Bonus Episode: WAFIA

Photo by Sherrie Garcia

Joining me for the first bonus episode of the season is an artist who knows a thing or two about growth. Wafia Al-Rikabi is an artist I’ve been a fan of for several years now. At the core of her songwriting is her ability to sing these stunning songs full of contrasts. No one infuses flecks of pop and R&B the way Wafia does, and similarly: no writes about life experience the way she does. This has all led us to her debut album, Promised Land (which is out now), a body of work that squarely explores the complexities of migration in the western world. No one would’ve blamed her if she only wrote songs about her experiences dealing with not feeling at home anywhere, and yet what’s integral to the album are the moments Wafia is reminding us that at the end of the day, she still has a life to live.

And that’s what we explore across this episode, her experiences traveling, getting her heart broken, reconnecting with family, and the attempt at trying to figure out a sense of home.

After you hear the episode, be sure to check out Wafia’s track Mulberry Tree on the official New Exchange Playlist. Also, be sure to follow Wafia on Spotify and Instagram.