Mustafa will release his debut album, ‘Dunya’, on September 27th via Jagjaguwar. “This record encapsulates so much of my life,” the Sudanese-Canadian singer-songwriter explains of the expansive twelve-song collection which includes previous singles ‘ Name Of God ‘ , ‘ Gaza Is Calling ‘, and ‘ Imaan ‘. With the album reveal, Mustafa shares the Simon Hessman and Rodaidh McDonald-produced ‘SNL’, which comes with a self-directed video.
Mustafa describes Dunya as a loving interrogation of his lifelong practice of Islam, which he refers to as “the longest, most peculiar relationship in my life.” Weaving anecdotes and allegory intro acoustic reveries and folk songs, Mustafa crafts a record that feels like a series of personal breakthroughs. Much of the album is predicated around conversations with friends and family, relationships he maintained through the years and others he lost.
“I’m genuinely not trying to be a pop star,” he shares. “But I believe in the music, and I believe in the story I am telling.” A few days ago, the second edition of Mustafa’s Artists for Aid benefit concert took place on July 4th in London featuring performances by Bint Mbareh, Blood Orange, Clairo, Daniel Caesar, Earl Sweatshirt, King Krule, Nicolas Jaar, Ramy Youssef and Yasiin Bey, in addition to Mustafa himself and special guest performer FKA twigs.
The event, which was presented in partnership with the aid organization War Child, raised funds to benefit Gaza an.
