Dua Saleh Is Writing R&B for the Apocalypse and Everyone’s Invited
The Sudanese-born singer became an on-screen hit in ‘Sex Education.’ Now, they’ve got the charts in their sights.
With the clock ticking down to their sold-out New York show, we found a moment of zen with the actor-turned-singer as they prepared to perform, talking music, art and the inspirations fueling their live set.
Dua Saleh loves R&B. It’s no wonder, given their home state of Minnesota gave rise to R&B and funk icons like Prince, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Mint Condition and Lipps Inc. Born to Sudanese parents who fled the country as refugees in the ’90s, Dua spent the early years of their life bouncing between North Dakota, Maine and New Jersey before eventually settling in Rondo, Minnesota.
For Dua, the historically Black neighborhood of Rondo was pivotal to their musical fixation on the genre. The music was interwoven with daily life—blaring through car windows or filling the air as they and their close ones danced to Brandy, Destiny’s Child, Sade and Toni Braxton.
A lot of us are taught to shrink ourselves to reflect the environments we’re from and in. I hope my music and work holds a mirror up to people and offers them an opportunity to feel well represented.
Dua Saleh