As she releases her first album, the Egyptian-Irish singer-songwriter shares her style.
Vogue Arabia, May 2022. Photo: Nathalie Gordon
Life in-between
Egyptian-Irish singer-songwriter Aaria Tae has ventured across three unique cultures that instilled in her a sense of fluidity on the world map. Being born in Cairo, attending school in France, and living in London and Los Angeles have given Tae a different perspective to her surroundings and herself. “I eventually came to see how much of an advantage and privilege this experience was. It allowed me to explore aspects of myself I probably wouldn’t have otherwise,” she says.
Vogue Arabia, May 2022. Photo: Nathalie Gordon
Soul bird
Tae is gearing up for the release of her first single this summer. Almost a decade of learning classical violin incited Tae to venture into different musical genres like hip hop, soul, and RnB, which remain at the top of her playlist with classics by Lucky Daye and Kendrick Lamar. As she reflects on her childhood that danced along to the tunes of Motown and disco classics, she finds herself also influenced by her multinationals. “Having spent a lot of time in France and Egypt I was also heavily influenced by both music cultures and artists,” Tae expresses.
Vogue Arabia, May 2022. Photo: Nathalie Gordon
Day’s work
All it takes for Tae to kick-start her day is an oat or matcha latte from a coffee shop near her house in London called Over Under. Due to her busy schedule, she finds it difficult to work out, so she walks to her recording studio, where she spends the rest of her day. As for her time off, she loves meditating, disconnecting from technology while strolling through Hyde Park, having dinner with friends, and visiting her favorite side of the city, East London. When in Los Angeles, most of her time is spent in West Hollywood for its hangout spots and shopping sessions in Beverly Hills.
All or nothing
Tae’s “all or nothing” ethos came into focus at the age of five after seeing the video for Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” “He is my biggest influence of all, and I was lucky enough to share a stage with him a few years later as an extra at an award ceremony,” she shares. As a young adult, Tae attained her university degree in London where she juggled a demanding lifestyle, slowly striding towards her dream with music. “I would go to work from 9am to 6pm then head to studio at 7pm until 4am, sleep four hours and start all over again,” she says.
Vogue Arabia, May 2022. Photo: Nathalie Gordon
High fashion streetwear
Just like her music, Tae’s style stands out from a crowd, with inspirations dating to when the 80s met the urban 90s. She admires designs by Area, Schiaparelli, and Mugler for their exaggerated cuts and textures. “I like playful, I like bold, I like iconic,” she shares. Aside from her daring aesthetic, Tae appreciates a closet that gives room for a woman to freely maneuver through her lifestyle and different roles. She also finds herself traversing into slow fashion with vintage pieces and custom projects by fashion design students. A black monogram Gucci shoulder bag was her first self-bought designer piece.
Vogue Arabia, May 2022. Photo: Nathalie Gordon
The art of stacking
When life gives Tae jewelry, she stacks it, because “there’s no such thing as too much. If I could wear all the items I own together I would,” she says. She likes matching her favorite yellow gold jewelry with other custom-made pieces designed by jewelers she knows and trusts. Her fascination with jewelry extends to rarely parting from her gold and diamond lotus bangle by Rasha Mansour, piercings by Maria Tash and Dina Maghawry, and a small blue pendant that belonged to her grandmother. She also holds her Irish grandmother’s Victorian style pavé diamond ring, her mother’s sapphire ring with matching earrings, and her Egyptian grandmother’s emerald ring close to her heart.
Beauty is simplicity
Tae’s daytime skincare includes Estée Lauder DayWear tinted moisturizer, which gives her a healthy glow. Before bed, she mixes a little lavender oil or Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum with Nivea Creme. “Someone I knew with very soft skin refused for years to tell me their secret. I later found out they put baby oil and talcum powder on wet skin straight out the shower, so I tried it and it works for me.”
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Originally published in the May 2022 issue of Vogue Arabia
