Palestinian-Jordanian singer, songwriter, and producer Dana Salah shares her journey graduating from Duke University to DJing in New York City and writing songs in Jay-Z's studio to transitioning to creating and performing songs in Arabic. She discusses the impact of DJing on her music writing, and the importance of staying connected with her culture. She reflects on her musical influences and the challenges of blending modern and traditional elements in her work. The conversation covers her songwriting process, her response to the current situation with Palestinians, and anecdotes around her tracks "Weino", "Ghazaleh", and "Ya Tal3een", delving into the Palestinian "tarweedeh" style of singing and writing.
00:00 Introduction
01:31 Early Career Struggles and Successes
03:32 DJing and Musical Influences
09:17 Songwriting Process and Inspirations
13:58 Transition to Arabic Music
19:36 Performing and Connecting with Audiences
22:15 Balancing Nostalgia and Cultural Identity
24:04 Strategic Decisions and Creative Process
25:08 Balancing Multiple Roles in the Music Industry
26:55 Discovering and Recovering Palestinian Folk Songs
29:37 Emotional Connection to Music and Family
38:26 Production Techniques and Song Preferences
45:35 Influences and Future Aspirations
Dana Salah is a Palestinian-Jordanian singer and songwriter blending Arabic folk with modern pop. After starting her career in New York as King Deco, she returned to Jordan to embrace her Arab roots. Known for hits like Weino and Rajieen, she’s a leading voice in contemporary Arabic music and was the first female Jordanian artist featured on a Times Square billboard.
Connect with Dana Saleh 👉 https://instagram.com/danasalah
Hosted by Mikey Muhanna
Connect directly with Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://instagram.com/mikey_mu
Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊
FOLLOW & RATE THE QUARTERTONES PODCAST:
» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/afikra-quartertones/id1646407556
» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/26VHvC6yVOxlRFjeOts6uf
» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1044639452
THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK
Explore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl7FiLcdH_iSgv4RiXEy4GAh
ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra