tierinii.

Tierinii’s voice comes out of Memphis: gospel first, with the soul, blues, and fearless energy of the city running through everything she sings.

As the lead vocalist and a songwriter for Southern Avenue, she has helped build a band known for its dynamic live performances and original songs. With guitarist and songwriting partner Ori Naftaly, she has taken that sound from Memphis clubs to international stages, festival headlining sets, and recordings that reach far beyond any one genre.

Southern Avenue’s self-titled debut won the 2018 Blues Music Award for Best Emerging Artist Album. Keep On earned a 2020 GRAMMY nomination, followed by a second nomination for Family at the 2026 ceremony. Recorded at Royal Studios for Alligator Records, Family drew on the band's lives and relationships and was produced by John Burk with Boo Mitchell.

In 2025, Tierinii contributed two performances to the soundtrack of Ryan Coogler’s Sinners, joining Cedric Burnside on “Can’t Win for Losin’” and Cedric Burnside and Sharde Thomas-Mallory on “Wang Dang Doodle.” She also co-wrote “Can’t Win for Losin’.” The film went on to win four Academy Awards, while its compilation soundtrack won the 2026 GRAMMY for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media. Those honors belong to the film and soundtrack; Tierinii’s contribution is as a featured performer and songwriter.

Her work in 2026 also includes “I’ll Take You There,” with the Stax Music Academy Choir, on Morgan Freeman’s Symphonic Blues Experience for Decca Records, a project pairing Delta blues with orchestral arrangements.

Southern Avenue’s live history includes the Outlaw Music Festival tour with Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan and John Mellencamp; the main stage at Chicago Blues Festival; New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival; and shows alongside Dave Matthews Band and Trombone Shorty. Along the way, Tierinii has developed a reputation for performances that are full of movement, conviction, and deep feeling.

Whether she is recording, performing live, or teaching, Tierinii brings the same care to a song’s lyrics, phrasing, and feeling.