New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Amaal announces her debut project,
Black Dove, is set for release on July 12th via Universal Music. Last week, Amaal took to Instagram to reveal the cover art and tracklist which features six songs including previously released singles, "Not What I Thought" and "Coming and Going." The rising Somali-Canadian R&B artist has been gaining significant momentum in recent months. She was named a new artist to watch after her first
Black Dove single, "Not What I Thought," received over 1 million views on YouTube and lead Amaal to be featured as Apple Canada's best new artist of the week in February. The project also features the single "Coming & Going" which was named one of the best music releases of the week by both
Nylon and The Independent.
Speaking on the inspiration behind the music, Amaal shared, "this EP represents the me that I was afraid to talk about. The me that I kept hidden out of fear of judgment. For the longest time I've put on this front of what a strong woman represents and what it means to me. But as I've maneuvered through my womanhood alongside other women going through similar things I realized true strength is in breaking down to rebuild. Showing vulnerability and being real about adversity. Getting in front of your fears and allowing yourself to grow regardless of the outcome.
Black dove to me means freedom. Freedom from my own captivity. Freedom from the shackles society and I have placed on myself. The freedom of no longer committing a disservice to myself and owning every part of me."
Amaal, born in Mogadishu, Somalia, was raised in a traditional Muslim household, the middle child of seven sisters and two brothers. When the civil war broke out in Somalia in the early 90s, Amaal and her family emigrated to Toronto, Canada in hopes of a better life. Amaal quickly immersed herself in the arts and she began singing at the age of 16, releasing her first singles 4 years later. Prior to signing with Universal
Music Canada, Amaal followed an independent career path into the music industry. All on her own, she steadily built a dedicated fan base that helped generate significant engagement on tracks like "Words Revealed," which gained 200,000 YouTube hits within its first three months of release (and many cover versions by fans), and on "Mufasa," which has now accumulated over 2 million views. On
Black Dove, her first major label release, Amaal continues to "empower and allure" (The Line of Best Fit) with her storytelling and songwriting. Drawing influence from her heritage and personal journey, she writes with a conscious effort to make the world a better, more loving place.
BLACK DOVE TRACK LIST
Let Go
Not What I Thought
So What
Later
Coming & Going
Scream
