Live at Gnawa Festival

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. Shakuar challenges the notion of separate identities and cultural divides. The collaboration between Shakuar and the Residentie Orkest began in 2020. The concert took place on September 12, 2020 in The New Church (Nieuwe Kerk) in The Hague, built in 1649. A historic place of worship transformed into the scenery for a contemporary musical ritual grounded in intimacy despite the physical borders.