Photocredit: Rhianna Hajduch

The music of LA-based Sudanese-American artist Dua Saleh (they/them) explores the inner self and the world at large. Across three EPs since 2019, heralded by The New York Times („commanding“), NPR („visionary“), and Pitchfork („ambitious and riveting“), Saleh has deftly fused and inverted genre conventions with a socially conscious style driven by melody, grit, and bravado. With their long-awaited full-length debut, a collection of R&B-infused electronic indie-pop songs titled I SHOULD CALL THEM, they portray the spiritual power, resilience, and joy of love.

At age five, Saleh and their family immigrated to the U.S. as refugees after fleeing Sudan’s civil war. Their family settled in the Midwest, where Saleh grew up listening to a mix of ‘40s soul and jazz, ’90s hip-hop, dancehall, afro-beat, and Sudanese singers on cable TV. Saleh’s voice took shape through poetry, first via their mother’s scripture readings from the Quran and later across spoken word open mic nights, academic studies, and activist work in their community.

Out in fall 2024 on Ghostly International, I SHOULD CALL THEM serves as Saleh’s first body of work since their contribution as a co-writer for Travis Scott’s UTOPIA track ‘MY EYES’ (alongside Justin Vernon and Sampha), returning to their breakout role in the Netflix series Sex Education, and taking the cover of GAY TIMES as their 2023 Rising Star in Music honour recipient. Here Saleh shapes their most vulnerable work to date, an apocalyptic narrative informed by environmental anxieties and their experiences as a lover, holding personal truth and hope amidst chaos.

Saleh’s three EPs — NŪR, ROSETTA, and CROSSOVER, released by AGAINST GIANTS — have seen critical acclaim from all corners of the press and clocked in over 94 million streams to date. Their list of collaborations includes Amaarae, Bon Iver, Corbin (fka Spooky Black), Denzel Curry, Duckwrth, Psymun, Travis Scott, and more.