“Wafia is using pop as protest. The 24-year-old makes a song about the Syrian refugee crisis ‘accessible’ with an uplifting, lightweight alt-pop melody.” —Harper’s Bazaar
Wafia— who was born in the Netherlands to Syrian and Iraqi parents and is now based in Australia—wrote “Bodies” on the day her Syrian family was denied permission to enter Australia amidst the escalating conflict there, while Trump continued to threaten Muslim ban in America.
Wafia is 24-year-old Wafia Al-Rikabi. She rose to prominence after posting a Thrupence-produced cover of Mario’s “Let Me Love You” online. The release of Wafia’s debut EP XXIX, which featured the viral hit “Heartburn,” followed in 2015.