Ainae is a Washington, D.C.-based R&B and Cinematic Soul artist with Ethiopian, Black American, and Caribbean roots, known for layering soulful melodies over modern production and story-driven songwriting. She's brought that sound to national stages- NBC's The Voice (Season 20, Team Kelly Clarkson), an official artist slot at SXSW 2025, Broccoli City Festival, and a sold-out headline show at Union Stage in her hometown of D.C. Her debut EP Looking Glass, mixed by Grammy Award-winning engineer Dani Perez, traces the fantasy of romance before reality sets in, and reached over 17,000 monthly Spotify listeners at its peak. This summer, Ainae takes her full live band on the road for the Free Will Tour, built around a simple idea: choosing your own path, and having the courage to chase it loud.