- Aiyana‑Lee says Spike Lee DM’d her when she was close to homelessness.
- She sings the title track and end‑credit song for Lee’s film Highest to Lowest.
- The director asked her to write a song with no repeated chorus lyrics.
- Acting opposite Denzel Washington pushed her to expand from music into film.
How Spike Lee found Aiyana‑Lee
Aiyana‑Lee was releasing music quietly for years when, she says, Spike Lee reached out to her by direct message on Instagram. At the time her record deal had collapsed and she was “on the brink of homelessness.” The message arrived at 6 a.m.; she checked the verification badge, woke her mom and, minutes later, met Lee in Los Angeles.
From near‑homelessness to a major film
That DM led not only to a role in Lee’s 2025 film Highest to Lowest, but also to two songs: the movie’s title track and its end‑credit song. Aiyana‑Lee sings in and out of the film, and the exposure helped pivot her career from long years of steady work to a much larger audience.
Songwriting, lineage and industry tensions
Aiyana‑Lee grew up steeped in music—her mother is a multi‑platinum songwriter and the family has ties to The Temptations. Songwriting was both diary and survival. She says bullying and industry setbacks shaped her voice and kept her committed to authenticity.
Highest to Lowest explores themes that mirror her experience: power, manufactured stars, AI and the gap between corporate music instincts and the messy humanity of songwriting. That tension informed how she approached the film’s title song.
No repeated chorus: Spike Lee’s surprising direction
Lee asked her to write a song with no repeated chorus lyrics—a choice that defied pop conventions. Aiyana‑Lee rewrote the song many times before landing on a version that allowed her to tell a fuller story. Her mother contributed the initial chords, turning the track into a family collaboration that retained the artist’s voice.
Unreleased songs and a sharper voice
Not every track she recorded fit the film; Aiyana‑Lee says there’s “an album in my computer” of songs that didn’t make the cut. She released the confrontational single “City of Lies,” which addresses industry friction and signals the end of one chapter.
What’s next
Acting is no longer a side project. Aiyana‑Lee says she’s “got the bug,” while music remains central. She plans a project this year with a small, hands‑on team—mostly her and her mom—built on momentum she describes as earned and hard‑fought.
Her story—found via DM when she was at her lowest—underscores a bigger point she repeats often: this was the first time someone offered belief in her work beyond product packaging. “Your voice matters,” she says—a belief now driving both her music and her growing film career.
Image Referance: https://www.lpm.org/music/2026-01-31/aiyana-lee-i-was-on-the-brink-of-homelessness-when-spike-lee-found-me