Joy Olasunmibo Ogunmakin, known as Ayọ, is a German singer and actress whose music is in the intersection of folk and soul. Her stage name is the Yoruba translation of her first name. Growing up with a Nigerian father and German-Sinti (Romani) mother, she had her share of trials. Her mother had substance abuse issues, and as a result, she and her siblings were in foster care. She spent some time at a children’s home as well. She was able to reunite with her father at age 14. During that time, she learned to play the violin and piano and later, guitar and was a member of a children’s group called La Taste. She wrote her first song when she was just 15. It was about her mother and the difficulty coping with her situation.

Her father’s record collection included rock and reggae, which was to influence her later work. Her father was a part-time DJ and engineer, and he recorded her first demo. She spent time living in London, New York, and Paris and began to perform solo and as the opening act for  Omar and Cody Chesnutt.

Her first album, Joyful, was released in 2006, and she’s since made five more albums. The most recent, Mami Wata, is named for a goddess in West African culture. As an actress, she’s also appeared in three films.