Amira Unplugged, THE Popstar

Amira is unique in its purest definition. As a source of uplifting content during The Pandemic, her Tik Tok videos of her singing connected and brought to thousands of consumers worldwide. As an American-born Muslim woman, who is partially deaf, her viral videos were her golden ticket to American Idol. Although she blew the judges away with her talent and tasteful charm, she was turned away at the last minute without airing her success on the show. Without an explanation nor accepting defeat, Amira returned to her social media audience—building her base and establishing her strong community on the TikTok platform. In turn, earning her another invitation to MTV, approaching her with the idea of ‘Becoming a Popstar’!

Why Does Representation Matter?

Growing up in Stone Mountain, GA, Amira was raised around a diverse mix of people but was isolated as a Muslim, being the only one amongst her classmates. Even at the masjid, with the mix of Africans or Middle-Easterns, she didn’t see anyone besides her family sharing her identity. Even though it was easy for her to make friends and feel safe in some white spaces growing up, she longed to bridge the gap between her different identities and create a pathway for others like her. 

Finding Power in All That You Are

Amira’s family is her most significant influence. Her father helped her find her voice and her mom helped her with every challenge she faced, the biggest one being her partial deafness. As a young girl, she was excited to wear her hijab [the scarf that Muslim girls/women wear], but this cultural custom quickly showed her she was different from the people around her. To become who she was meant to be, she had to push past imposter syndrome, and she did it by facing her insecurities through her music. 

Going through ‘Becoming a Popstar’, she was challenged to write all original music, creating five original songs. In her song, “I Will Run,” she talked about imposter syndrome and how she overcame it. After putting herself out there on the show, Amira thought she would receive backlash and hate comments; she didn’t even think she’d make it past the first round. But she carried on and made it to the top 3! She recognized that she was given a voice and opportunity to represent the dreamers, just like herself.

“And so at the end, I’m like ready or not, I can’t delay the relay race. So I will run, so now I’m instead of running from opportunity, I’m running to it.”

What’s Next for Amira Unplugged?

After receiving so much love and positivity from the show, Amira is taking some time away to work on her first album. She’s excited to push herself and see what she can create. She will continue to be intentional with her music, creating uplifting spaces for her beloved community and become a pioneer for her fanbase through her music and example.