Wafia - VIII (EP) (2018)

VIII is the new EP by 24-year-old Brisbane based singer-songwriter, Wafia. Released on January 19th via Future Classic, this comes as the second EP released by the Middle-Eastern, Netherlands born artist, who if you get to experience her music at some point, draws upon her different characteristics and identities as a young woman of Muslim faith in such a dynamic but evolving society. VIII follows on from Wafia’s debut EP, XXIX released in 2015.

The current single of the EP, Only Love received over one million plays within the first month of release, soaring the airwaves of Triple J and FBi Radio. The previous single, Bodies has received over five million plays to date with hitting the Spotify Viral Charts in Australia, the UK and Europe. The six track EP boasts a number of A-Grade collaborators including Ben Abraham, Robopop, HazeBanga and Roget Chahayed.

In between the hip swaying electronic melody, the lyrics say it all and more. Only Love explores love in its most simple and uncomplicated form. Bodies explores Wafia and her family’s deepest thoughts and struggles with the current Syria crisis and war and conflict in general. 83 Days explores the obsession with a loved one’s absence. Breathe draws upon the process of falling in love with someone, the capture of their heart and letting them take your breath away as they make their way into your heart. The Ending ft. Finneas is a duet ballad about love and the ups and downs relationships face.

With an EP like this, it’s really a no brainer that Wafia is gaining the traction and attention she deserves. VIII embodies everything Wafia is about, making her music and her personal experiences available to the entire human race no matter your religion, your sexuality, your gender with an empathetic and sympathetic tone in her powerful lyrics. It’s through her melodies that you feel the raw emotion Wafia feels towards these encompassing themes of life. VIII is raw, VIII is vulnerable, VIII was made as the voice for so many experiencing love, experiencing change and restoration in identity, experiencing the ups and downs in life, especially in conflict and war.

Supporting London Grammar in Brisbane and BORNS in Europe, a previous sold out National Tour and a line of festival sets across Field Day and Falls Festival, Wafia is about to embark on a North American Tour this week after previously selling out her debut LA and NYC shows in 2017. Check out the dates below!
2018 is going to be a BIG year for Wafia, and I cannot wait to see how it unfolds. Wafia, VIII. Go check it out!
~ review by Cassandra Thomson



Track List:
01. Wafia - 83 Days [00:04:12]
02. Wafia - Bodies [00:03:12]
03. Wafia - Breathe [00:03:16]
04. Wafia, Ta-Ku - Interlude [00:02:10]
05. Wafia - Only Love [00:02:51]
06. Wafia, FINNEAS - The Ending [00:03:35]

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