"Hayat" reflects the result of an honest confrontation with herself, from which Khadija now emerges stronger to pass on her own experiences and the insights she has gained from them.
Above all, it is this newfound strength to see things differently that has inspired Khadija to also help others find a better way of dealing with themselves - away from negative thoughts, towards more spirituality, love and motivation.
The work comprises five musical snapshots in which Khadija dives into her own emotional world, draws from the broad spectrum of life and focuses on the essentials in order to bring about an emotional change of perspective in herself and inshallah others:
Title track "Hayat" is like the calm that returns after a storm, empowering, self-healing and confidently looking forward, understanding one's own vulnerability as strength.
"Intuition" is about being guided by one's feelings, recalling one's origins and giving expression to the personal process of becoming one's self.
"Easy" is about letting go, reconciling with painful reality and focusing on one's dreams, goals and individual strength.
"Love" is a ballad, a stepping out of a romantic bubble and consciously confronting grief, which ultimately helps you build an emotional distance from what happened.
And "Blessings" is a garage-beat-infused call to stay motivated, to see what you have rather than what you lack, in order to achieve lasting inner contentment.
At the beginning as well as at the end of the EP, there is one and the same prayer-like thanksgiving that brings the song cycle into harmony.
Produced by the Austrian-Moroccan sibling duo Nora Medín and Rafael Rikou, aka Next of Din, "Hayat" offers a versatile sound hybrid of digital and analogue elements, firmly located in the here and now, sensitively yet unobtrusively paving the way for Khadija's themes to a better tomorrow. All songs were written, composed and co-produced by Khadija herself.
About Khadija
Khadija was born in Pforzheim in 1990, the daughter of an Eritrean diplomat family of Muslim faith. There she grew up surrounded by culture, politics, tradition and music. In addition to artists such as Michael Jackson, Aaliyah or Tic Tac Toe, her home mainly played Eritrean music (including Alamin Abdeletif, Dehab Faytinga, Yemane Baria), which had the liberation of the country or the suffering of the people in the course of the 30-year war between Eritrea and Ethiopia as its theme. For Khadija, music has thus always been a reflection of society.
Early on, she tried to grasp the world around her by questioning things instead of simply accepting them unconditionally. Khadija defines herself as an artist as well as a hopeful, feminist liberal Muslim. She sees herself as a representative of a marginalised group and draws strength and motivation from this. Her themes revolve around spirituality, diversity, emancipation and pluralism. With the help of her art, Khadija wants to actively shape and positively influence society - art as therapy and remedy at the same time.
For Khadija, making art means absolute freedom, including freedom of judgement: "I love that art knows no rules and that I have the ability to change opinions and feelings with my content," she says. "The world and our consciousness is more complex than we think, more than just black/white, male/female or good/evil. I also emphasise that in my music." She writes, composes, produces and is also a DJ, adjudicator and supervisor. In summer 2019, Khadija also founded the agency blackhead concepts with two 'women of colour' (WOC) friends, where she works as art and creative director. "Hayat" is Khadija's debut EP after several impressive single releases.
Khadija – “Hayat” EP
"Hayat" stands for life in the Arabic language and forms the leitmotif for German-Eritrean artist Khadija's new EP.
"Hayat" reflects the result of an honest confrontation with herself, from which Khadija now emerges stronger to pass on her own experiences and the insights she has gained from them.
Above all, it is this newfound strength to see things differently that has inspired Khadija to also help others find a better way of dealing with themselves - away from negative thoughts, towards more spirituality, love and motivation.
The work comprises five musical snapshots in which Khadija dives into her own emotional world, draws from the broad spectrum of life and focuses on the essentials in order to bring about an emotional change of perspective in herself and inshallah others:
Title track "Hayat" is like the calm that returns after a storm, empowering, self-healing and confidently looking forward, understanding one's own vulnerability as strength.
"Intuition" is about being guided by one's feelings, recalling one's origins and giving expression to the personal process of becoming one's self.
"Easy" is about letting go, reconciling with painful reality and focusing on one's dreams, goals and individual strength.
"Love" is a ballad, a stepping out of a romantic bubble and consciously confronting grief, which ultimately helps you build an emotional distance from what happened.
And "Blessings" is a garage-beat-infused call to stay motivated, to see what you have rather than what you lack, in order to achieve lasting inner contentment.
At the beginning as well as at the end of the EP, there is one and the same prayer-like thanksgiving that brings the song cycle into harmony.
Produced by the Austrian-Moroccan sibling duo Nora Medín and Rafael Rikou, aka Next of Din, "Hayat" offers a versatile sound hybrid of digital and analogue elements, firmly located in the here and now, sensitively yet unobtrusively paving the way for Khadija's themes to a better tomorrow. All songs were written, composed and co-produced by Khadija herself.
About Khadija
Khadija was born in Pforzheim in 1990, the daughter of an Eritrean diplomat family of Muslim faith. There she grew up surrounded by culture, politics, tradition and music. In addition to artists such as Michael Jackson, Aaliyah or Tic Tac Toe, her home mainly played Eritrean music (including Alamin Abdeletif, Dehab Faytinga, Yemane Baria), which had the liberation of the country or the suffering of the people in the course of the 30-year war between Eritrea and Ethiopia as its theme. For Khadija, music has thus always been a reflection of society.
Early on, she tried to grasp the world around her by questioning things instead of simply accepting them unconditionally. Khadija defines herself as an artist as well as a hopeful, feminist liberal Muslim. She sees herself as a representative of a marginalised group and draws strength and motivation from this. Her themes revolve around spirituality, diversity, emancipation and pluralism. With the help of her art, Khadija wants to actively shape and positively influence society - art as therapy and remedy at the same time.
For Khadija, making art means absolute freedom, including freedom of judgement: "I love that art knows no rules and that I have the ability to change opinions and feelings with my content," she says. "The world and our consciousness is more complex than we think, more than just black/white, male/female or good/evil. I also emphasise that in my music." She writes, composes, produces and is also a DJ, adjudicator and supervisor. In summer 2019, Khadija also founded the agency blackhead concepts with two 'women of colour' (WOC) friends, where she works as art and creative director. "Hayat" is Khadija's debut EP after several impressive single releases.