Spindle Radar: Canadian R&B Sensation Aqyila Discusses Debut Album Falling Into Place and Juno win

In 2021, Aqyila established herself as a music powerhouse in the making after she released her electric single ‘Vibe for Me (Bob for Me)’. Building on the momentum of her exciting debut, the beloved talent continued to showcase her dynamic artistry by releasing an array of captivating singles, including the JUNO-winning track ‘Hello,’ featured on her EP For the Better. While Aqyila has become one of the most promising emerging talents in the industry – earning 128 million streams worldwide and 3 billion short-form video views – the ‘Bloom’ singer is showing no signs of slowing down her upward trajectory.

On 28 March, the ‘We Keep On’ songstress dropped her debut album Falling Into Place. Described as a “culmination of years of hard work, growth and learning,” the record combines Aqyila’s signature heartfelt songwriting with a genre-blending production that combines contemporary R&B and Island-infused beats. We were able to chat with the ‘Wolf’ singer about all things Falling Into Place, her reaction to winning a second JUNO award, her creative process, and more.

Hiya Aqyila! Thanks for sitting down with SPINDLE. How are you?

Hi! I’m doing good, hope you all are doing well too.

Congratulations on the release of your debut album, Falling Into Place! How does it feel to have your record out in the world?

Thank you! I am so elated to finally have my debut album out! As a little girl, I’ve always dreamed of having a full-length project out for the world to hear.

This project is absolutely fantastic! Can you take us through the early days of the record? When did you first start putting together the pieces to bring this album to life?

This album’s creation started in 2023-2024, and is now released in 2025! I remember heading
into sessions just thinking how excited I am to create & really just went with the flow. It’s so weird, but I still don’t know if there is an actual correct way to go about recording an album, I feel these songs all meshed well together and fit the feeling that I was going through, which made this process so much easier.

One thing that makes this album so great is its sound. You have songs that tap into that classic R&B production, while other tracks blend contemporary R&B with pop and island beats. When you were crafting Falling Into Place, what was your goal for its overall production? What sounds did you want to explore? Was there an album or artist that inspired you?

I wanted this album to be an easy listen throughout! I made it my mission to focus on my vocal production when it came to the cadence of my leads, layering my harmonies and vocal padding; all of that mattered so much. Focusing on those gave each song a bit of familiarity, even though they were different songs. I mainly wanted to make sure that I wasn’t genre-bending for most of the album, I’m proud to have some strictly R&B sounding songs. And then you have the elements that come naturally (ex. Island/reggae feels) to me due to my background.

As I mentioned earlier, this album is terrific from start to finish. However, I do have some favourites, with ‘Wolf,’ ‘Breathless,’ and ‘Most Wanted’ being my current top three. Which track from the record is your favourite and why?

Ah out of those three, it’s so hard for me to pick! It’s so hard for me to pick a favourite in general because I genuinely love all of the songs on the album! Off the top of my head I love “Give Me More”, “Down”, “Breathless”… I will literally list the entire album right now, I just can’t choose haha. I enjoyed recording all of these songs, can’t pick just one cause I have so many memories.

Was there a song on the album that you found challenging to create?

Ah I’d say the most challenging song to create had to have been “Breathless”. Heading back into the studio, trying to capture what I had sung on the demo was hard because it was all about the energy & headspace I was originally in. Funny enough, on the album every song has majority demo vocals because I realized you just can’t replicate feeling, it honestly isn’t about perfection but just how I can make the listener feel.

What message or lesson do you want fans to take away after listening to Falling Into Place?

There really is so much life to live and the world is your oyster. I’ve learned to really step out of my shell and just experience so many different things like traveling, making new friends, trying new foods, collaborating with new creatives, building up & breaking down my team; you never know where you’re going, but that makes the journey so much more fun. Just vibe really and believe that you deserve it all.

You’ve described Falling Into Place as “the culmination of years of hard work, growth, and learning.” Looking back at your journey, how have you evolved as an artist since dropping your first single ‘Soulmate’ in 2021?

Aw so when I released my first single, it was actually “Vibe for Me”, that I released independently in December 2020. My life catapulted since then as so many more eyes, labels and people were connecting with me. But I’d say the real work started when I signed in April 2021. My label has done an amazing job at working on my Artist Development which is why I believe I have done so well for myself in past 4 years of my career. I am still very much the student in this game but I have learned so much that my work ethic, goals and plans for my life have expanded. Getting to make the mistakes, do all the venues, be the opener etc. all contribute to the journey and I feel are vital for any growing artist.

I want to take a break from the album to congratulate you on not only performing at the JUNO Awards but also taking home the award for Contemporary R&B Recording of the Year for ‘Bloom’. Absolutely incredible! How does it feel to be a two-time JUNO Award winner?

Thank you! Ah, it always feels surreal to be nominated but this time it was monumental being my whole family was there to support me, watch me perform in the Rogers Arena for the live broadcast, and collect a win for my favourite love song I’ve written, “Bloom”. I feel so elated and proud.

Going back to Falling Into Place, will you be embarking on a headline tour or have any performances set up during the festival season to support the album?

I definitely have some more shows and festivals lined up for this year which is very exciting!

Looking ahead, what are five goals you are hoping to achieve in the next five years? Any dream collaborations? 

Five goals I have for the next five years: Land an influential brand partnership, continue to travel and see the world, perform at Coachella, drop another album & continue to celebrate these amazing moments with my family and team.

Make sure to check out Aqyila’s new album Falling Into Place here or below.