Kefaya and Elaha Soroor + support
Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival
The Black Box, Belfast City of Music
Wednesday 13 January, 8.00pm
Kefaya & Elaha Soroor are an award-winning collective blending Afghan folk traditions with jazz, electronics, and psychedelic rock to create a powerful synthesis of cultures, voices, and rhythms. Their music transcends borders, and genres, offering a raw testament to resistance, unity, and internationalism.
Formed by London-based musicians and producers Giuliano Modarelli, Ali MacSween, and Joost Hendrickx, Kefaya unites a shared creative vision and political commitment with a musical language shaped through close collaboration with artists from diverse cultural traditions.
From the start, the project has explored themes of social justice and been inspired by revolutionary music and traditional songs of resistance. Their debut album Radio International centred on immigration and internationalism, winning the Best Newcomer Award at the Songlines Music Awards in 2017 and establishing the band’s direction both musically and politically.
The collaboration with Hazara singer and activist Elaha Soroor brought traditional folk forms from Afghanistan into dialogue with contemporary aesthetics and jazz, amplifying stories of exile, oppression and survival while refusing to separate artistic expression from political reality.
Elaha Soroor first rose to prominence on tv performing on Afghan Star and Stage, becoming the first female Hazara singer to perform on Afghan and Iranian TV. Her work challenges patriarchy and authoritarianism while honouring and celebrating the resilience of Hazara and Afghan women.
Their 2019 album Songs of Our Mothers reimagined songs composed and performed by Afghan women, winning the Songlines Fusion Award and receiving coverage on BBC Radio 3, BBC 6 Music, and international media.
The release marked an important moment in their development and later led to the creation of their independent label, Radio International, which aims to support radical and forward thinking music from London and beyond.
Their latest album Our Freedoms Must Be Won pushes further into synth rock, post punk, and jazz psychedelia while maintaining subtle influences from Afghan folk traditions. Developed through live improvisation and collective experimentation, it features Farsi poetry addressing themes of exile and resistance.
Kefaya & Elaha Soroor have performed at major UK and international festivals including WOMAD, Celtic Connections, Latitude Festival, Førdefestivalen, Glatt & Verkehrt, London Jazz Festival, Goa Jazz Festival, and many more alongside national tours across India. Highlights include the 2024 WOMEX official lineup and a UK support tour with Vieux Farka Touré.
Press Quotes
"One of the most intriguing new bands of the year”
**** The Guardian
“A thoroughly modern, multicultural masterpiece… In an era of increasing isolationism, misogyny
and religious fundamentalism, this album becomes a defiant celebration of freedom and
internationalism.”
Uncut – 9/10
“takes traditional Afghan folk songs and give them thoroughly modern settings… Soroor sounds
as at home singing Farsi–language reggae, Indian jazz, Maghrebi pop or post–punk… Kefaya
delight in tracing Elaha’s journey, crossing sonic borders into Iran, Armenia, Turkey and North
Africa.”
**** MOJO
“Telling tales of the suffering and hardship endured by women but also celebrating their
endurance and femininity, these songs are reworked by Soroor and Kefaya to create powerful,
thought–provoking music.”
**** Rock’n”Reel
“Recorded in Oxford with international zeal, this excellent release brings together folk songs
traditionally sung by Afghan women, telling stories of joy, pain and resilience… The beauty of
Soroor’s mother language, and the wide-ranging culture it encompasses, is palpable
throughout.”
**** Jazzwise
“An exotic genre-blend of jazz, dub and electronica… Soroor’s voice is beautifully expressive. The
showstopper comes with the Radiohead-ish piano ballad, Khina Beyarin, where Soroor fully
reveals her dazzling talent.”
Q
"Powerful, thought-provoking stuff"
**** Songlines
"Magnificent...awe-inspiring...breathtaking...
...stunning...spell-binding"
***** Morning Star
"Excellent album... you can imagine the pulses of digital subversion buzzing through it"
**** New Internationalist
"One of the hottest acts on this summer's festival circuit"
***** Financial Times
"A gorgeous meeting of textures and worlds"
Evening Standard
“Kefaya’s concert last week was one event music lovers would have given their right arm for"
Times of India
"The sheer energy, political rage, and brilliant musicianship here makes this a stand out album of
2016, 2017 and many years to come. Note to myself – go and see them live!” RS21
