Spotlight: Dua Saleh

Dua Saleh is probably best known for their memorable role as Cal Bowman in Sex Education. However, this 29-year-old Sudanese American artist is also a poet, an activist, and has carved a niche in music that centers on queer desire.

Since 2017, Saleh’s music has encompassed a variety of genres including rap, indie, rock, jazz, and R&B. Their songs are poignant musings on themes like love, self, and grief. This unique blend of styles and themes stems from finding their voice early on in life. Saleh’s family, refugees from the second Sudanese civil war, moved frequently before eventually settling in Minneapolis, USA. It was here that a teenage Saleh led a high school walkout to protest the disproportionate school-to-prison pipeline that disadvantaged young people, demonstrating an acute awareness of social injustice and the importance of collective action.

Saleh’s forthcoming debut album, I Should Call Them, promises to be a spectacular addition to their career. The album stands alongside works by stars like Ghanaian American Amaarae in terms of its ambitious and eclectic nature. Saleh navigates between sugary vocals and unapologetic, rap-adjacent tones set against a backdrop of cosmic electronics, sultry strings, and cacophonous guitars. This bold and mesmerizing collection of songs delves into themes of softness, toxic relationships, and climate anxiety, showcasing an artist unafraid to take up space and, in turn, create it for others. With this album, Saleh looks poised to become one of the most inventive and sensual pop creators of the moment.