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
JUNE 2026 UPDATE
Four albums, newly remastered by the
wonderful Camilo Tirado,
will be released across three years.
And each single has a BRAND NEW VIDEO!
The first single, We Sinful Women (Hum Gunagaar Aurtae)
releases on Friday 26 June 2026.
A bilingual ghazal-rooted setting of Pakistani feminist poet Kishwar Naheed's landmark poem, translated by Rukhsana Ahmad in her 1993 anthology.
The first song I ever composed.
Now remastered by producer Camilo Tirado, with a brand new video.
Three more singles follow across the summer:
Friday 31 July — Ma Ki Zabaan (Mother Tongue)
Friday 28 August — Colour of Her Heart
Friday 25 September — Kooch Loag (Some People)
The launch concert is on Friday 30 October 2026 at Norwich Theatre, broadcast live on YouTube, with two further concerts on 6 and 13 November from my studio.
Wherever you are in the world, you can attend.
The livestream means anyone, anywhere, can be there.
Watch the welcome video now on my YouTube channel.
Subscribe to walk this journey with me.
Supported using public funding by Arts Council England, in partnership with Norwich Theatre and Counterpoints Arts.
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!'