Stories

D.$AHIN is a Berlin-based singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist whose music reflects a life lived between cultures. Ahead of her performance at XJAZZ! Festival, OFFKEY author Alice Vyvyan-Jones sat down with her to talk about what it means to create from a place of uprootedness.

With her upcoming debut solo EP "BiiLINGUAL" German-Iranian singer MADANii turns inward to unpack what it means to reclaim the parts of herself she once tried to hide. It is sung in Farsi and English, emotionally layered, and unapologetically honest. We spoke to the artist about the fire that fuels her, the burden of being misread, and why joy and community are essential to her sound.

The rapper Enana and DJ/producer mx.pinky merged their creative energy to create the EP "Becoming." It is the debut release on exude records - a label and event series by and for trans artists. Ilo Toerkell met Enana and mx.pinky to chat about their collaboration, allowing joy regardless of the repressive climate that trans and other marginalized people face, and why we need more T4T spaces.

The Iranian singer Faravaz will release her debut, "Azadi" (meaning "Freedom" in Farsi), on May 11th. The record recounts the story of her life in exile in Germany because the Iranian government sentenced her to one year in prison for the act of singing as a woman. Choosing to not return to her homeland, Faravaz fights for women’s rights from abroad. Her music is driven by the yearning and fight for liberation from patriarchal oppression.

Hidaiyah "Yaya" Bey is a musician from Queens, New York, whose sound fuses elements of R&B, hip-hop, jazz, and dance into something entirely her own. OFFKEY author Alice Vyvyan-Jones had the honour of sitting down with Hidaiyah ahead of her debut Berlin show at Privatklub to speak about her upcoming album "do it afraid".

South African R&B artist lordkez recently dropped her latest album "You, Me & The 90’s". On the record, she explores themes of identity, care and spirituality. We caught up with the singer to talk about the creative process behind the project, her musical roots in the church, and why self-love remains a central theme in her creative and personal journey. 

The New Delhi-based rapper and producer Kinari recently released her new project "BADDUA". Ilo Toerkell spoke to the artist about the diverse range of influences she draws from, including traditional Indian and Tamil sounds, hip-hop and Ballroom beats, her relationship to faith, and how the district Dilli 17 of her hometown has shaped her creative output.

With a sound that slips between jazz, club and experimental, Glasgow outfit corto.alto is hard to pin down — and all the more exciting for it. Headed by trombonist and producer Liam Shortall, the group brings raw energy and genre fluidity to the stage. Ahead of their show at XJAZZ!, Anna Grubauer spoke to him about live shows, creative freedom, and the friendships that keep it all moving.