Jump to content

Draft:Dunya (Mustafa album)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dunya
Studio album by
Mustafa
ReleasedSeptember 27, 2024 (2024-09-27)
Recorded2021–2024[1]
GenreFolk[2][3][4]
Length40:50
Language
  • English
  • Arabic
Label
Producer
Mustafa chronology
When Smoke Rises
(2021) 		Dunya
(2024)
Singles from Dunya
  1. "Name of God"
    Released: October 17, 2023
  2. "Imaan"
    Released: March 5, 2024
  3. "Gaza Is Calling"
    Released: June 11, 2024
  4. "SNL"
    Released: July 11, 2024
  5. "Old Life"
    Released: August 27, 2024

Dunya (Arabic: دُنْيا, romanized: dunyā, lit. 'the world in all its flaws'[5][6]) is the debut studio album by Canadian singer Mustafa, released on September 27, 2024, through Arts & Crafts Productions domestically and Jagjaguwar internationally.[7] Collaborators on the album include Aaron Dessner, Daniel Caesar, Rosalía, Nicolás Jaar, JID, and Clairo.[6][8] To promote the album, Mustafa is scheduled to embark on his first world tour in 2025, the Lost in the Dunya Tour, with stops in North America, Europe, and Africa.

The album was supported by five singles: "Name of God", "Imaan", "Gaza Is Calling", "SNL", and "Old Life". The music video for "Name of God" won the 2024 Prism Prize, making Mustafa the first artist to win the award twice.

Background

[edit]

Born in Toronto to Sudanese immigrants, Mustafa grew up in the Regent Park community housing project with a largely immigrant population.[9][10] At twelve years old, his recital of his poem "A Single Rose" gained attention, which led to him performing it at the Canadian International Documentary Festival in 2009.[9] As a teenager, Mustafa joined the hip hop collective Halal Gang under the moniker Mustafa the Poet. As a solo artist, Mustafa's debut EP, When Smoke Rises, explores grief from the death of Halal Gang member Smoke Dawg, and was released in 2021 to widespread acclaim.[9] Influenced by fellow Canadian folk singers Joni Mitchell, Neil Young and Leonard Cohen, the EP won the Juno Award for Alternative Album of the Year and was shortlisted for the 2021 Polaris Music Prize.[10] The music video for the track "Ali" won the Prism Prize, an award recognizing the best Canadian music video.[10]

Mustafa has discussed feelings of bitterness towards Toronto, calling it a "hellhole" and describing a lack of connection due to the deaths of numerous friends and what he considers a lack of accountability regarding crime in the city.[9] In late 2021, he played his first hometown show at Massey Hall, with the venue surrounded by heavy police presence.[10] Since then, Mustafa decided to spend much of his time abroad, writing and recording in Sweden, the UK, and the US.[10] He travelled to Sudan in 2022, where he visited his extended family, and visited Egypt with songwriting collaborator Simon Hessman to search for new influences, which he found in traditional Arabic instruments like the oud.[10] In early 2023, Mustafa performed Umrah.[10] In July 2023, Mustafa's older brother Mohamed was fatally shot in downtown Toronto.[11]

Wanting to create a "traditional, minimalist folk album", Mustafa approached Aaron Dessner of the National and Big Red Machine, who invited him to Long Pond Studio in Hudson Valley, New York; Mustafa served as an opening act for the National at the Ottawa Folk Festival more than a decade prior.[10] The two worked on songs for Dunya over the span of a week, enlisting help from DJ Dahi and Nicolás Jaar, and using field recordings to create an "electronic element that still felt organic".[10]

Artwork

[edit]

The album cover depicts the application of kohl, a traditional Islamic practice that was use before people went to war; Mustafa sought to represent both faith and violence, which he felt were two large themes on the album.[1]

Promotion

[edit]

Five singles were released from the album. Opening track "Name of God", about Mustafa's relationship with Islam, was released on October 17, 2023.[12][13] Its self-directed music video won the Prism Prize in 2024, making Mustafa the first artist to win the award twice.[14][15] "Imaan", released on March 5, 2024, is "a love song between two people in search of God and purpose".[16] Its music video stars model Imaan Hammam and was directed by Mustafa and Nabil Elderkin, while Ramy Youssef served as creative director.[17]

"Gaza Is Calling", written in 2020 about Mustafa's childhood friendship with a Palestinian boy, was released as the third single on June 11, 2024, with proceeds benefitting the Palestine Children's Relief Fund.[18] Its music video, directed by Hiam Abbass, stars Palestinian American model Bella Hadid and Gazan rapper MC Abdul. It was mostly filmed in April 2023 but also includes footage from Jenin, Palestine, from June 2024 during the Israel–Hamas war.[19] The fourth single "SNL" (an acronym for "Street N— Lullaby") and its self-directed music video were released on July 11, 2024, the same day as the album was announced.[20][21] "Old Life" was released as the album's fifth and final single on August 27, 2024, with a music video directed by Tanima Mehrotra.[22] A music video for the Daniel Caesar collaboration "Leaving Toronto" was released on October 8, 2024.[23]

To promote the album, Mustafa played a Lost in the Dunya show at the Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto on November 7, 2024.[24] In December 2024, Mustafa announced the Lost in the Dunya Tour, with dates in the first half of 2025.[25] The concert tour has shows in the US and Canada in February, followed by shows in England, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Ethiopia, and Sudan in May.[26] To coincide with the tour's announcement, Mustafa released a live performance video of "What Good Is a Heart?", "Leaving Toronto" (with Caesar), and "I'll Go Anywhere", featuring Kibrom Birhane on masenqo and krar.[25]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.5/10[27]
Metacritic81/100[28]
Review scores
SourceRating
Clash8/10[5]
The Daily Telegraph[29]
Exclaim!9/10[6]
Focus Knack[30]
Gaffa[31]
The Guardian[32]
Pitchfork8.0/10[33]
Rolling Stone[34]
Slant Magazine[2]

Dunya received widespread acclaim from critics, and appeared on a number of best-of-2024 lists; Billboard Canada called it "one of the most acclaimed albums of 2024".[35][25] According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Dunya received "universal acclaim" based on a weighted average score of 81 out of 100 from seven critic scores.[28] Paul Attard of Slant Magazine called the album "a stunning work of autobiographical reflection",[2] and critics praised the blend of traditional Middle Eastern instruments and modern Western sounds.[29][33][2] Annabel Martin of The Daily Telegraph complimented Mustafa on "finding beauty in the ugly" and "[carving] out his own section within folk."[29]

Critics' year-end rankings of Dunya
Publication List Rank Ref.
Associated Press AP's top under-the-radar albums of 2024 — [36]
CBC Music The 15 best Canadian albums of 2024 1 [37]
Dazed The 20 best albums of 2024 6 [38]
Exclaim! 50 Best Albums of 2024 4 [39]
The Globe and Mail The 10 best albums of 2024 — [40]
The Line of Best Fit The Best Albums of 2024 44 [41]
The New York Times Best Albums of 2024 (by Jon Caramanica) — [42]
Best Albums of 2024 (by Lindsay Zoladz) — [43]
NME The 50 Best Albums of 2024 8 [44]
NPR Music The 50 Best Albums of 2024 — [45]
Paste The 100 Best Albums of 2024 30 [46]
PopMatters The 10 Best Folk Albums of 2024 2 [47]
Rolling Stone The 100 Best Albums of 2024 30 [48]
Vulture The Best Albums of 2024 5 [49]
Critics' year-end rankings of songs from Dunya
Publication List Song Rank Ref.
CBC Music The top 100 Canadian songs of 2023 "Name of God" 11 [50]
The top 100 Canadian songs of 2024 "Imaan" 4 [51]
Exclaim! 20 Best Songs of 2024 "Gaza Is Calling" 19 [52]
The Fader 20 Best Songs of 2023 "Name of God" 88 [53]
The New York Times Best Songs of 2023 (by Jon Caramanica) "Name of God" 4 [54]
Best Songs of 2024 (by Jon Pareles) "Old Life" 21 [55]
Nialler9 The 100 best songs of 2023 "Name of God" 14 [56]
NME The 50 Best Songs of 2024 "SNL" 29 [57]
Pitchfork The 100 Best Songs of 2023 "Name of God" 70 [58]
The 100 Best Songs of 2024 "SNL" 62 [59]
Time The 10 Best Songs of 2024 "Leaving Toronto" 7 [60]

Track listing

[edit]
Dunya track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Name of God"
3:28
2."What Happened, Mohamed?"
  • Ahmed
  • Hessman
  • Ahmed
  • McDonald
  • Dylan Wiggins
3:11
3."Imaan"
  • Ahmed
  • Dessner
  • McDonald
  • Hessman
  • Wiggins
3:34
4."What Good Is a Heart?"
  • Ahmed
  • Hessman
  • Hessman
  • McDonald
  • Dessner
3:58
5."SNL"
  • Hessman
  • McDonald
  • Dessner
3:06
6."I'll Go Anywhere"
  • Ahmed
  • Hessman
2:34
7."Beauty, End"
  • Ahmed
  • Hessman
  • Hessman
  • McDonald
2:50
8."Old Life"
  • Dessman
  • Dahi
  • McDonald
3:00
9."Gaza Is Calling"
  • Emmanuel Hailemariam
  • Ahmed
  • Jaar
  • Hessman
  • Hessman
  • McDonald
  • Jaar
4:30
10."Leaving Toronto" (with Daniel Caesar)
  • Hessman
  • McDonald
  • Dessner
  • Wiggins
  • Fwdslxsh
  • Scum
4:08
11."Hope Is a Knife"
  • Cottrill
  • McDonald
2:35
12."Nouri"
  • Ahmed
  • Hessman
  • Tarek Elazhary
  • Hessman
  • Wiggins
3:52

Notes

  • "Imaan" incorporates elements of "Nujum Al-lail", written and performed by Abdel Gadir Salim.
  • "Imaan" features background vocals from Snoh Aalegra.[8]
  • "SNL" features uncredited vocals from Puffy L'z.[8]
  • "I'll Go Anywhere" features uncredited vocals from Rosalía.[8]
  • "Hope Is a Knife" features uncredited vocals from Clairo.[8]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Diallo, Habi (October 25, 2024). "Mustafa: 'Music is not a shield, it is not a healing'". Dazed. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d Attard, Paul (September 26, 2024). "Mustafa 'Dunya' Review: An Intimate, Deeply Felt Musical Autobiography". Slant Magazine. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  3. ^ Shah, Furvah (September 30, 2024). "On His New Album 'Dunya', Mustafa Is Keeping the Faith". Esquire. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  4. ^ Abdurraqib, Hanif (September 11, 2024). "Mustafa is moving forward". The Face. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  5. ^ a b Murray, Robin (October 1, 2024). "Mustafa – Dunya". Clash. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c Sokic, Nicholas (September 27, 2024). "Mustafa Takes a Profound Journey on 'Dunya'". Exclaim!. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  7. ^ "Mustafa Releases Debut Album, Shares Live Performance Video for "Name of God"" (Press release). Killbeat Music. September 27, 2024. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  8. ^ a b c d e Long, Jen (July 29, 2024). "The secret life of Mustafa". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  9. ^ a b c d Richards, Will (July 30, 2024). "Mustafa: beauty and all its flaws". Rolling Stone UK. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i Assaly, Richie (September 26, 2024). "Toronto failed Mustafa in his darkest hour. On the singer's aching new album, his horizons feel endless". Toronto Star. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  11. ^ Powell, Betsy (July 28, 2023). "'I spent so much of my life trying to keep you alive': Toronto singer Mustafa posts emotional tribute to slain brother". Toronto Star. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  12. ^ Rettig, James (October 17, 2023). "Mustafa – "Name Of God"". Stereogum. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  13. ^ Leijon, Erik (October 17, 2023). "Mustafa Shares New Single And Visual For "Name Of God"". Complex. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  14. ^ Hussain, Shahzaib (October 18, 2023). "Mustafa Returns With 'Name Of God'". Clash. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  15. ^ "Mustafa wins the 2024 Prism Prize for outstanding video". CBC Music. June 25, 2024. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  16. ^ Rettig, James (March 5, 2024). "Mustafa – "Imaan"". Stereogum. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  17. ^ Keith, James (March 6, 2024). "Mustafa Stirs American Folk Into His Sudanese Influences On "Imaan"". Complex. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  18. ^ Long Decter, Rosie (June 11, 2024). "Mustafa Shares Powerful New Single and Video 'Gaza Is Calling' Starring Bella Hadid". Billboard Canada. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  19. ^ Damara Kelly, Tyler (June 12, 2024). "Mustafa presents new single, "Gaza is Calling"". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  20. ^ Hudson, Alex (July 11, 2024). "Mustafa Announces Official Debut Album 'Dunya,' Shares Single "SNL"". Exclaim!. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  21. ^ Strauss, Matthew (July 11, 2024). "Mustafa Announces New Album Dunya, Shares New "SNL" Video: Watch". Pitchfork. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  22. ^ Strauss, Matthew (August 27, 2024). "Watch Mustafa's Video for New Song "Old Life"". Pitchfork. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  23. ^ Slingerland, Calum (October 8, 2024). "Mustafa's "Leaving Toronto" Video Is a Tribute to His Home City". Exclaim!. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  24. ^ Hudson, Alex (October 4, 2024). "Mustafa Announces Toronto Show". Exclaim!. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  25. ^ a b c Trapunski, Richard (December 10, 2024). "Mustafa Announces First World Tour, Releases Live Performance Video Featuring Daniel Caesar". Billboard Canada. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
  26. ^ Strauss, Matthew (December 10, 2024). "Mustafa Announces 2025 World Tour". Pitchfork. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
  27. ^ "Dunya by Mustafa reviews". Any Decent Music. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  28. ^ a b "Dunya by Mustafa Reviews and Tracks – Metacritic". Metacritic. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  29. ^ a b c Martin, Annabel (September 27, 2024). "Lady Gaga, the cabaret queen – who would've thought it?". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  30. ^ Boel, Jonas (October 10, 2024). "Singer-songwriter Mustafa overbrugt rouw en glorie op zijn debuutalbum 'Dunya'". Focus Knack (in Flemish). Retrieved December 13, 2024.
  31. ^ Juto, Tommy (September 25, 2024). "Socialrealism direkt från ett ögonvittne". Gaffa (in Swedish). Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  32. ^ Petridis, Alexis (September 26, 2024). "Mustafa: Dunya review – poet's songwriting is a little too beautiful for its own good". The Guardian. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  33. ^ a b Kearse, Stephen (October 2, 2024). "Mustafa: Dunya Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  34. ^ Bernstein, Jonathan (September 25, 2024). "Mustafa's 'Dunya' is a Gorgeous Treatise on Rage and Faith". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  35. ^ Adams, Kelsey (December 16, 2024). "Céline Dion, Allison Russell and more: 10 musicians who shaped 2024". CBC Music. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  36. ^ Sherman, Maria (December 13, 2024). "AP's top under-the-radar albums of 2024: Mabe Fratti, Arooj Aftab, Blood Incantation and more". Associated Press. Retrieved December 15, 2024.
  37. ^ Adams, Kelsey (November 28, 2024). "The 15 best Canadian albums of 2024". CBC Music. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  38. ^ Diallo, Habi (December 9, 2024). "The 20 best albums of 2024". Dazed. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  39. ^ Ayiku, Vernon (November 27, 2024). "Exclaim!'s 50 Best Albums of 2024". Exclaim!. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  40. ^ O'Kane, Josh (December 12, 2024). "The 10 best albums of 2024". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
  41. ^ Long, Jen (December 9, 2024). "The Best Albums of 2024 Ranked". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  42. ^ Caramanica, Jon (December 4, 2024). "Best Albums of 2024: Holding It Together, in All Ways". The New York Times. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  43. ^ Zoladz, Lindsay (December 4, 2024). "Best Albums of 2024: Beautiful and Agonizing Journeys". The New York Times. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  44. ^ Gwee, Karen (December 6, 2024). "The 50 best albums of 2024". NME. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  45. ^ Pearce, Sheldon (December 2, 2024). "The 50 Best Albums Of 2024". NPR Music. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  46. ^ Mitchell, Matt (December 2, 2024). "The 100 Best Albums of 2024". Paste. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  47. ^ Woronzoff, Elizabeth (December 4, 2024). "The 10 Best Folk Albums of 2024". PopMatters. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
  48. ^ Bernstein, Jonathan (December 2, 2024). "The 100 Best Albums of 2024". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  49. ^ Jenkins, Craig (December 3, 2024). "The Best Albums of 2024". Vulture. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  50. ^ "The top 100 Canadian songs of 2023". CBC Music. December 5, 2023. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  51. ^ Adams, Kelsey (December 5, 2024). "The top 100 Canadian songs of 2024". CBC Music. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  52. ^ Sylvester, Daniel (November 27, 2024). "Exclaim!'s 20 Best Songs of 2024". Exclaim!. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  53. ^ Ross, Alex Robert (December 14, 2023). "The 100 best songs of 2023". The Fader. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  54. ^ Caramanica, Jon (December 6, 2023). "Best Songs of 2023: Anything Goes". The New York Times. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  55. ^ Pareles, Jon (December 9, 2024). "Best Songs of 2024: A Little Strife, a Lot of Rhythm". The New York Times. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  56. ^ Byrne, Niall (December 22, 2023). "The 100 best songs of 2023". Nialler9. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  57. ^ Daly, Rhian (December 2, 2024). "The 50 best songs of 2024". NME. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  58. ^ Jagota, Vrinda (December 4, 2023). "The 100 Best Songs of 2023". Pitchfork. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  59. ^ Jagota, Vrinda (December 2, 2024). "The 100 Best Songs of 2024". Pitchfork. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  60. ^ Kearse, Stephen (December 9, 2024). "The 100 Best Songs of 2024". Time. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Draft:Dunya_(Mustafa_album)&oldid=1263615850"