FEATURE: Spotlight: Dua Saleh — Music Musings & Such

FEATURE:

Spotlight

Dua Saleh

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AN album that I am looking forward to…

comes from the Los Angeles-based Sudanese-American artist Dua Saleh. Their forthcoming album, I SHOULD CALL THEM is among the most anticipated of the year. Such a remarkable talent. This incredible actor and artist, we all need to turn our attention to what they are about to deliver to us. I want to bring in some articles and interviews. Highlighting the phenomenal Dua Saleh. I want to actually start out with someone else spotlighting Saleh. The Guardian recently included them in their Ones to Watch feature. Someone who definitely has a fanbase and traction here in the U.K. Make sure that you follow this incredible musician:

“Since 2017, the artist’s songs have folded in rap, indie, rock, jazz and R&B with poignant musings on love, self and grief. Saleh has previously said their comfort in making such unapologetic self-explorations is rooted in finding their voice from a young age. Their family were refugees from the second Sudanese civil war, moving from place to place before eventually settling in the US, in Minneapolis. There, a teenage Saleh led a high school walkout in protest against the disproportionate school-to-prison link for disadvantaged young people, acutely aware of injustice and the need for collective action and care.

Their spectacular forthcoming debut album, I Should Call Them, is somewhere in the same league as Ghanaian American star Amaarae in terms of its boisterous, unrelenting ambition. Saleh flits between sugary vocals and more unflinching, rap-adjacent inflections over cosmic electronics, sultry strings and cacophonous guitars. It’s a bold, mesmerising set of songs examining softness, toxic relationships and climate anxiety. Saleh is unafraid to take up space and, in turn, create it for others. In doing so, they look set to become one of the most inventive, sensual pop purveyors of the moment”.

It is important to hear from Dua Saleh. Get to know more about them. Deservedly, they won the Rising Star in Music as declared by Gay Times last year. As we see it is a big and important honour for Saleh. They have managed to maintain this varied and brilliant acting career but also this focus on music. A singular sound that is like nothing else around it. Such a distinctive artist who I am fairly new to. Do make sure that they are on the radar:

“Dua Saleh is the recipient of the GAY TIMES Honour for Rising Star in Music.

Saleh has seamlessly made huge strides in both music and acting.

Revolting against the binary, they have fluidly intersected genres and created their own music that crosses over a glitchy alt-pop sound to sultry afrobeats and, more recently, emo genre. Saleh delighted fans in 2023 with their return to music under new record label 2023, Ghostly International, with single ‘Daylight Falls’.

Their unexpected venture into music at the age of 22 was enriched and influenced by Saleh’s formative years. They were born in Kassala, before the Second Sudanese Civil War, ahead of fleeing to the States as a refugee of war.

“In Arabic, a lot of the sentences strung together are naturally prose or poetry,” they told GAY TIMES exclusively in their Honours cover interview. “I think Sudanese people are wordsmiths even if they’re not trying to be, there’s a real charm to the language.”

They also recalled how the imam’s prayer calls introduced them to pentatonic scales, which they now draw on when making left-field R&B.

This poetic quality is evident in their work that integrates English, Spanish, Arabic and patois, enmeshing their experience of spoken word to explore the musings and complexities of non-binary identity and sapphic romance.

PHOTO CREDIT: Erik Carter

The LA-based star has released three EPs Nūr, Rosetta and Crossover, all of which have received widespread critical acclaim and racked up more than 81 million streams cumulatively. The EPs were followed up with the album Crossover, which sits alongside an impressive portfolio of remixes and collaborations including Travis Scott, Bon Iver and Sampha.

This was followed by their acting breakout role in the third season of Netflix’s acclaimed series Sex Education. They starred as Cal Bowman, a new student from Minnesota. Like Saleh, Cal is non-binary and throughout the third and fourth seasons their character navigates gender dysphoria, microaggressions and chosen family networks.

It is their unapologetic commitment to be themselves and carve their own path that they have been celebrated by young Black, Muslim, gender non-confirming and queer people.

They are aware of the importance of this responsibility: “To have a nonbinary Sudanese person who was a refugee on the cover of GAY TIMES, for example, is really incredible. Not to make it about my identity points, but I am hyper-aware of how shifts in history are propelled by moments like these. And as much as I might shy away from it, it’s good to be there for your people, in whatever capacity it is”.

Prior to coming to an interview from this year, I want to go back to last October. Attitude highlighted an intriguing rising star on their stunning growth from poet to songwriter. How they were using artistry to inspire activism, and how queer music speaks to their soul. If you are new to Dua Saleh, I would recommend people look back at their older interviews and music to see where they have come from. How music and influence has changed for them:

“Dua Saleh (they/xe) is a cultural chameleon. You might know them for their powerful performance as heroic character Cal, who is trans, in Sex Education.

You may also be familiar with their viral performance poetry on social media. Now, signed with a new record label, they return to the spotlight with new single, ‘daylight falls’ and an upcoming R&B-inspired album.

Here, James Hodge talks to Dua about their growth from poet to songwriter, using artistry to inspire activism, and how queer music speaks to their soul.

You began life in Sudan, and then moved to America, where you have lived all over the country. Who were the pop culture icons that you grew up with?

The biggest Sudanese influence was Mohamed Wardi. He’s a big star in Africa: he’s our Madonna, our Michael Jackson. He makes operatic music in the Sudanese tradition. He’s very high drama, which I love – that’s where I get my dramatic flavour from. But then there’s my Western influences. Beyonce, of course, is my biggest influence. I need to stop saying that in interviews – she’s going to think I’m a crazed fan, but I really love her. And then there’s my love of punk: the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the Sex Pistols…

You began your artistic career as a performance poet and later made the move to music. How did the transition take place?

Creativity is in my bloodline: Sudan is a melting pot of culture amongst the African nations. I’ve been writing poetry since I was three years old. Songwriting came later and was a natural development from that but it came from a different place. I was suffering with depression because I wasn’t being honest with myself about my non-binary identity. My gender dysphoria made me anxious – I was constantly being referred to as a woman and it was extremely triggering. As my music emerged, I found it soothed me. Music was and continues to be my saviour.

Are politics important to your music?

Personally, I try to avoid politics in my art itself. I am a musician – I don’t know anywhere near as much as NGOs and action groups about political life. But I engage in politics by supporting these organizations and aiding them through my creative outlets. Currently, I’m working with groups who are trying to get assistance to Sudan as they’re in the midst of a civil war. I’m planning on throwing fundraisers when I perform later this year to raise money for the Darfur Women’s Action Group.

PHOTO CREDIT: Braden Lee

Your new single, ‘daylight falls’, explores what it means to be a survivor. What inspired it?

It’s deliberately ambiguous because I wanted it to remain universal – about struggles in all their forms. It’s for anyone who is wrestling with their mental health. I wanted to offer words that encouraged the listener who is in need, whatever the cause – depression, addiction – to talk about how they are feeling. Suicidal ideation is something that I struggled with in the past. Instead of climbing on the railing on the edge of a bridge, talk to somebody, anybody. Family, friends.

It’s a different sound for you, venturing into indie music. What inspired it?

Olivia Rodrigo was a start point – I love current punk pop, alongside the pioneers of electronic music. I’ve recently signed with a new label – Ghostly International – and I’ve been writing for other artists like Travis Scott, but this was my first time working with other songwriters. I came with ideas, with melodies – I’m very melody-driven, but working with incredible talent helped me to make it perfect. That’s what I strive for as an artist – simply to make the best song possible.

The video is very striking in its visuals in its journey out of the darkness. It ends with a striking explosion of pink and blue. What is the significance of the ending?

I wanted the ending to culminate with my return to life out of the darkness. It’s an acknowledgement of my transness.

Your upcoming album, in contrast, has a very different sound. You have hinted that it’s going to be R&B. Can you give us anymore teasers as to what to expect?

It’s really queer. It’s boisterous. For me, queer music is like when you look up to the heavens and find amongst the clouds a glowing clarity – a beautiful sound that bursts through. It is the universe reaching out to us.

And on that note, it’s been a hard week for queer people in UK politics. What message would you offer the community during this time of struggle?

It’s easy for us to talk about hope, but we must stay strong and continue to fight. You deserve your rights. Voice your concerns loudly – be honest and proud of your existence. Don’t let people tell you that you can’t be yourself and continue to lobby – we have to push politicians to do what’s right”.

The final feature that I want to bring in is from DAZED. A beautiful and fresh fusing of Black Metal and R&B, it is no surprise that Dua Saleh has been gaining a lot of intertest and conversation around them. It is only a matter of time before they are a festival fixture. I would love to see Saleh at Glastonbury next year. The release of I SHOULD CALL THEM should make that almost a sure-fire eventuality:

“Using straightforward R&B and rock elements to underscore feelings of betrayal and lust, “want” chronicles the realities of situationships, specifically, toxic on-again, off-again situationships. “It’s an anthem for those relationships that might happen at the right time but feel so right that you go against your intuition,” Saleh explains. “It’s about discovering self-worth but still wanting to lean into that cheeky naughtiness.”

“want” is Saleh’s latest single, a captivating glimpse of what’s to come from their highly anticipated debut album I SHOULD CALL THEM, which is set to be released in October via Ghostly International. Saleh, who first attracted attention online for their poetry, signed to Ghostly International in 2023 after releasing their punk-infused stand-alone single “daylight falls”.

Following their three critically acclaimed EPs, alongside their breakout role in Netflix’s hit series Sex Education, Saleh has skillfully combined and reversed genre norms with a gritty, bold and melodic sound that is socially concerned. Their new album, I SHOULD CALL THEM, is a unique compilation of electronic indie-pop songs with R&B influences. This blend of genres is both creative and profoundly personal, as the album celebrates the joy, resiliency and spiritual strength of love shared by two star-crossed lovers. And featuring striking collaborations with Gallant, serpentwithfeet, Sid Sriram and Ambré, I SHOULD CALL THEM is a statement record that only Saleh could make.

We spoke to the LA-based musician about their music, the conflation between their activism and artistry and how R&B is their safe space.

How would you describe your music to someone who’s not come across your music?

Dua Saleh: I can’t really describe my music as it stands now, but I can give you some insight into the music that I’m currently releasing. There is an emphasis on R&B and alternative R&B that I’m leaning towards because of influences from childhood. Nostalgia is a huge part of creation for me right now and R&B is a safe space for me to fall back on when I need to calm my nerves. I would describe my new singles as R&B with electronic infusions. It’s an homage to my love for the genre.

What are your earliest memories of music?

Dua Saleh: Probably listening to cassette albums with my mom in Asmara, Eritrea. I remember listening to a bunch of people and dancing with them in my neighbourhood during “Haflas”, another word for Sudanese parties.

What’s your star sign, and are you a typical one of that sign?

Dua Saleh: Scorpio, and yes, I am, but only because I have six-star placements in Scorpio on my chart!

What’s your love language?

Dua Saleh: Quality time.

If you could create a new micro-genre of music, what would you call it, and what would it sound like?

Dua Saleh: I’m creating it already. One of my upcoming songs is a mixture of R&B and Black Metal. Keep an eye out for that.

What music are you listening to right now?

Dua Saleh: Throwbacks. Brandy, Wutang and Mya etc.

Are there any misconceptions about you?

Dua Saleh: People think I’m an activist! I’m not. I’m mainly smooth-brained!

Do you have any guilty pleasures?

Dua Saleh: Sweets. Lately, I haven’t been able to stop eating baklava”

Out on 11th October through Ghostly International, I SHOULD CALL THEM will announce Dua Saleh as this incredible young artist. Someone already established as an actor, I think that their music is even more remarkable. A person who clearly brings a lot of the disciplines and emotions from acting into their music (ands vice versa), I am going to be keen to see what the future holds for them. If you do not know about the magnificent Dua Saleh, then make sure that you…