Today we’d like to introduce you to Ali King.
Hi Ali, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I’ve been singing since before I could talk—literally. Music has always been my first language, the way I connect to the world. I was born into a legacy of show business. My father, Michael King, ran KingWorld Productions—one of the most influential television syndication companies in history. My godfather was Frank Sinatra. With that kind of lineage, creativity wasn’t just encouraged; it was part of my DNA.
By age three, I was making television appearances, including an early spot on Sesame Street. Soon after, I landed a role in The Little Rascals, sharing scenes with the Olsen twins and earning screen credits. But even then, I knew the camera wasn’t where I felt most alive. My heart belonged to music.
At nine, I recorded my first Christmas CD. It was rough, imperfect, and beautiful. I didn’t even know all the lyrics, but I knew how they made me feel. I started performing the national anthem at games, acted in commercials my dad produced, and even joined a pilot for The Little Rascals reboot. But most importantly—I wrote. Songwriting was how I made sense of a world that wasn’t always stable. I wrote on napkins, in notebooks—whatever I could find. My lyrics were my therapy.
By sixteen, I signed with Twizz Management and landed a deal with Desert Storm. While working on my first EP, one song started to gain attention. Big names were floated—Kanye, Jeezy, Jim Jones. And then Fabolous walked in the door and ended up on the track. That moment felt huge. But the industry was shifting—streaming was just beginning, CDs were dying, and social media hadn’t yet figured out how to save us. The label dropped me before we could even shoot a video.
Then Jellybean Benitez came into the picture. He believed in me and signed me to Fuego Recordings. We remixed “Losing My Mind” with Fabolous and suddenly, I was on Billboard for 14 straight weeks—peaking at #12. Remixes from DJs like Razor & Guido and Karmatronic were in heavy club rotation. Vic Latino and the Party FM crew gave it a boost, and I went on tour, performing at 64 venues across the Tri-State—sometimes three shows a night—while still attending Fordham University. It was chaotic, exhausting, and everything I had ever dreamed of.
Eventually, Jellybean and I parted ways, and I signed with DeeTown Entertainment as one of three artists being developed. That’s where I discovered another side of myself. I began writing for TV, film, and brands—places I never imagined I’d land, but where I found new purpose. I leaned into experimentation and built a sound that was entirely my own.
I wrote and recorded music featured in national ad campaigns for 7Up, Twix, and Chipotle, and landed placements in major films like Turbo, Thunderstruck, and Alvin and the Chipmunks. But it wasn’t all glitz. I often wasn’t credited. I’d hear my voice on TV and not even know who licensed the song. In some cases, my songs were released under another woman’s name—the same woman having an affair with the producer. It was heartbreaking. I had to step back and remember why I fell in love with music in the first place.
I moved back to California to be with my dad. I needed healing. I needed family. I kept creating, but in a strange limbo—hearing my own voice in the world without consent or recognition. Still, the fire never left.
I started posting raw, honest videos on social media—just me, singing, no filters. They went viral. Five million views here, four million there. I wasn’t chasing fame; I was just showing up as myself. And it worked. I brought on a team, began recording again, and started working with Steve Lobel in L.A. and Penthouse Studios in NYC. For the first time in a long time, I felt alive again.
Then in 2017, everything changed: I became a mother. A single mother. My son, James Michael, is my miracle. He gave me clarity, grounded me, saved me. He kept me sober and focused when nothing else could. Everything I do now, I do for him.
I never stopped growing. I continued my studies at Berklee College of Music, diving deeper into production, composition, and performance. My story has been featured in Vents Magazine, ChartAttack, The Frisky, ForeignsPolicyi, Vibe, TMZ, and more. The nickname “The Music Fashioniista” became a brand—one rooted in self-expression and authenticity. It opened doors I’m forever grateful for.
But today, I’ve come full circle. I’m no longer “The Music Fashioniista”—I’m just me. Ali King. That name means something again. I’m working on new music, building a clothing line, and creating for the sake of art, not validation. I’m designing my future on my own terms.
The work I’m doing now is the most honest I’ve ever done. Every lyric is a diary entry. Every melody, a piece of my truth. I’ve lived a thousand lives within this one. I lost my father in May 2015—and shortly after, I found out I was pregnant with my son. He reminds me of my dad in the most beautiful ways. That’s not a coincidence. That’s purpose.
I’ve learned that life doesn’t go according to plan. It’s messy. It breaks you open. But it also brings you back to what matters. I may not want to be a superstar anymore—but I want to be real. I want to be present. I want to be creative. I want to use the gifts God gave me.
Because for me, music has never just been a career.
It’s how I breathe.
It’s how I connect.
It’s how I live.
Music has always shown up for me—even when people didn’t.
It’s my constant. My companion. My way forward
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Not even close. But I don’t think it’s supposed to be.
My journey has been full of stops, detours, and hard left turns. I’ve experienced major highs—charting on Billboard, performing on tour, working with icons—and then just as quickly, I’ve been dropped, replaced, or forgotten. I’ve had my voice placed in national campaigns and movie soundtracks… only to not be credited. I’ve heard my own vocals used under someone else’s name. That kind of thing can crush you if you don’t have a deep love for what you do.
There were moments I questioned everything—whether I belonged in this industry, whether I was good enough, whether I could keep going. I’ve had my work stolen, been betrayed by people I trusted, and watched opportunities disappear overnight. I’ve struggled with the pressure to be “on” all the time, to be perfect, to please everyone but myself.
And outside of music, life didn’t pause for me to catch my breath. I lost my father—my hero—in 2015. I became a single mother not long after. Navigating motherhood while trying to stay creative, stay present, and still dream big… it’s a battle most people never see behind the photos and the headlines.
But every struggle shaped me. Every setback deepened my voice. Every time I fell apart, I came back sharper—more honest, more aligned, and more committed to doing things my way.
So no, the road hasn’t been smooth. But it’s real. And it’s mine.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a singer, songwriter, and storyteller—through music, fashion, and now product design. I specialize in emotion. That’s the heart of everything I do. Whether I’m writing for myself, for film and TV, or for another artist, I always lead with honesty. I want people to feel something. To hear a lyric and say, “That’s exactly how I feel, but I didn’t know how to say it.”
I’ve had songs chart on Billboard, I’ve voiced national campaigns, I’ve toured, I’ve been on sets since I was a toddler—but honestly, what I’m most proud of is still showing up. After everything. After loss, betrayal, motherhood, industry politics. The fact that I still want to create, that I haven’t let this world harden me—that’s what I’m proud of.
People often tell me I have a distinct sound and presence—something they can’t quite put their finger on. I think what sets me apart is that I’ve lived many lives, but I’ve stayed rooted in who I am. I don’t pretend to be perfect. I’m not here to sell a fantasy. I’m here to tell the truth—through my music, through my clothes, through the way I show up online.
Right now, I’m finishing my debut pop-R&B album, continuing to write for sync placements, and developing a clothing line that reflects the same spirit as my music—bold, emotional, fearless, a little rebellious. Everything I create is deeply personal, but designed to be relatable. It’s about identity. Survival. Style. And soul.
At the end of the day, I’m not trying to be the loudest. I’m just trying to be real. That’s what lasts.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Every part of my journey has involved risk. Choosing a life in music—especially as a woman, especially young—is a risk in itself. Especially being my father’s daughter. You can’t even imagine the people that title has attracted. The lies they’ve told to get close to him… or his money. The success I’ve earned is often credited to him. Honestly, I don’t have much positive to say about the music industry anymore.
One of the biggest risks I ever took was standing up for myself and walking away from a company that stole what was, at the time, my most precious gift: my voice. And I ask myself even now—how did I let that happen? Where was I supposed to go next? I didn’t know. But I chose to empower myself. I founded my own company, AMK Entertainment LLC, and became a part of two other companies. I built my own studio, AMK Music, which works in partnership with Serra Retreat Publishing and Broadcast Music, Inc., where I’ve been registered for over a decade.
And still, none of this comes with a safety net.
I’ve taken risks that shaped who I am. Signing deals, walking away from them, rebuilding from nothing, losing everything, starting over as a single mother with no roadmap and no promises. But the biggest, most sacred risk I take is the one I take every day: choosing to be the strongest, most present version of myself so I can raise my son the right way. So he has the safety and freedom to be exactly who he is—even while I’m still healing from everything I’ve had to carry and unintentionally allowed to happen.
The truth is, the music industry—or even just the gift of music—is both a blessing and a curse. I’ve known what I wanted to do since I was a little girl. While others were still figuring it out, I was already chasing it—and falling just as hard. Music has always been my safe space. But the industry tried to take that from me. It nearly broke me.
My son sings too. He loves music in the most innocent, beautiful, untouchable way—just like I did before the industry got its hands on me. That’s why I’ve told him, as much as it breaks my heart, he’s not allowed to pursue music as a career. Some people may think that’s harsh or “stifling his creativity,” but it comes from love. I would never want this life for him. The unpredictability, the emotional extremes, the burnout. One month you’re everywhere—no sleep, no food, just adrenaline—and the next two months you’re in this quiet, unsettling stillness that feels like you’re disappearing.
I tell him: sing. Let music be fun. Let it be joy. Let it be yours. But don’t let it define you. Not unless you live for it—wake up singing, go to bed singing, stop mid-conversation to voice note a melody, shut out the noise of a world that can be cruel and unforgiving. Because unless you need music to survive, give your life to something else.
I wish I had built other paths alongside this one—something solid to lean on during the quiet seasons. But even with everything I’ve seen and survived… I still love music. Deeply. Unconditionally. Just not with the same childlike innocence. Not the way I did before the world wounded it.
So yes, I’m a risk-taker. But now I take risks with purpose. For my art. For my healing. For my son.
And always—for the truth.
Pricing:
- instagram posts anywhere from $1500-$5000
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.alikingofficial.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ali.kxng/ and https://www.instagram.com/fashionstricks/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alikingsmusic
- Twitter: https://x.com/therealaliking
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Therealaliking
- Yelp: https://www.youtube.com/@AliKing-on3ud
