Ahya Simone

Ahya Simone is an eclectically elusive siren and multidisciplinary artist from Detroit. As a harpist, composer, and filmmaker, she traverses through the world of sound, moving image, and performance. Ever since she began singing in a church choir as a child, her passion for music has only grown when she was introduced to the harp as a teen. Drawing inspiration from her favorite contemporary artists, she began to mix R&B/soul, jazz, and experimental elements into her works and performances.

Additionally, Ahya’s music caught the eye of acclaimed filmmaker, dream hampton, where she co- composed music for “Treasure: From Tragedy To Trans Justice Mapping A Detroit Story ” (2015)- sparking her interest in exploring sound and image. With the support of Detroit Narrative Agency, in 2018 Ahya directed and her first short film, “Femme Queen Chronicles” (co-created with Paige Wood and Brè Rivera) about three Black trans women living in Detroit which was lauded at several film festivals for its exploration of identity through visuals and sound.

Papi Juice is an art collective that aims to affirm and celebrate the lives of queer and trans people of color. Structured around curated events, Papi Juice lives at the intersection of art, music, fashion, and nightlife. Since its inception in 2013, the collective has been changing the face of nightlife in New York City and beyond with intentional platforms for artists of color including panels, artist residencies, performances, and, of course, fabled DJ sets and all night parties. Papi Juice has featured artists and DJs such as: Addison Rae, Frank Ocean, Helado Negro, Juliana Huxtable, Kelsey Lu, MikeQ, and Yaeji. Papi Juice has also partnered with institutions such as the Brooklyn Museum, Creative Time, Lincoln Center, MoMA PS1, Planned Parenthood, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and partners like A24, Ace Hotel, Calvin Klein, Coach, HBO, H&M, Ray-Ban, and Resident Advisor.

Bio to come.