From Arab classics, to mid-century American jazz, to contemporary art-pop, Dania Hallak’s influences are every bit as eclectic as the music she produces suggests. The Syrian-Croation self-proclaimed ‘sadgirl’ first landed on SceneNoise radars in 2020 with a steady stream of releases, the highlights of which included a hauntingly beautiful cover of ‘Asfour’ by Lebanese songstress, Omayma El Khalil, and soaring indie-pop sleeper hit, ‘Cardamom Team’.
These are just two of the releases that gained the NYC-based artist over 500,000 listens across streaming platforms. Despite the very many limitations and pressures that have come with the pandemic, Hallak has continued to make music and her latest gem comes in the form of ‘I Cook When I’m Homesick’, a fluttering, sensual voyage into R&B.
As is the case with all her releases, Hallak’s voice is the heart of the track, every line and delivery dripping with a soaring science of emotion that reveals that there’s more to this sadgirl than sadness. It’s a departure form the kind of balladry that defined much of her previous work, though as she told us SceneNoise in January interview, “the lyrics are still super-sadgirl.” That they are and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Follow Dania on Instagram, SoundCloud and YouTube.
