Siya

{{about||other people called Siya|siya (name)|the 2022 Hindi film|Siya (film){{!}}Siya (film)|the rural locality in Russia|Siya, Arkhangelsk Oblast}}

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{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Siya

| image =

| birth_name = Michele Andrea Sherman{{cite web|url=https://www.ascap.com/repertory#/ace/search/workID/906617879 |title=BELIEVE ME |website=ASCAP |publisher=American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers |access-date=April 29, 2023}}

| alias =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1987|03|23}}

| birth_place = Barstow, California, U.S.

| origin = Brooklyn, New York, U.S.

| genre = {{hlist|Hip hop}}

| occupation = {{hlist|Rapper|songwriter}}

| instrument = Vocals

| years_active = 2011–present

| label = Empire,{{cite web|url=http://senobaddiction.com/siya-signed-empire-records/|title=Siya Signed To Empire Records - SENOBADDICTION.COM|website=senobaddiction.com}} R&B Money{{cite web|url=http://singersroom.com/content/2015-12-06/tank-launches-new-label-rb-money/|title=Tank Launches New Label 'R&B Money' - Singersroom.com|website=singersroom.com|date=December 6, 2015 }}{{cite web|url=http://theboombox.com/siya-teams-up-with-tank-for-sexy-new-single-dont-u-say-yes-premiere/|title=Siya Teams Up With Tank for Sexy New Single 'Don't U (Say Yes)' [PREMIERE]|website=The Boombox|date=February 9, 2017 }}

| associated_acts =

| website = {{URL|http://siyamusic.com/}}

}}

Michele Andrea Sherman (born March 23, 1987), better known by her stage name Siya, is an American rapper. In 2012, she signed with Tank's R&B Money label imprint.{{cite web|url=http://www.eurweb.com/2012/10/tank-launches-record-label/|title=Tank Launches Record Label – EURweb|date=October 20, 2012}} She starred in the Oxygen reality TV series Sisterhood of Hip Hop.{{cite news|last1=McDonald|first1=Helen|title=Lesbian Rapper Siya Comes to Your TV on Reality Show about Women Rappers|url=http://www.autostraddle.com/lesbian-rapper-siya-comes-to-your-tv-on-reality-show-about-women-rappers-240838/|work=Autostraddle|date=June 9, 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.sonicbids.com/band/iamsiya/|title=About Siya|website=Sonicbids}} Siya has collaborated with artists such as Chris Brown, Sage the Gemini and Kirko Bangz. Siya has performed alongside artists such as Wyclef Jean at the world famous B.B. Kings, as well as opened up for Fat Joe and Fabolous during a concert at Nassau Coliseum in Long Island, New York. Currently starring in the BET Plus show Angel.

Early life

Siya was born in Barstow, California to an African American father and a Puerto Rican mother, and has three sisters.{{cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/ysF4TAiTgm/|title=Instagram post by SIYA • Feb 4, 2015 at 6:14pm UTC|website=Instagram}} Due to her mother's drug abuse and her incarcerated father, Siya was sent to live with her grandmother who raised her in the Eleanor Roosevelt housing projects in Bedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.{{cite news|url=https://www.villagevoice.com/2007/04/03/girls-to-men/|title=Girls to Men|last1=Hilliard|first1=Chloe A.|date=April 3, 2007|work=Village Voice}}{{cite news|last1=Bautista|first1=Camille|title=Bed-Stuy Rapper Seeks to Empower Women in Hip-Hop Reality Series|url=http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20150217/bed-stuy/bed-stuy-rapper-seeks-empower-women-hip-hop-reality-series|work=DNAinfo|date=February 17, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518104537/http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20150217/bed-stuy/bed-stuy-rapper-seeks-empower-women-hip-hop-reality-series|archive-date=May 18, 2015}} Siya began rapping at the age of seven and entered into the music industry at the age of 12. Siya's childhood influence was the rap group called Bone Thugs-n-Harmony.{{Cite web|url=https://www.oxygen.com/sisterhood-of-hip-hop/season-1/blogs/siya-in-the-gay-world-im-considered-a-stud|title=Siya: "In the Gay World, I'm Considered a 'Stud'"|date=August 5, 2014|website=Oxygen Official Site|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-25}} She states: "What I loved about them was how melodic their music was and that they tried different shit."

Musical career

Music became an outlet for Siya to comprehend her experiences and feelings. After moving to Atlanta to pursue her music career in her mid 20s she built a reputation and fan base for herself and caught the attention of well known artists and major labels. While some in the industry were afraid of how an openly gay female rapper would fit into the genre, Siya remained determined and refused to compromise her identity and stayed true to her style.{{Cite web|url=https://www.autostraddle.com/lesbian-rapper-siya-comes-to-your-tv-on-reality-show-about-women-rappers-240838/|title=Lesbian Rapper Siya Comes to Your TV on Reality Show about Women Rappers|date=June 9, 2014|website=Autostraddle|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-24}}{{Cite web|url=https://kitschmix.com/siya-mainstream-lesbian-rapper-youve-looking/|title=SIYA is the Mainstream Lesbian Rapper You've Been Looking For|date=October 23, 2014|website=KitschMix|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-24}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/out-comes-the-lesbian-rap-ballad-456/|title=Lesbian Hip-Hop Hits Prime Time|last=Schwartzberg|first=Lauren|date=October 9, 2014|website=Vice|language=en|access-date=2019-10-24}}

R&B legend Tank soon found her and from there she was signed to Tank's label R&B Money LLC. Siya released her singles "I'm Gone", "Smoke Drink", and mixtape Elevator Dreams in 2011.

Siya released her singles "One Hunnid" and "Real MVP" in 2014.{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/one-hunnid-single/908840341|title=One Hunnid – Single by Siya on Apple Music|website=iTunes |date=August 12, 2014}}{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/real-mvp-single/924715508|title=Real MVP – Single by Siya on Apple Music|website=iTunes |date=October 1, 2014}} She released a mixtape titled Better Late Than Never, and What Never Happened in 2015. She went on to release her debut studio album SIYAvsSIYA, on December 9, 2016.{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/siyavssiya/1173713154|title=SIYAvsSIYA by Siya on Apple Music|website=iTunes |date=December 9, 2016}} The album included collaborations with artists such as Ashley Rose, Jake&Papa, Lyric Wright and Kreesha Turner with the debut single being "New York."

On February 6, 2017, Siya released a song titled "Front Door", in promotion for her six song extended play, Commitment.{{cite web|url=http://hiphopdx.com/singles/id.36132/title.siya-celebrates-valentines-day-early-with-front-door|title=Siya Celebrates Valentine's Day Early With "Front Door"|date=February 6, 2017 |publisher=hiphopdx.com}} The EP was released on February 10, 2017, under Tank's label imprint, R&B Money LLC.{{cite web|url=http://www.xxlmag.com/news/2017/02/siya-commitment-ep/|title=Siya Drops 'Commitment' EP – XXL|website=XXL Mag|date=February 15, 2017 }}{{cite web|title=Commitment EP|url=https://play.google.com/music/m/Bbhvkbsjbrm2xsfdfsrvabb3ptu?t=Commitment_-_EP_-_Siya|website=Google Play Music|access-date=February 15, 2017}} The EP features the single "Don't You (Say Yes)" featuring Tank.{{cite web|url=https://play.google.com/music/m/Bggrpava37ih7te2jhv4wqluxxy?t=Dont_You_Say_Yes_feat_Tank_-_Siya|title=Don't You (Say Yes) [feat. Tank] – Siya}} In 2017 she released "Houston Girls" ft Kirko Bangz & "Hot Girl" with her EP 383- For Roosevelt. In 2018 she released "No Race" and "Circle Watching" as a preview for her next EP Mad Energy expected to drop fall 2018.

Discography

=Albums=

SIYAvsSIYA (2016)
383 – for Roosevelt (2017)
Mad Energy (2018)

=Mixtapes=

Elevator Music (2011)
Better Late Than Never (2015)
What Never Happened (2015)
Commitment (2017)

Filmography

class="wikitable"
2023 ! Film/TV Series ! Role ! Notes
2014-2016 \| Sisterhood of Hip Hop \| Herself \| Main
2016 \| Deuces \| Diggs \|
rowspan="2" \| 2018 \| The First Purge \| Blaise \|
Street Dreams – Los Angeles \| Hopper \|
2020 \| No Escape \| Sam \|
2021 \| True to the Game 3: The Final Chapter of Gena & Quadir's Story \| Fly \|
rowspan="2" \|2023 \|Baddies East \|Herself \|
Angel \|Diamond \|TV Series
rowspan="2" \| 2024 \| Bad vs. Wild \| Herself \| Guest
Station 19 \|Jazzy \|Episode: “True Colors”

class="wikitable"

2023

! Film/TV Series

! Role

! Notes

2014-2016

| Sisterhood of Hip Hop

| Herself

| Main

2016

| Deuces

| Diggs