Who is Tuscaloosa’s TheGirlNextDoor? Hairstylist by Trade, Singer by Passion

Daryn Lewis, who is better known as TheGirlNextDoor,  is an aspiring artist from Tuscaloosa.

The 23-year-old ambitious vocalist is a hairstylist by trade but a true performer by passion. She said she uses her styling skills to fund her dreams of making it the music industry.

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Lewis said singing and performing has always been part of her life and that she and her sister formed a singing group called the Luxurious Girls that shared the stage at the Bama Theatre alongside Mindless Behavior and Miss Mulatto when she was younger.

The up-and-coming singer, who one EP to her name, released a single earlier this month called "Pretty and Paid" which was produced by 9amuell.

Lewis said she is always looking to create opportunities to succeed, and her management put together a rooftop showcase for her at Tuscaloosa's Hotel Indigo in April.

She promoted the performance through social media and drew fans from Tuscaloosa and Mississippi who came to see came to see the rising star.

Lewis also participated in the New Rising Artist Showcase in Dallas last weekend. The competition was originally exclusive to artists in Texas, but Lewis said the judges found her to be worthy of the opportunity.

Many might ask how a Tuscaloosa hairstylist became TheGirlNextDoor, but Lewis said she came up with her stage name as a brand through which she could create and share videos on TikTok during quarantine.

TheGirlNextDoor is streaming on all digital platforms including Spotify and Apple Music, and you can find her performance highlights and music videos on her YouTube channel.

Editor's note: Alabama's Own is a new recurring series that aims to highlight up-and-coming rap, hip-hop and R&B artists from in and around West Alabama. To learn more or tip us off to your own music, click here.