Shakuar unites vocalists Shishani & Karima el Fillali who perform with a deep sense of intimacy, creating enchanting and transformative music.

Their work marks a musical friendship with Western classical music, 90s R&B and Hip-Hop. Growing up in European & African households, they also share a parallel quest for the musical roots of their African parents. For Karima this path led to an introspective journey to Morocco, and for Shishani to her country of birth, Namibia. The immersion into the musical landscapes of their African heritage while living in the Netherlands opened the door to a broad vision for music, its instruments, poetry and role in society. This gave birth to the Shakuar sound.

Shakuar reflects a dynamic cultural space drawing on numerous musical traditions. Whether from the Lowlands, Sahara or the Kalahari, there is one common thread: transcendence. Centuries old African and European mysticism come together in contemporary electronic styles.

As the singers alternate between different languages (Oshiwambo, Darija, Arabic, English, French and Spanish) and as their voices melt into and out of each other, Shakuar challenges the notion of separate identities and cultural divides. Instead it seeks to invite and create space to meet and communicate at the level of being.

Their music takes listeners on a journey through various sonic stages and atmospheres. From the spiritual to the mundane; from loneliness and longing into celebration; from specific cultural boundaries into borderlessness.