https://www.a-wamusic.com/bio
The Yemenite-Israeli sister trio Tair, Liron, and Tagel Haim, also known as A-WA, took the world by storm singing in the Yemenite-Arabic dialect while mixing electronic dance music, hip-hop beats with folkloric and original melodies. Growing up in the remote village of Shaharut (in the Arava valley of Israel) gave way for a unique childhood with the barren desert landscape providing a blank canvas of sorts for boundless creativity.
A-WA have come a long way since their debut single “Habib Galbi (Love Of My Heart)” became a worldwide sensation with many remix versions.Filmed in the desert of their childhood, the music video for “Habib Galbi” went viral and amassed an astounding 13 million-plus views.
The group’s 2016 full-length debut album, “Habib Galbi”, uprooted the traditional folk chants of Yemenite women and reassembled them as a pastiche of rich electro, indie rap attitude, and unexpected pop appeal. Attracting global praise from venerated tastemakers, NPR claimed, “Instead of earnestly reconstructing the music of their cultural ancestors, A-WA has catapulted this roots material into new terrain.” Recognized as international style icons, Vogue delightfully asked, “Who are these three women in high top sneakers and djellabas, and where have they been all our lives?”
The past five years have been instrumental to their career, performing across Israel and on massive International stages such as: SXSW, Les Nuits Sonores, Paléo Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, WOMEX, Fnac Live Festival, Esperanza Festival, Into The Great Wide Open, Clearwater Festival, Symbiosis Festival, InDnegev Festival, Jerusalem Sacred Music Festival, Música Do Mundo Festival, Flow Festival, Jewish Culture Festival in Krakow and more.
A-WA has collaborated with many celebrated musicians such as Pitbull, Balkan Beat Box, French duo Acid Arab, Israeli rapper Tuna, Loco-Hot (Tamir Muskat & Gilad Kahana), Red Band and unique artists such as the "Andy Warhol of Marrakech" Hassan Hajjaj, and Fashion designer Simone Rocha.
Also, the sisters have been featured in several of the world’s top magazines including Rolling Stone, Vogue, ELLE, Glamour, and Stylist Magazine.
On January 23th of 2019, the band introduced their original new album “Bayti Fi Rasi” with the upbeat, unshakable, and undeniable hooks of single “Mudbira”, accompanied by a music video which was art directed and storyboarded by the sisters themselves.
"Hana Mash Hu Al Yaman”, their second single off the new album, was released on April 30th and was accompanied by another music video of which the sisters took part in art directing alongside the director Omer Ben-David. Gathering close to one million views, the track received worldwide praise for artfully approaching the difficult realities for immigrants and all those seeking a better world.
Their second full-length album, “Bayti Fi Rasi (My Home Is In My Head)”, was released on May 31st, 2019 to a worldwide premiere, with accompanied sold-out shows in NYC, Paris, and Tel Aviv.
“Bayti Fi Rasi” is a concept album based on the true journey of the sisters' great grandmother from Yemen to Israel during the Post-WWII “Operation Magic Carpet”. The new album, produced by Tamir Muskat of Balkan Beat Box and owner of APE Records, features fourteen anthems sung in the Yemeni-Arabic dialect and backed by indigenous instrumentation, swaths of electronic orchestration, and gritty hip-hop bounce.
Later 2019 saw A-WA embarking on the Bayti Fi Rasi Tour; performing around Israel, Europe, and the US, including special concerts at Central Park's Summer Stage and NPR's World Cafe and the legendary Tiny Desk Concert.