

Before she was Amira Unplugged, rapper, singer, and a Becoming a Popstar contestant on MTV, she was Amira Daughtery, a twenty-five year-old Georgian, with aspirations of becoming a lawyer. “I thought my career path was going to lead me to law because that’s the way I thought I would help people,” Amira tells xoNecole. “[But] I always came back to music.”
A music lover since childhood, Amira grew up in an artistic household where passion for music was emphasized. “My dad has always been my huge inspiration for music because he’s a musician himself and is so passionate about the history of music.” Amira’s also dealt with deafness in one ear since she was a toddler, a condition which she says only makes her more “intentional” about the music she makes, to ensure that what she hears inside her head can translate the way she wants it to for audiences.
“The loss of hearing means a person can’t experience music in the conventional way,” she says. “I’ve always responded to bigger, bolder anthemic songs because I can feel them [the vibrations] in my body, and I want to be sure my music does this for deaf/HOH people and everyone.”
Amira Unplugged and other contestants on Becoming a Popstar
Amira Unplugged / MTV
In order to lift people’s spirits at the beginning of the pandemic, Amira began posting videos on TikTok of herself singing and using sign language so her music could reach her deaf fans as well. She was surprised by how quickly she was able to amass a large audience. It was through her videos that she caught the attention of a talent scout for MTV’s new music competition show for rising TikTok singers, Becoming a Popstar. After a three-month process, Amira was one of those picked to be a contestant on the show.
Becoming a Popstar, as Amira describes, is different from other music competition shows we’ve all come to know over the years. “Well, first of all, it’s all original music. There’s not a single cover,” she says. “We have to write these songs in like a day or two and then meet with our producers, meet with our directors. Every week, we are producing a full project for people to vote on and decide if they’d listen to it on the radio.”
To make sure her deaf/HOH audiences can feel her songs, she makes sure to “add more bass, guitar, and violin in unique patterns.” She also incorporates “higher pitch sounds with like chimes, bells, and piccolo,” because, she says, they’re easier to feel. “But it’s less about the kind of instrument and more about how I arrange the pattern of the song. Everything I do is to create an atmosphere, a sensation, to make my music a multi-sensory experience.”
She says that working alongside the judges–pop stars Joe Jonas and Becky G, and choreographer Sean Bankhead – has helped expand her artistry. “Joe was really more about the vocal quality and the timber and Becky was really about the passion of [the song] and being convinced this was something you believed in,” she says. “And what was really great about [our choreographer] Sean is that obviously he’s a choreographer to the stars – Lil Nas X, Normani – but he didn’t only focus on choreo, he focused on stage presence, he focused on the overall message of the song. And I think all those critiques week to week helped us hone in on what we wanted to be saying with our next song.”
As her star rises, it’s been both her Muslim faith and her friends, whom she calls “The Glasses Gang” (“because none of us can see!”), that continue to ground her. “The Muslim and the Muslima community have really gone hard [supporting me] and all these people have come together and I truly appreciate them,” Amira says. “I have just been flooded with DMs and emails and texts from [young muslim kids] people who have just been so inspired,” she says. “People who have said they have never seen anything like this, that I embody a lot of the style that they wanted to see and that the message hit them, which is really the most important thing to me.”
Amira Unplugged
Amira Unplugged / MTV
Throughout the show’s production, she was able to continue to uphold her faith practices with the help of the crew, such as making sure her food was halal, having time to pray, dressing modestly, and working with female choreographers. “If people can accept this, can learn, and can grow, and bring more people into the fold of this industry, then I’m making a real difference,” she says.
Though she didn’t win the competition, this is only the beginning for Amira. Whether it’s on Becoming a Popstar or her videos online, Amira has made it clear she has no plans on going anywhere but up. “I’m so excited that I’ve gotten this opportunity because this is really, truly what I think I’m meant to do.”
Devale Ellis On Being A Provider, Marriage Growth & Redefining Fatherhood
In this candid episode of the xoMAN podcast, host Kiara Walker talked with Devale Ellis, actor, social media personality, and star of Zatima, about modern masculinity, learning to be a better husband, emotional presence in marriage, fatherhood for Black men, and leading by example.
“I Wasn’t Present Emotionally”: Devale Ellis on Marriage Growth
Devale Ellis On Learning He Was a ‘Bad Husband’
Ellis grew up believing that a man should prioritize providing for his family. “I know this may come off as misogynistic, but I feel like it’s my responsibility as a man to pay for everything,” he said, emphasizing the wise guidance passed down by his father. However, five years into his marriage to long-time partner Khadeen Ellis, he realized provision wasn’t just financial.
“I was a bad husband because I wasn’t present emotionally… I wasn’t concerned about what she needed outside of the resources.”
Once he shifted his mindset, his marriage improved. “In me trying to be of service to her, I learned that me being of service created a woman who is now willing to be of service to me.”
On Redefining Masculinity and Fatherhood
For Ellis, “being a man is about being consistent.” As a father of four, he sees parenthood as a chance to reshape the future.
“Children give you another chance at life. I have four different opportunities right now to do my life all over again.”
He also works to uplift young Black men, reinforcing their worth in a world that often undermines them. His values extend to his career—Ellis refuses to play roles that involve domestic violence or sexual assault.
Watch the full episode below:
On Marriage, Family Planning, and Writing His Story
After his wife’s postpartum preeclampsia, Ellis chose a vasectomy over her taking hormonal birth control, further proving his commitment to their partnership. He and Khadeen share their journey in We Over Me, and his next book, Raising Kings: How Fatherhood Saved Me From Myself, is on the way.
Through honesty and growth, Devale Ellis challenges traditional ideas of masculinity, making his story one that resonates deeply with millennial women.
For the xoMAN podcast, host Kiara Walker peels back the layers of masculinity with candid conversations that challenge stereotypes and celebrate vulnerability. Real men. Real stories. Real talk.
Want more real talk from xoMAN? Catch the full audio episodes every Tuesday on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and don’t miss the full video drops every Wednesday on YouTube. Hit follow, subscribe, and stay tapped in.
Featured image by YouTube/xoNecole
Calling All Lovers: October London, Tamar Braxton & Ro James Deliver A Soulful Serenade
If there was ever a night to pull out your best leather jacket, call up an old flame, and lean into your soft, sultry era, The October Nights: Calling All Lovers tour was it.
Presented by Black Promoters Collective, the show brought an evening of lush vocals, smooth grooves, and unapologetic grown-folks business to Atlanta—with Ro James, Tamar Braxton, and the man of the hour, October London, leading the charge. The energy? Sensual. The vibe? Intoxicating (literally and figuratively—more on that in a minute).
Ro James kicked off the night with his signature raspy vocals and a cool confidence that immediately set the tone. While “Permission” was the undeniable crowd favorite (with couples slow-dancing in their seats and people swaying with their phones in the air), he also dug deeper into his catalog, delivering seductive mid-tempos and moody ballads that reminded us he’s not a one-hit wonder—he’s a whole vibe.
Next up, Tamar Braxton took the stage with diva energy and vocal acrobatics that had the crowd on their feet. Her set was a perfect mix of emotion and edge—songs like “My Man,” “All the Way Home,” and “Love & War” hit every heartstring, but she didn’t stop there.
Tamar tapped into her earlier work, showing her full vocal range and reminding everyone that she’s one of the most powerful voices of her generation. Between tracks, she got personal with the audience, sharing laughs and stories like we were all cousins at the family reunion.
Oh—and in case you missed it: “Braxtons are coming back.” 👀 Consider that a soft launch if we’ve ever heard one.
Then came the velvet king himself: October London.
From the moment he stepped on stage, it felt like time slowed down. Backed by a silky live band and powerhouse background vocalists The Shindellas — Kaso, Stacy, and Tam, October’s set was pure R&B indulgence.
He opened with songs like “She Keeps Calling” and “Make Me Wanna,” blending retro soul with modern sensuality. Every note was intentional, every lyric soaked in emotion.
“Touch On Me” and “3rd Shift” had the crowd in a trance, while “Lovers Interlude” and “You Look Better” brought things to a tender, candlelit close.
And because this is October London we’re talking about—of course, he came with the charm. “If I come down there and sing with you,” he teased one woman in the front row, “you gon’ get pregnant.” The entire room screamed.
He also took a moment to introduce his newest venture—a signature whiskey that he’s currently promoting on tour. Smooth music, smooth vocals, smooth whiskey? A trifecta for the grown and sexy.
To top off the night, there was even a surprise pop-up from Tyrese, sending the crowd into full nostalgic overload.
By the end of the night, it was clear: this wasn’t just a concert—it was a love letter to R&B. The October Nights: Calling All Lovers tour captured the essence of grown-up intimacy, storytelling, and soul. No gimmicks. Just real voices, real feelings, and really good music.
If October London is the future of modern soul, we’re all in.
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Feature image by Geoffrey Clowes/ Shutterstock