Alsarah & The Nubatones:                                 Ya Watan (O homeland)

Sunday, November 6, 2016 @ 7:00PM

Ibrahim Theater @ International House Philadelphia  (3701 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia)


Sudanese-born singer, songwriter, and self-proclaimed practicioner of East-African retro-pop, Alsarah, jumpstarts Intercultural Journey’s 2016/17 season featuring tracks from her 2016 album release, Manara, and her internationally acclaimed 2014 debut album, Silt. Brooklyn-based Alsarah & The Nubatones’ music is deeply rooted in Nubian ‘Songs of Return’ from the 1960s and 70s, and contemplates modern migration patterns and cultural exchanges between Sudan and Egypt.

Visit the artist's website


Photo by Carlos Ramirez. 

Alsarah, is a Sudanese born singer, songwriter and ethnomusicologist. Born in the capital city of Khartoum, where she spent the first 8 years of her life, she relocated to Taez, Yemen with her family to escape the ever stifling regime in her native country. She abruptly moved to the U.S. in 1994, when a brief civil war broke out in Yemen. Alsarah started her musical training at the age of 12. After attending the Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter High School, in Hadley, MA, she spent 4 years at Wesleyan University studying music with a concentration in ethnomusicology.

Residing in Brooklyn, NY, she is a self-proclaimed practitioner of East-African retro-pop. Working on various projects, she most recently has been working with the Nile Project and was featured on their debut release, Aswan (named 1 of the top 5 must hear international albums of 2013 by NPR). She has also collaborated with French producer Débruit on the album, Aljwal, released this past November via Soundway Records. She toured the release in July 2014. She released her debut album, Silt, with her band Alsarah & The Nubatones in the spring of 2014.