Aja Canyon has officially entered her fan-edit era.
She’s been on the receiving end of a love language reserved for scene-stealers and heartthrobs thanks to her role as Francis on the ALLBLK original G.R.I.T.S. As fans post viral compilations of her best scenes — flashing charming million-dollar smiles — she’s quick to respond to the fanfare with her signature green emojis.
Canyon has no complaints about “being eye-candy,” however she notes that her role is bigger than her aesthetic appeal.
“I’ve always been a big supporter of the LGBTQIA+ community,” Canyon says. “But to see them in real-time showing me love and appreciation — it’s so cool, because they’re such a welcoming community.”
Canyon has been able to see that Francis serves as a much-needed representation for the community. As an ally, she knows how important it is for people to see themselves in the media. While she doesn’t identify as a part of the community off the screen, she’s been proud to see what the character has meant for different people.
When reflecting on her portrayal as Francis, she feels like it was a role she was born to play. She speaks lovingly about her character — the ride-or-die bestie with dreams of running her own cooking empire — whom she says was modeled after her.
“I see myself in Francis for sure,” Canyon says. “ Me and her have similar backgrounds. I was raised by my grandparents growing up, and there was a point in time where me and my sibling didn’t have the best relationship. I relate to her wanting to take care of her people.”
The character has meant a lot of things for different people, including herself. Wwhen she looks at the Memphis that Francis lives in on the show, she realizes she’s been able to participate in a more nuanced view of her city.
G.R.I.T.S. works to be an authentic representation of Memphis and Black culture — one that distinguishes the city for more than its accent and musical contributions. The show focuses on a trio of friends who find solace at the skating rink as they navigate personal dreams and struggles while working to win a skating competition. However, the pursuit of a dream is never quite linear, as their unique backgrounds and characteristics often play a big role.
Canyon notes that the media can portray the Memphis experience as monolithic, however, she says, “It’s not always like that. … It’s a lot in between. G.R.I.T.S. captures the essence of Memphis and what people usually see, but also what people don’t see.”
Francis is the latest persona added to Canyon’s arsenal, however it isn’t the first one to gain applause. Commenters on social media flex falling in love with Canyon prior to her G.R.I.T.S. days as Slimeroni of the “Kween Of The Dimes.”
But who is the self-proclaimed Kween Of The Dimes? She explains that the name is an extension of her being the “queen of the Bad b*tches.”
“I’m the queen — or the president — of the girls who are pretty inside and out, who don’t hate on anybody — they just do their thing,” Canyon says.
Embodying girl power and womanhood has always been at the crux of who Canyon is — both as a person and as an artist. In fact, some of the most defining moments of her career have been in conjunction with other women.
In 2023 she was involved in a song that she says “changed her life forever.” Canyon was featured on “Shabooya” with other Memphis rap artists Gloss Up, Aleeza, and K Carbon.
The gold-certified song arrived alongside a growing awareness of Memphis’ female rap talent. She called the moment “surreal, but correct” — a long-overdue nod from the mainstream.
“By that time I had been doing music since 2015,” Canyon says. “I was really big in the underground scene, so all the work I was putting in was finally getting recognized.”
She never imagined she’d be sharing the applause alongside other talented female artists, but she said she “loved” how it ultimately turned out.
“It was really fun because we were young — we had never really seen money before,” Canyon says. “It was so cool to come up with the girls and experience stuff that not a lot of people will be able to experience in this lifetime.”
Canyon is forever grateful for what that chapter sparked for her and other women. That chapter, coupled with her present moment, has forced a deeper reckoning with her legacy.
The 28-year-old is approaching her artistry with a new intentionality — one that leaves her as a more vulnerable creative. She’s working on music that she hopes will be more relatable, and lead to conversations about sensitive topics such as mental health, substance abuse and more.
She’s also been experimenting with other sounds such as neo-soul and rock, which have helped her to take control of her narrative as an artist, while also showcasing the many facets of her personality.
“I’ve just been trying my hand at everything, because I don’t box myself in,” Canyon says. “I’m not just a rapper. I consider myself art — not just an artist, but art.”
