Rising Syrian-Iraqi Artist Wafia to tour North America in 2018, EP out 1/19

Breakout vocalist and songwriter Wafia has confirmed North American tour dates in January and February of 2018, in addition to European dates with BØRNS this fall. Kicking off in Vancouver, the North American tour will make stops in Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York City and more. Spotify pre-sale will begin tomorrow, Tuesday, October 17 at 10a.m. local time, with general on-sale beginning Friday, October 20 at 10 a.m. local time. See below for complete details.

The new dates support Wafia’s highly anticipated VIII EP, which is now set for release on January 19 on Future Classic. An acoustic version of  “Bodies,” recorded with co-writer Ben Abraham, is premiering today accompanied by home video footage from Wafia’s childhood. Watch here:http://futr.cl/WafiaBodiesVHS.

The official video for the single recently debuted via NYLON and portrays Wafia’s triumph over a dystopian future. Watch here:http://bit.ly/2xyo9WS.

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.

“Bodies” was co-written by Ben Abraham (Kesha’s “Praying”), produced by Robopop (Lana Del Rey, Charli XCX), and follows “83 Days,” the first song released from the forthcoming EP.

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 EPXXIX, which featured the viral hit “Heartburn,” followed in 2015.  In 2016 she released(m)edian, a collaborative EP with Future Classic labelmate Ta-ku—watch their NPR Tiny Desk Concert here.

WAFIA LIVE

November 15—London, UK—Scala*

November 16—Amsterdam, NED—Q-Factory*

November 18—Copenhagen, DK—Vega Small Hall*

November 19—Stockholm, SE—Debaser Strand*

November 21—Berlin, DE—Lido*

November 24—Paris, FR—Les Etoiles Theatre*

January 22—Vancouver, BC—The Cobalt

January 23—Portland, OR—Mississippi Studios

January 24—Seattle, WA—Barboza

January 26—San Francisco, CA—Rickshaw Stop

January 27—Los Angeles, CA—Masonic Lodge

January 29—Chicago, IL—Schubas Tavern

January 30—Toronto, ON—Drake Hotel

February 1—Brooklyn NY—Rough Trade

February 2—Boston, MA—Great Scott

February 3—Washington, DC—Songbyrd

*with BØRNS