Singer/songwriter AIJIA brings a daring complexity to the world of pop, matching her unforgettable hooks with emotionally raw lyrics. Recently showing the singular depth of her artistry in two back-to-back singles: the powerful piano ballad “For You,” and the radiant pop anthem “Magic.” Now at work on a full-length project, AIJIA is set to deliver a body of work filled with both sensitivity and strength, timeless melody and bold ingenuity.

Born and raised in L.A., AIJIA possesses a musicality she attributes to her upbringing noting that her maternal grandfather headed up the jazz-piano department at USC for nearly two decades. Meanwhile, her paternal grandparents ran a legendary rock club in Hollywood in the ’80s and ‘90s. AIJIA started writing her own songs in her early teens, and later honed her masterful vocal skills by singing backup for artists like Rachel Platten and Colbie Caillat. In recent years, she’s toured with Selena Gomez and joined the pop superstar TV appearances like “Saturday Night Live,” as well as lent her songwriting chops for other artists and licensing songs to TV shows, films, and commercials.

A longtime social justice advocate—an undertaking that includes her role as Ambassador for Rock Camp for Girls—AIJIA instills her musical output with a potent message of female empowerment. That message is especially impactful in “For You,” a song written after watching Dr. Christine Blasey Ford testify to the Senate. Along with donating all song proceeds to TIME’S UP, she debuted her video featuring women from all walks of life lip-synching her lyrics, ultimately building a profound sense of solidarity and catharsis.

In the making of her forthcoming album, AIJIA joined forces with producer Phinisey, purposely taking her time to uncover her most authentic artistic voice. Meeting up every Monday for an entire year, the two collaborators carefully brought the project to life, eventually arriving at a joyfully left-of-center sound that never distracts from the power of AIJIA’s storytelling.