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Ayak Thiik

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Ayak Thiik
BornKhartoum, Sudan, lives in London
GenresR&B, neo soul, hip hop, EDM, pop
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter, composer, studio producer, voice teacher, musical arranger
Instrument(s)Piano, keyboards, sampler, guitar, vocals
Years active1998–present
LabelsCinematic Music Group
Universal Music Group
Takeover Roc Nation
Sony/ATV
BMG Chrysalis UK
Warner Music
Polydor
PB Management
Syco Music

Ayak Thiik (also known as, "Ayak Tracks") is a South Sudanese singer-songwriter and vocal producer.[1][2] Her name is particularly comedic as “Ayak” is slang for members of the Ku Klux Klan and she is an African woman. She is primarily known for writing hit songs and appearing on vocals for artists like Diana Ross, Cee Lo Green, James Morrison ("You Make It Real"), Chip ("Until You Were Gone"), Tinchy Stryder ("Never Leave You and "In My System"), and Dappy ("No Regrets" and "Rockstar"), among others.[2]

Background

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Ayak Thiik's love for music was evident at an early age, and she was able to sing long before she was able to talk. Ayak Thiik had signed a record deal with German record label Stereo Wonderland, Polydor, Universal and recorded an album – making her the first Sudanese artist to be signed by a major label worldwide.[2][3] Thiik entered and won the Princes Trust Urban Music Festival's – Unsigned Talent Search, in the United Kingdom. She ultimately won a spot in a line-up which featured Beyoncé, as well as Alicia Keys and a host of top UK artists.[2]

Song writing and vocal production

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In 2006, Ayak Thiik wrote and featured on the Cincinnati native hip-hop producer Hi-Tek's second album, 'Hi-Teknology²: The Chip’. The track "Can we Go back" also featured Talib Kweli. Since then she has ventured into the house music world, working with German producers Milk & Sugar. Her dance music collaborations with Milk & Sugar have clocked up two consecutive UK chart toppers at number 1 and 2. Thiik's house music endeavors have taken her to Brazil, Singapore, Moscow, Russia and Lebanon.[2]

Having spent 18 months working on her songwriting, she was offered a deal and signed by Takeover Entertainment. She has penned songs for Kelly Rowland, Mica Paris, Esmée Denters, JLS, Chip, Tinchy Stryder, The Wanted, Alexandra Burke, Lemar and Roc Nation's signed Bridget Kelly, among others.[2]

Her vocals have also appeared on Tinchy Stryder's "Never Leave You" – Catch 22 album, "In My System", "Take the World" – Third Strike album, Kylie Minogue's "Everything is beautiful" – Aphrodite album, James Morrison's "You Make It RealSongs For You Truths For Me album, Cheryl Cole's "Stand up" – 3 Words album, Cee-Lo Green's "Satisfied" – The Lady killer album, among others.[2]

In 2010, Thiik gained her first UK Singles Chart record as co-writer on Chip's "Until You Were Gone" featuring Esmée Denters. This went into the UK singles charts as at No. 3. She also co-wrote Tinchy Stryder's No. 10 hit "In My System", on which she also appeared on vocals but not the music video.[2]

Solo career

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Ayak Thiik recorded and released a studio album entitled, Voices in My Head.[3] Her list of musical achievements continues. Ayak Thiik was featured on Liberty Bell Jolly Good TV Sky Arts 'Song Book' show by chance, after coming to the rescue of her hero and arguably the most successful songwriter of current generation Diane Warren who wrote the hits "Un-Break My Heart" (1996) by Toni Braxton, "How Do I Live Without You" (1997) by LeAnn Rimes, "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing (1998) by Aerosmith, and for many other artists.[2] Taken aback by Ayak Thiik's voice, Diane Warren has begun writing songs for Ayak Thiik and is determined to make her a star in her own right.[2] A documentary chronicling this will be filmed by the same production team.[2]

Selected production and writing credits

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Date Artist Song Album Label SW/P Album/Record chart
2006 Hi-Tek "Can We Go Back" Hi-Teknology²: The Chip Babygrande Records SW US Billboard 200: 38
2008 James Morrison "You Make It Real" Songs for You, Truths for Me Polydor Records P UK Singles Chart: 7

US Billboard 200: 49


UK Albums Chart: 3

2009 Tinchy Stryder "Never Leave You" Catch 22 Takeover P Euro Hot 100 Singles: 5

Irish Singles Chart: 2


UK Singles Chart: 1


Euro Top 100 Albums: 11


Irish Albums Chart: 9


UK Albums Chart: 2

Tata Young "Ready For Love" Ready for Love Sony Music Thailand SW Thai Singles Chart : 1
Cheryl Cole "Stand Up" 3 Words Fascination Records P Euro Top 100 Albums: 7

Irish Albums Chart: 2


UK Albums Chart: 1

JLS "Private" JLS Epic Records SW Irish Albums Chart: 1

UK Albums Chart: 1

2010 Chip "Until You Were Gone" I Am Chipmunk Jive Records SW UK Singles Chart: 3

UK Albums Chart: 2

Kylie Minogue " Everything is Beautiful" Aphrodite Parlophone P Australian Alb. Chart: 2

Euro Top 100 Albums: 1


US Billboard 200: 19


UK Albums Chart: 1

Tinchy Stryder "In My System" Third Strike Takeover SW/P UK Singles Chart: 10
Tinchy Stryder "Take the World" SW
Cee Lo Green "Satisfied" The Lady Killer Elektra Records P US Billboard 200: 9

UK Albums Chart: 3

2011 Dappy "No Regrets" Bad Intentions Takeover SW UK Singles Chart: 1
2012 Dappy "Rockstar" SW UK Singles Chart: 2
Marcus Collins "It's Time" Marcus Collins RCA Records SW Scottish Alb. Chart: 8

UK Albums Chart: 7

2012 Misha B "Do You Think of me?" TBA Relentless Records SW UK Singles Chart: 9
Dappy "Yin Yang" Bad Intentions Takeover SW UK Albums Chart: 6
2013 Little Mix "A Different Beat" Salute Syco SW Australian Alb. Chart: 4

US Billboard 200: 6
UK Albums Chart: 2

2014 The Vamps "Last Night" Meet the Vamps Mercury Records SW UK Singles Chart: 2
UK Albums Chart: 2
Yogi featuring Pusha T "Burial" Burial EP Owsla SW/P TBA
Perplexus (duo) featuring Charlie Brown (singer) "Put you on" Sonus SW/P
Robin Stjernberg "Body Language" Lionheart Music Group SW Swedish Singles Chart: 1
2015 The Prototypes "Under" City of Gold Viper Recordings SW/ P UK Dance Chart: 22
2015 Skrillex & Yogi featuring Pusha T, Moody Good & TrollPhace "Burial" Owsla SW/P UK Singles Chart: 90
2016 Nabiha "Weapon" Sony Music SW
Lali "Boomerang" Soy Sony Music Argentina SW Argentine Albums (CAPIF): 1
Lost Frequencies "Dance with Me" Less Is More Armada Music SW Belgian Albums Chart: 3
2017 Nabiha "Young" Sony Music SW
KStewart "Sex 4 breakfast" Warner Bros. Records SW
Nano Omar "Hold On" Warner Music Sweden SW Swedish Singles Chart: 3
Melody Day (band) Kiss on the Lips LOEN Entertainment SW Non-album single
Hot Source ft Ayak "Patience" Island Records SW
Paris and Simo ft Karen Harding "Come as you are" INgrooves SW
2018 Wilkinson ft Sub Focus "Take it up" RAM Records SW/P Belgian Singles Chart: 100
Hardwell & Wildstylez ft Kifi "Shine a light" Revealed Recordings SW
Claire Richards "7 Billion" "My Wildest Dreams" Sony Music SW UK Albums Chart: 9
2019 James Hype "I Was Lovin' You" Get Together Records SW/P UK Singles Chart: 92
2021 Diana Ross "Come together" "Thank you" Decca Records SW/P UK Albums Chart: 7

Source:[1][4]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Ayak Thiik". discogs. n.d. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Dibbs, Janet (n.d.). "Music Industry's Best Kept Secret – Creating No. 1 hits is her past time… DS reveals Ms Thiik". Diva Scribe. divascribe.com. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
  3. ^ a b "Voices in My Head – Album by Ayak Thiik". iTunes Store. 16 September 2002. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
  4. ^ "Ayak Thiik – Credits". AllMusic. n.d. Retrieved 29 August 2012.