HOLLYWOOD, CA- When I first heard Wafia’s delicate Soprano voice dance over the opening synth chords of her single “Only Love”, I was smitten. Her pristine diction and syncopated delivery was hypnotic and I literally looped that song a half a dozen times before I explored the rest of her repertoire.
At the time, all I knew about Wafia was her music and that she was signed to the avante garde label Future Classic. With one collaborative EP with labelmate Ta-ku (“(m)edian”) and two solo EPs, “XXIX” and recently released “VIII”, it didn’t take long for me to familiarize myself with her mellifluous melodies. Her sounds are distinctly modern, but at the same I found myself getting a little bit of a late 80’s R&B retro vibe here and there (particularly “83 Days”) and I was totally digging it … Correction … loving it.
When presented with the opportunity to photograph her Los Angeles concert at the Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever, I jumped at the opportunity. I could think of no other venue that would give prominence to her beautiful vocals and accentuate the emotional mood and gravitas of her music.
When looking into her background, I discovered that Wafia story was just as intricate as her music. Born in the Netherlands to Syrian and Iraqi parents and now based in Australia, she was a former med school student who has dealt and grappled with “her intersectional identities as a Muslim, brown, queer woman finding herself as an artist.” I was surprised learn that her single “Bodies” was “written on the day her Syrian family was denied permission to enter Australia amidst the escalating conflict there, while Trump continued to threaten Muslim ban in America”. “Only Love” examines Wafia’s first time admitting that she finds herself attracted to women.
With the knowledge of the origins of those two songs firmly ensconced in my mind, my mind would muse the origins of her other songs, and ponder what other layers of life were sprinkled into Wafia’s songwriting.
With only 3 EP’s under her belt, Wafia basically performed her entire repertoire for the sold out crowd. While her interactions with the audience was limited to grateful thanks for attending the evening performance, she simply let her music speak on her behalf. The bold, rainbow lights that filled the white spaces of the lodge’s walls behind her which outlined her own whimsical white dress adorned with doodles and quips like “stop looking at your phone”, gave Wafia an almost spirit-like presence.
If there was any doubt as to the impact and popularity of her music, one need only look into the audience. As songs swelled into their hooks and choruses, voices from the audience swelled to provide those who perhaps weren’t keen on all of the lyrics a soulful, and organic surround sound. A sound that echoed through the walls of the Masonic Lodge and would have put to ease any restless souls at Hollywood Forever.
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LIVE CLIPS
Wafia at Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever 1/27/18. Thoughts and photos coming to @BlurredCulture. pic.twitter.com/AskjexksP1
— Derrick K. Lee (@methodman13) February 7, 2018
Wafia at Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever 1/27/18. Thoughts and photos coming to @BlurredCulture. pic.twitter.com/5gng23BLMi
— Derrick K. Lee (@methodman13) February 7, 2018
Wafia at Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever 1/27/18. Thoughts and photos coming to @BlurredCulture. pic.twitter.com/96Eau9stoU
— Derrick K. Lee (@methodman13) February 7, 2018
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