On the fourth night of Habibi Festival 2025, Sudanese artist Mai Elgizouli takes the stage with a dynamic, deeply emotional first "serious" show in New York performing a set of acoustic songs that explore themes of sadness, power, and hope, including a deeply personal tribute to her late brother and the strong women of Sudan. She follows with a nuanced and candid conversation with afikra Quarertones, joined by celebrated Sudanese musician Alsarah. They discuss their long-standing friendship and artistic collaboration and delve into May’s journey from visual artist to musician, the unexpected amount of work required for a professional set, and the immense privilege of having a family that provides a space for emotional and artistic expression in a place like Sudan. They also reflect on how being in New York and witnessing the current war has impacted Mai’s work, concluding with a powerful message for the audience: to simply feel their feelings. Palestinian musician Rasha Nahas also takes the stage for a second night in this year's festival.
On the fourth night of Habibi Festival 2025, Sudanese artist Mai Elgizouli takes the stage with a dynamic, deeply emotional first "serious" show in New York performing a set of acoustic songs that explore themes of sadness, power, and hope, including a deeply personal tribute to her late brother and the strong women of Sudan. She follows with a nuanced and candid conversation with afikra Quarertones, joined by celebrated Sudanese musician Alsarah. They discuss their long-standing friendship and artistic collaboration and delve into May’s journey from visual artist to musician, the unexpected amount of work required for a professional set, and the immense privilege of having a family that provides a space for emotional and artistic expression in a place like Sudan. They also reflect on how being in New York and witnessing the current war has impacted Mai’s work, concluding with a powerful message for the audience: to simply feel their feelings. Palestinian musician Rasha Nahas also takes the stage for a second night in this year's festival.
0:00 Mai Elgizouli Performs a Tribute to Her Brother: "Ba'eed 'an Al Ahzan" (Far From Sorrows)
4:40 Performing "Ramadi" (Gray)
10:47 Mai Introduces Her Band & Performs "Al Gawiyya": a Song for Strong Women & the Sudanese Revolution
17:20 Performing "Bi Darbi Ma Bamshi" (Never Down That Path Again)
23:34 Performing "Shabah" (Ghost)
29:32 Performing "Al Furaq": the First Song She Wrote
37:06 Rasha Nahas Takes the Stage for a Second Night
43:57 Rasha Nahas Introduces the Band & Performs "Desert" From Her First Album
50:09 Rasha Nahas Performs "The Clown"
56:46 Rasha Nahas Performs "Nbeed" (Wine)
1:02:24 Rasha Nahas Performs an Unreleased New Song "Khalas" From an Album Which Will be Out Next Year
1:07:13 Rasha Nahas Performs Her Latest Single "Ghanneeli" (A Song Written During the Genocide in Gaza)
1:14:00 Rasha Nahas Performs Another Unreleased Song: "Once Upon a Time in Palestine"
1:24:20 afikra Quartertones Invites Mai Elgizouli and Special Guest Alsarah on Stage
1:26:05 Alsarah’s Obsession and Mai’s Artistic Mastery
1:29:13 Mai’s First "Serious Show" in New York
1:30:58 Family Support & Surviving Trauma in Sudan
1:33:36 Art, Critique & Dealing With War While in New York
1:37:37 The Message: Feel Your Feelings
Mai Elgizouli is an award-winning film director and multidisciplinary artist born and raised in Omdurman, Khartoum in a family of artists. Her music carries the tenderness of Sudanese Arabic and the nostalgic pulse of Sudan's 1980s sound.
Connect with Mai Elgizouli 👉 https://instagram.com/mai_egizouli
Hosted by Suzanne Gaber 👉