SINGER SONGWRITER ACTIVIST ARTIST PRODUCER TEACHER
Samia Malik: UK based bilingual Urdu/English singer, songwriter, artist and producer, fusing, extending and subverting traditional South Asian and Western musical, visual and literary forms to explore contemporary issues around identity, race and gender.
Samia's shows are a unique, empowering and electrifying combination of soaring Eastern melodies, powerful, passionate and heartfelt lyrics, electronics, tabla and deep bass grooves supported by projections of translations and Samia’s original visual art.
“Iconic songs to heal and empower” - Writer and Activist Amrit Wilson
Image credit Fiona Dale
WELCOME TO THE OFFICIAL SITE OF SAMIA MALIK
Born in Saudi Arabia to Pakistani parents, Samia has lived in the UK since she was a child.
For over 30 years Samia has written, performed and produced bilingual Urdu and English songs based on traditional Urdu Ghazal (a highly refined union of poetry with music) extending and subverting the form to explore contemporary issues around identity, race and gender.
Samia has collaborated and toured nationally and internationally with acclaimed world-class musicians, writers and artists including
Baluji Shrivastav OBE, Dr Mallika Sarabhai, Giuliano Modarelli, Seemab Gul, Al MacSween, Sukhdeep Dhanjal, Sianed Jones and Cris Cheek.
Samia has released four albums
'The Colour of the Heart' (1998 rereleased 2023)
Jaago – Wake Up (2004)
'Samia Malik Live at Norwich Arts Centre' (2019)
'Songs to Heal and Empower' (2023)
Samia delivers highly successful and popular workshops and performances directly in the community, including to vulnerable groups such as refugees and asylum seekers, women and families being supported by domestic violence organisations, isolated rural groups, schools, community choirs, creative groups, music societies, rural touring events, melas, conferences, celebrations, festivals...
and counting!
Samia is also a visual artist: her live shows are supported by projections of her original paintings and videos.
Azaadi | آزادی | A Journey To Freedom - latest work
March 2026 UPDATE
I am beyond THRILLED to announce that my long-term project
‘Azaadi | آزادی | A Journey To Freedom’ has been given funding from the Arts Council of England!
Bringing together art, language, performance, and community,
Four Seasons of live online concerts (all broadcast on my Youtube Channel) and podcasts supported by live in-person workshops
will weave and share original bilingual Urdu/English songs and visual art with spoken word to document an inspiring transformative healing life journey to freedom through art.
YOU ARE INVITED!!
For now, make sure you bookmark this page, subscribe to my newsletter
and you will receive all the dates, details and find out how YOU can join in…
Samia says:
'I believe art can inform and transform. It is a powerful route to explore what we have in common and how we can heal individually and collectively. At a time when barriers are being put up across the world, it is vital to see how art can also unite us, how we can use traditional cross-cultural forms to explore important contemporary issues, while also having fun!'
“Malik used her pure and powerful voice like a scalpel to expose themes of racism and misogyny, transcending suffering into triumph...she wants us to face our societal demons in order to defeat them” - Delia Pemberton
— Sidmouth Folk Festival 2024 - Sidmouth Herald 6th August 2024