Atlanta has always been a city of sonic innovation, a place where legacy and reinvention live side by side. For malia dishon, that lineage runs deep. As the daughter of Dee Dee Murray and Ray Murray, one of the architects of the Dungeon Family sound, her roots are entwined with a collective that shaped the blueprint of Southern hip hop and forever altered the music industry.

The Dungeon Family [is] a musical collective based in Atlanta that specialized in Southern hip hop with heavy funk and soul influences. Members of this collective recorded music, and had their career emerge, from Rico Wade’s basement recording studio in East Point, Georgia, which was known as the “Dungeon.” Rico Wade, Ray Murray, and Sleepy Brown constitute the production/songwriting team Organized Noize, who have produced hits for the main popular Dungeon Family groups Outkast, TLC, and Goodie Mob. Numerous aspiring musicians and artists emerged from the “Dungeon,” with Wade even considered to be an originator of Atlanta hip hop (Wikipedia).

But, malia dishon is not content to simply inherit greatness. Instead, she is layering her own narrative on top of it as an artist who has spent the last decade moving fluidly between marketing, directing, and now songwriting, treating each career shift as both an arrival and a launching pad. Her next chapter isn’t about stepping out of anyone’s shadow, but about walking toward her own light.

That light first revealed itself in an unexpected place: Wireless Festival, London, 2022. malia was working as a set designer on Summer Walker’s tour when she found herself standing in the audience, watching artists like SZA and H.E.R. take the stage. Something inside of her shifted. And by the time she returned home, she had written her debut single, King of Lies.

For her, the move from directing to singing wasn’t abandonment, it was expansion. “Creativity works in layers,” she says. “Each phase unlocks the next: working in marketing led me to discover directing, and directing led me to songwriting. Each layer supports the other, and I’m grateful that pursuing one dream has always prepared me for the next.” That philosophy has become the foundation of her artistry, proof that no skill or season in her life has been wasted.

But the shift wasn’t only professional, it was deeply personal. Through inner child healing, she remembered the girl who was singing for her grandparents in Jamaica and cheerleading in high school. That girl had always wanted to perform. Now, she’s finally giving her the chance. “Stepping into the spotlight as an artist feels like I’m coming home to myself,” she reflects. “When I’m on stage, I’m not nervous or shy; I feel like I’m right where I belong.”

malia’s sound doesn’t ask for permission, it commands the room. It’s fun, it’s edgy, and it carries a pulse of nostalgia that feels both familiar and futuristic. You hear traces of early 2000s anthems, house beats, amapiano rhythms, and dancehall grooves that nod to her Jamaican roots.

But more than genre, her music is an invitation. Each track feels like a mirror reminding listeners to take up space, shine without apology, and step into the role of the star in their own lives. “I want [people] to feel like they can step out of the shadows and be seen,” she explains. “I am encouraging people to be themselves, speak their truth, and live unapologetically.”

At its core, malia’s music carries the DNA of a woman who’s lived many creative lives. “I entered the industry in my own way — starting in social media back in 2009, fresh out of high school, when everyone was still figuring it out. That path eventually led me to becoming Sr. Marketing Director at LVRN. Fast forward to 2020, right in the middle of the pandemic, when the world was on fire, I decided to become a music video director. Like, girl, what? So I’ve noticed, I tend to take big leaps of faith even in times that feel tricky and scary, and they’ve always paid off for me.”

Now, taking a leap of faith as an independent artist, independence, as malia has learned, is both liberating and demanding. The release of her first singles came with the thrill of creative control, but also the weight of responsibility. “For a long time, I tried to do everything myself because I thought that was the best way. But chileeee, that will burn you out!” she shared when asked about the biggest learning lesson in this indie journey. Asking for help didn’t come naturally at first, but the journey has taught her that sharing the vision invites the right people into the process.

Patience, too, has been a teacher. In an industry obsessed with virality and overnight success, malia has embraced the slower burn, trusting that lasting art takes time.

“I’ll continue to carry myself like the Queen I am,” she says. “I’m so grateful to come from the Dungeon Family, who have made their mark in music history, and I think the best way to honor that legacy is by putting out dope art & music that I love, with excellent quality and production, of course! At the same time, it’s about staying true to myself and not conforming to what people expect of me.”

For malia, legacy isn’t a shadow, it’s a crown. It’s this duality of reverence for what came before paired with rebellion against expectation that defines her.

If King of Lies was the door cracked open, The Star is the full arrival. malia’s debut EP, slated for release this fall, is a statement of identity. “For a long time, I felt like a side character in someone else’s world, and this project represents the freedom and empowerment that come with finally owning my shine.”

Visually, malia is building a world as intentional as the music itself. “I’m really excited to share that I’ve been applying my creative directing skills to my own artistry. I’ve been hands-on with everything. And I have creative directed and styled myself for all my single covers and for my upcoming EP cover for ‘The Star.’ So far, I’ve been able to shoot everything in Jamaica, in my grandma’s hometown of Treasure Beach, which has been such a full-circle blessing.”

Where other artists might separate the sound from the image, malia collapses the two into one continuous language. Her background as a director allows her to dream visually while writing sonically, ensuring that the worlds she creates aren’t just heard, but felt—embodied. “I’ve also been putting together video treatments for my songs, and I can’t wait to bring those visions to life. Directing myself will be such a powerful moment, and I know when the time comes, it’s going to be something really special. Visuals are definitely a big part of how I want to tell my story.”

For malia dishon, stepping into the spotlight isn’t just about performing, it’s an act of reclamation. After years of building the visions of others, directing music videos, and orchestrating the stagecraft of some of today’s defining artists, she now holds the mic for herself.

But beyond the melodies and visuals lies malia’s greater narrative: creativity as layered evolution. Her journey from music industry consultant to music video director to singer-songwriter illustrates that artistry is not linear, it is cumulative. Each chapter informs the next, building a foundation for innovation and authenticity. She carries her lineage, the legacy of the Dungeon Family, with pride, but she does so on her own terms, blending history with self-actualization.

In claiming her place as the star of her own life, malia dishon becomes a guidepost for others navigating creative ambitions. She embodies what it means to pursue each dream with patience, intentionality, and courage. And that the spotlight isn’t something you wait for, it’s something you step into.

_{Photography: Kirth Bobb, Erika Lipari and Anitra Isler}