Press Archive: AAries article in Vibe Magazine

AAries Press Archive
Written By AAries

AAries feature article in Vibe Magazine’s 2003 issue, page 110.

article text:

AARIES Dynamic Duo 

Musiq bobs his head to the beat as he watches AAries— 25-year-old identical twins Ayana and Ayinke Hipps— open his show at Chicago's House of Blues. Showcasing material from their wholesome debut, Always Remember (Atlantic), the astrologically named twosome serves up a blend of Baptist church soul, thrift-store-meets-couture style, and Jiffy-corn-bread-sweet melody, slowly winning over the rugged-to-glam crowd. "They can sing." says Musiq, who doesn't disguise his admiration. "They remind me of the Emotions, Minnie Riperton. I'm curious to see what they're capable of. They've got so much potential." 

AAries's fine-tuned empathy for a live audience is a natural extension of the twins’ own close link. "We're connected, like those stories say," declares Ayana. They claim they can sense each other's pain when they're apart, and have even had exactly the same dream. "When I see a picture of us, sometimes I don't know which one I am at first." says Ayana. "It's weird." Their music delves into that bond. "We talk about unity and balance," says Ayinke. "At times people think they're love songs, but we're talking about our own relationship." 

This family closeness extends beyond the sisters: Six years ago, the duo left their Falls Church, Va., home to join brother Jerome, 32. in Philadelphia. While he evolved from party promoter to artist manager, they earned undergrad degrees at Lehigh University (Ayinke in sociology, Ayana in international business), and developed their craft, eventually becoming regulars at the legendary Black Lily jam. When Jerome and partner Mike McArthur scored with their marquee client Musiq in 2000, AAries got its big break— Ayana duetted with Musiq on the hit "Girl Next Door." 

Always Remember, which features production from local luminar is like ?uestlove, Dre and Vidal, is clearly a product of the prevailing Philly climate. But the ladies' soaring sopranos add a special twist. On the cusp of the album's release, they say it was in the stars all along. "We were preemies— two months early," says Avana. "God put us on the path to become AAries, and the classic Aries trait is leadership. People say they see it in our spirits." Talk about wonder-twin power. —Carmen Renee Thompson

AAries

Ayana and Ayinké, twin sisters collectively known as AAries, have always known they wanted to sing. Born and raised in Alexandria, VA, their father introduced them to Jazz, Soul, R&B. Their mother introduced them to Classical and Gospel, which fostered their love for music. Their mother encouraged their love of music by insisting they sing in church and in chorus; and before the pursuit of a musical career even entered their minds, the two were no strangers to singing at the Kennedy Center and on the Wolf Trap stage. At the age of 14, the sisters showcased their talent on Showtime at the Apollo in Harlem, New York. The two also had the opportunity as teens to sing with Kirk Franklin and Richard Smallwood. After graduating high school, Ayana and Ayinké headed to Lehigh University, where Ayana earned her degree in International Business and Ayinke in Sociology with a Master’s degree in Professional Counseling. Upon graduating college, Ayana and Ayinke set their sights on Philadelphia, which they quickly made their home, embedding themselves into the musical scene including the popular Black Lily showcase at the famed Five Spot venue. Soon after, the two were recognized from their work with Musiq Soulchild. Ayana and Ayinké were featured on such hits as “Girl Next Door,” a cover of Patrice Rushen’s “Settle for My Love” and GRAMMY-nominated records “Love” and “Forthenight.” AAries went on to sign deals with both Atlantic Records and Sony.

Their work ushered in opportunities, such as writing and recording their song “Come Inside” for the Johnson Family Vacation (starring Cedric the Entertainer and Vanessa Williams) movie soundtrack. They also earned the opportunity to be in a national Coca Cola campaign, alongside musical legends Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, Amel Larrieux, Angie Stone and Musiq Soulchild. They have provided background vocals to artists such as Joe, Chris Brown, Skillz and RatedArt and Lee Fields. They’ve released a single with the house music collective “Reel People” for the dance floor hit “Don’t Give It Up” and an EP of cover songs called “Cover Girls.” The group has been working on their upcoming EP with the help of talented producer, songwriter, and artist Marcus John Bryant a.k.a. RatedArt. In addition they worked on a song with GRAMMY-nominated producer Ivan (Orthodox) Barias, who also assisted in Engineering the entire EP.

AAries recently released a single off their EP entitled, “Better Days'' This song celebrates our culture in the most encouraging manner, keeping the power we have, ALIVE. It reminds us of who we are, a beautiful people who are creative, nurturing and most importantly, resilient.

Previous

Press Archive: AAries featured in Coca Cola’s 'Nu Classic Soul'
Next

Press Archive: AAries in Philadelphia Style Magazine