The singer-songwriter and poet also spoke to Lipa about the “seamless” process of working with Rosalía on his new album – which contains additional contributions from Aaron Dessner of The National, Clairo and more
Mustafa praised Dua Lipa‘s activism during a listening session for his second album last night (September 25), telling her “it’s our responsibility as artists to hold up a mirror to our world”.
The Sudanese-Canadian singer-songwriter and poet will release ‘Dunya’ – roughly translating to “the world in all its flaws” from Arabic – tomorrow (September 27) via Jagjaguwar. Pre-order/pre-save here.
It’ll follow on from his 2021 debut ‘When Smoke Rises’, which chronicles life in the violent Toronto neighbourhood of Regent Park where Mustafa grew up. His first full-length project won the 2022 Juno Award for Alternative Album Of The Year.
In anticipation of ‘Dunya’ dropping in full this week, the musician has been staging ‘Kitaba’ listening events around the world, hosted by his friends.
Speaking to close friend Lipa at London’s EartH Hackney Theatre yesterday, Mustafa shared deeply personal reflections on his Muslim faith, his violent upbringing, his organising efforts for Palestine and Sudan, and the tragic death of his brother last year.
He also played through all 12 tracks featured on his second album – including the singles ‘Gaza Is Calling’, ‘SNL’ and ‘Name Of God’ – and opened up about collaborating with Rosalía and Daniel Caesar on the LP.
During the interview, Mustafa specifically shouted out Lipa for her friendship and ongoing commitment to activism.
“I actually feel so grateful to be on stage with you, considering how instrumental you’ve been for so many causes for so long”, he told the ‘Radical Optimism’ pop star. “Wallahi. I feel a deep reverence, appreciation and grace for you. I’m so proud to be alongside and in community with you.”
Mustafa told the audience: “You never know who’s going to appear for you. In the worst times of your life, you will see who appears through the rubble. Dua has appeared time and time again. Even when I isolated for so long after my brother’s passing, you are the person that has been there for me consistently.”
Becoming visibly emotional, the artist held back tears as he joked with the crowd: “I don’t believe in crying publicly.”
He continued: “It feels kindred to me that the sound of your name in Arabic – ‘dura’ – means prayer. When I walk into my mother’s silent sobs, or my father’s, and hear them making all these duras for protection, I think about the ways in which those prayers are going to materialise. I truly believe that you are a manifestation of their prayers.”
In July, Mustafa hosted the London edition of his Artists For Aid benefit show at the Troxy where he was joined on the bill by the likes of Clairo, Blood Orange and King Krule. The event raised funds for humanitarian efforts in both Sudan and Palestine.
Lipa praised Mustafa’s efforts to “bring the music community together” with his charity concerts and single ‘Gaza Is Calling’.
“I’m so proud of you and proud to be your friend”, she said. “Thank you so much for drawing attention to these two persistent and horrific conflicts, and to the relentless suffering that’s been happening over decades.”
Although it was released this year, Lipa revealed that ‘Gaza Is Calling’ was actually written in 2020 as an homage to Mustafa’s Palestinian childhood friend. Mustafa recalled growing up captivated by his friend’s descriptions of home, and giving his friend a digital watch to bring back to his family as a gift. The family gave Mustafa a ring in return, which he has worn for the last 14 years.
The ‘Gaza Is Calling’ music video was directed by Palestinian actress and film director Hiam Abbass (known for roles in Succession and Ramy), and stars Palestinian-Dutch model Bella Hadid. Mustafa said he was hesitant to release the song and video in June this year, not wanting to “overtake someone else’s position or centre my voice amidst this genocide”.
He added: “With everything that was happening, I led with the benefit concerts and alternative ways of platforming the voices of the people that needed to be heard. But Bella and Hiam each reached out to me and said it was time to release the video. They wanted to do it, and I let them lead the way.
“I was really taken by the response to the video. It felt like an energiser. All these things are inherently performative, even protest itself. All we can do is energise each other’s efforts. I’m not a doctor or a politician; I’m not dismantling any kind of system with the work that I’m doing. I’m just holding up a mirror, and it’s our responsibility as artists to hold up a mirror to our world.”
‘Dunya’ boasts a large cast of collaborators from Rosalía to Clairo, Daniel Caesar, Aaron Dessner of The National, and Nicolás Jaar – some of whom appeared at the Artists For Aid gig in the capital.
“I already had a lived relationship with each person which made our collaboration feel safe,” Mustafa explained.
“Seamless” was his description of working with Rosalía, who contributes vocals and production on ‘I’ll Go Anywhere’ and ‘Nouri’. “She gave me a few days between her Coachella weekends,” Mustafa recalled. “She understood the project entirely, and came in without interfering with the song at all. I guess that’s the power of a great musician.”
Caesar contributes vocals on the heartbreaking ‘Leaving Toronto’. “Daniel and I came up together in Toronto since we were 18 years old,” Mustafa told the audience. “Although we were from entirely different universes, we shared a resentment for Toronto – he had his own suburban trauma and I had my hood trauma. We really met in the middle.”
He spoke of other friends throughout the evening, joking with Lipa and the crowd: “I’ve actually forced all of you here today because I’m afraid people aren’t going to listen to the album in sequence. Me and Dua’s mutual friend, Callum [Turner], once told me he listens to albums on shuffle when they first come out!” Lipa riffed back: “Yes, that’s such a problem!”
Mustafa continued: “So I’ve got to sit before the people and deliver them the album myself. I’ve even forced some of my friends to come here – I’m looking at Chunkz – because I know they’re never going to listen to the album in order.”
Earlier this week, Mustafa was interviewed in Paris by Sudanese-American model Anok Yai, and last week by comedian Ramy Youssef in Los Angeles.
Over the summer, Lipa defended speaking out against the “Israeli genocide”, saying that doing so was for the “greater good”. She had previously shared her support for #AllEyesOnRafah on social media.
Last year, Lipa joined Michael Stipe, Cate Blanchett and more in signing an open letter to US President Joe Biden calling for a ceasefire, and demanding “an end to the bombing of Gaza and the safe release of hostages”.
Lipa also shared her stance in an interview with Rolling Stone earlier in 2024, once again urging world leaders to “take a stand”.