By Marcus D. Smith
Sacramento native Allyn Moriswala is set to reach a milestone in her rising music career, performing in her hometown for the first time.
The R&B singer and instrumentalist, who goes by Allyn, will take the stage at Ace of Spades, at 1417 R St. in midtown, on April 16. She is currently touring with Los Angeles independent rapper Dom Kennedy.
“God has been blessing me with opportunities,” Allyn said. “This is my first time performing in Sacramento, my first time performing at Ace of Spades. It’s just an amazing feeling, a venue that I grew up going to in Sac.”
Allyn has kept a busy schedule, she said, having just completed a tour with rapper K Camp and another with singer-songwriter Eric Bellinger in less than six months.
She and Kennedy have collaborated on several tracks, including “Attention” and “Independent” from his latest album, Class of 95. The tour marks Kennedy’s first since the death of rapper and close friend Nipsey Hussle in 2019.
“(Kennedy) is a great person to be around, even as an artist, he’s super inspiring,” Allyn said. “He’s legendary. He’s the blueprint for being independent, somebody that I’ve looked up to for a long time.”
Allyn said the tour has connected her with new fans, some hearing her music for the first time.
Last month, Allyn released a new single titled “Circus”, which reflects on life and relationships.
“There’s been times where I’ve had people play with me,” Allyn said. “Kind of like a circus, there’s so many clowns out here. ‘Circus’ is basically saying I’m not being a part of anyone’s circus. I’m not playing games with anybody, whether it’s a friend, a relationship, whatever it is.”
A classically trained musician, Allyn plans to showcase her viola skills on stage, performing live during her set. One of her favorite moments comes when she plays “Lick Back” from her 2024 project “Until You Know.”
“It’s a very special moment,” she said. “There’s not too many people who are musicians that are playing music. I’m bringing out an instrument that I’ve been playing since I was three. So it was just a surreal moment to tie everything together.”
Though she described herself as naturally shy, Allyn said touring has helped her grow more comfortable on stage.
“This tour has forced me to kind of get out of my shyness. People say they don’t see it, but I know I’m shy,” she said. “No matter how many times I perform in front of people, I still get shy, especially also being the only female on an all-male tour. It’s been a good time, though.”
Allyn said she was at a loss for words about performing in front of family and friends in Sacramento.
“Being a part of something like this and bringing it to the city is definitely a blessing,” she said. “There’s not too many artists from Sacramento that are doing it. I’m glad to be one of the few that are.”
Tickets for the April 16 show with Allyn and Kennedy are available through Ticketmaster, starting at $48.
Related Stories from Sacramento Bee
December 9, 2021 5:00 AM
Sacramento soccer star-turned-music producer is set to release a new album. Who is Chimchilla?
February 27, 2025 1:23 PM
Marcus D. Smith is The Sacramento Bee’s Elk Grove reporter. He joined The Bee in 2020, covering Black communities for the Equity Lab. Prior to The Bee, Smith covered high school sports at the Citrus Heights Sentinel. He received his journalism degree from Texas Southern University.
