ODESSA, TX. (KMID/KPEJ) — One local artist is in the spotlight. A musician born and raised in Odessa is being put on the map as hundreds of thousands of people are streaming her music.

Liyah Chanel, as people know her, is now reaching hundreds of thousands of people on many different platforms.

21-year-old Aaliyah Orcutt graduated from Permian High in 2018 and that’s when she started doing music professionally.

“I started writing when I was 11, when I got older I got more into it, and I just started trying to teach myself how to bracket songs, how to write hooks, how to do a chorus, a verse.” said Chanel.

Her first show was in April of 2019 in Lubbock. Since then she’s opened for huge artists like Da Baby in Hawaii, Meg The Stallion in Odessa, and Lil Durk in Massachusetts.

“Its grown a lot since the beginning, I have over 500,000 streams on Spotify, I have more than 50,000 video streams, Apple Music streams, I have more than 100,000 on there. It’s definitely grown a lot since the beginning.” said Chanel.

Being from Odessa, shes looking to put the city on the map, in terms of music.

“I’ve always wanted to help my city, to put my city on the map. You’ll have people out of Texas but they always come out of Dallas or San Antonio like the bigger cities…But music wise, we don’t really have anybody that’s come out of here yet, so that’s what I want to be.” said Chanel.

She says she’s starting to get noticed in public, and appreciates all of the hometown love she’s been getting.

“There’s so many things that I want to do for this community, so the support that I’m getting, I hope I keep getting it, because I want to be able to keep showing love back.” said Chanel.

With a big backing from her family, her dad acts as her manager, he helps book shows and gain a following by these performances.

“Every show, I really try to do every show I get just for the exposure itself.” said Chanel.

Chanel’s music can be heard on local radio stations.

“They hear Liyah Chanel my track, but they dont have a face to go to it, a personality behind it, I feel like when you do interviews, you give people that deeper connection.” said Chanel.

She says she tries not to box herself into one category of music, and really looks to branch out to reach that bigger audience.

“Ill have R&B songs, Rap, I’ve got Reggae songs, I’m trying to tap into country, I really really want to do a country track, I’m trying to do alternative, all kinds of stuff really.” said Chanel.

A lot is to come for Chanel, she’s expected to open up at a stadium show this summer for for rappers Gunna and Roddy Rich in Houston.

More than 20,000 people are expected to attend. She’s also filmed two of her music videos in Miami this month.

“You know I want people to be like okay she’s cool, lets show her some love, that’s really all I need is that support.” said Chanel.

You can follow her career on her Youtube Channel, @ LiyahChanel. You can also find her on Facebook and other social media with the same username.