Formerly known as Dawn, Aalayaj Auriel is a Female Filipina R&B singer-songwriter who first gained attention as part of the Hustler Hymn Collective, a creative group founded in 2020 from Pagadian City, Philippines—dubbed the "Hong Kong of the South." Alongside fellow artists like Jnzh, RSD, Dijicemike, and DJ BastyDy, Dawn made her mark with the deeply resonant track "Dead Summer"—a song that captured the emotional weight of the pandemic era and became a cult favorite among fans of introspective and soulful music.

​

Her first single, which was hauntingly raw and encapsulated the anguish of secretly loving someone, was published in 2021 before to her rebranding as Aalayaj Auriel. The song explores the terrible emotional cost of unsaid love—a love that only dwells in the shadows—and was created during her early years with the Hustler Hymn Collective. The record gave a preview of the emotional depth and vulnerability that would later define her music with its understated production and personal lyrics. For those who had felt the bittersweet pain of unspoken or unrequited love, it turned into a quiet anthem, demonstrating that even at that time, she possessed the ability to express emotions that most people were unable to.