Today we’d like to introduce you to Raneem Imam.
Hi Raneem, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
I’ve been singing for as long as I can remember. My mother would catch me standing on our living room table singing along to music videos and performances on TV when I was just one or two years old.
I vividly remember always singing about my day, about how I was feeling, or about a situation I was in randomly around the house 24/7. That was probably one of the first signs I was going to be a songwriter before I could even comprehend what I was doing.
My whole family always told me I had a beautiful voice, but it took some time for me to believe in myself. I never took singing or writing seriously until I did a couple of talent shows in middle school, auditioned for solos in choir. Then as a freshman in high school, I tried out for my first musical, and after that, I knew I was destined to be a performer and entertainer.
Every step of the journey, I knew I had some type of talent and skill, but there was always a life experience that would push me to the next level of curiosity and give me the spark I needed to ignite the flames of my passions. College was like that for me. It was the spark I didn’t know I needed. I connected so many dots about myself and my life while studying music. I got more and more confident, more experienced, and had more opportunities to grow than I had ever imagined before.
I went from stepping into my first studio at 18 and writing a whole mixtape in the computer labs at Rhodes to interning at Royal Studios at 19 and producing my first solo single. I just kept going, never stopping at just one interest because I wanted to learn everything about the ins and outs of creating a record. I applied for a scholarship to study music production abroad in London and got to heighten my skills there. After that trip, I was determined to produce and release my debut solo EP and launch my career as a singer/songwriter.
I’ve been fortunate to have so many mentors and friends to help me along the way. It’s just been one opportunity to another and I could not be more grateful.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Gaining the confidence to showcase myself has been a big struggle. Perfectionism has been a struggle. And those two don’t work well together (LOL). You want to show yourself to the world but at the same time, you want what you release to be absolutely perfect in every way beforehand.
Another struggle had been being underestimated as a woman in music. I’ve always had to prove myself worthy of being in the room where it happens by speaking fluently in engineer/producer talk. They always get surprised when I know what I am talking about or when I can chime in some value to the conversations. It’s gotten better as people got to know me around town, but at first, I always struggled with just being “the singer” and not the artist, producer, mixer, etc.
I’m really fortunate to have a support system of family and friends in my circle who have allayed believed in me and have pushed me along with encouragement and love.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a singer/songwriter and producer. I write songs, I create music, and I love performing on stage.
I’m most proud of my resiliency and determination. No matter what life threw at me I always find a way to make things happen. Whether it’s making an EP in the middle of a pandemic as a 2020 graduate or figuring out how to make a living and get my start as a musician in Memphis by performing around town.
I never let anything get in the way of what I want to happen. I go around it, I maneuver, I get creative. It also helps that I don’t take every little thing so seriously, I just want to live my life, make art, have a good time, and make others feel something.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
I work in social media on the side.
Contact Info:
- Email: raneem.imam98@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raneemimam/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/RaneemImam
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/osnapitzneemo
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/raneemimam
Image Credits
Rampage Photography, Adam Itayem, Jacson Hendrix, and Noah Stewart
