,' she said. 'I really think I got the best team, honestly. Period.' AKIA is managed by Tez McClain, and has the likes of SinceThe80s founders Barry Hefner and Zeke Nicholson, in her corner. The label, management company, and publisher is also the home of fellow Dreamville Fest performers J.I.D. and EARTHGANG.
That team effort was on full display at her recent EP release party, which featured music icons like Bryan-Michael Cox and Keith Thomas. If you know anything about the music industry, especially the world of R&B, then you know these are co-signs that mean something. This has only further emboldened AKIA.
'I'm bad. Like, I'm here to stay,' she declared. 'They done let me through the door, and they done f*cked up.' Backed by industry titans and fueled by her own self-assurance, AKIA's arrival on the R&B scene promises to be nothing short of impactful.
Music might be her first love and current focus, but AKIA plans to pursue her other passions down the road. 'I would love to get some little acting roles,' she shared. 'People call me funny from time to time.' Somebody tell Tyler Perry and Kevin Hart to have their people call her people. I could tell from our brief conversation that she has the potential to light up the silver screen.
Oh, and she cooks, too. 'My favorite dish to make is pot roast. I'm a beast with the pot roast,' she said, giving flowers to her grandma for the recipe. She foresees herself having a culinary show akin to what you'd find on Food Network. Cooking With AKIA has quite the ring to it, don't you think?
If there's one thing AKIA wants the world to take away from her music, it's this: 'I'm real and raw.' Her voice, her lyrics, and her spirit carry that same unfiltered truth. This is a necessary quality in any genre but especially powerful in R&B, which is deeply rooted in storytelling and emotional resonance.
With a standout Dreamville Fest debut, a bold new single, and a fresh EP series underway, AKIA is making sure the world knows she's not just here—she's here to stay.