CIVL Fest 2026 presents Aliah Sheffield at Ramova April 19, 2026

Born in Newark, New Jersey, and raised in Savannah, Georgia, Aliah Sheffield finds beauty in the in-between, the welcoming space that surrounds her ruminations on love, life, and speaking truth to the world. An avid reader and writer who trained on clarinet and saxophone, she transitioned to piano during her senior year of high school, when she also started writing songs. Her mother introduced Aliah to records by Nina Simone, Donny Hathaway, and Aretha Franklin, iconic artists who “spoke about depression, feeling misunderstood, racial inequality; they spoke about just problems in America.” They exerted a strong influence on Aliah, as she says, “Songs can be about more than just, you know, love. You can really say something that matters.”