To understand and appreciate R&B singer and songwriter Amaal, you must begin with her family. She is the fourth child among ten children in total (seven sisters and two brothers), she is part of a singular, supportive unit. She was born in Mogadishu, Somalia, and then emigrated to Canada with her family. Coming from a traditional Muslim household, Amaal says that music, especially the pursuit of music-making, was a taboo. Yet, there is such poetic lyricism embedded into her culture and home. Poetry forms the foundation for her journey to music. “My dad constantly spoke in ways that were so poetic that I didn’t understand. I thought it was normal,” Amaal says. “It’s in my DNA. I’m from Somalia and it’s very well known to be the land of poets. A country where the language is used as a form of poetry.”
Amaal began making music at age 16 and released songs four years later. Like every other tech savvy, maverick musician, she’d use social media to her advantage, watching her songs go viral. After signing to Universal Music Canada, Amaal would still retain a spirit of independence. Recent releases “Not What I Thought” and “Coming and Going” have accumulated more than a million views together. Now, with her newest EP, Black Dove, we’re given a different portrait of Amaal. The EP’s title says it all: a symbol of freedom and hope, but still ultimately, and fearlessly, tied to her Blackness. Still compassionate, tender, fierce in all the ways she is, Black Dove decidedly swerves inward; taking a deeper look at the woman who is before the world, and not exactly what the world sees of this woman.
Singles by Amaal include "With You", "Mufasa" and "Words Revealed". "Words Revealed" alone achieved 200,000 YouTube hits within its first three months of release, and has inspired cover versions by fans. Another fan favorite, "With You", similar earned 80,000 views in its first two months; “Mufasa” views and listens accumulated to over 2 million. Amaal’s lyrics have always been socially conscious, focusing on topics of growth, love/heartbreak as well as global causes. She draws influences from both her personal life experiences and her travels, including a six month trip to Uganda where she worked closely with women's groups across local communities.
MUSIC VIDEOS
Press Images -"Coming & Going"
Press Images- "Not What I Thought"
Press Images - "Later"
Approved Press Images
PRESS- "BLACK DOVE"
ET Canada- Amaal: One To Watch Watch here
CBC Q Thursday Headliner: Toronto R&B Singer Amaal- Watch here
The Morning Show on Global News- Watch Here
"Toronto’s Somali Muslim R&B singer Amaal on embracing songs about ‘sexuality and intimacy’" - Toronto Star
Without knowing her specific experience, it remains right in line with the message she shares across Black Dove, and is a reminder that we should all have the freedom to center ourselves, love and share and grow in whichever way we please, with whomever we please, regardless of how it makes others feel. - Nylon
"Amaal Nuux Is The Toronto R&B Artist You Need To Know." - Coveteur
"Black Dove captures a woman on the rise and an artist that demands attention." Exclaim
"VICE has named Black Dove as one of the best albums of the week.- VICE
"R&B lovers, you need to add Somali-Canadian artist Amaal to your playlists." Hypebae
"Somalia born, Toronto based singer/songwriter Amaal’s voice is quite frankly heavenly." Colorsxstudios
"Meet Amaal, The Socially Conscious Songstress Ready To Express Her Own Truths" VIBE
"Black Dove might not feature protest music in the traditional sense, but it finds Amaal breaking free of the cultural conventions she felt previously restrained her." - Billboard
PRESS - "NOT WHAT I THOUGHT"
"Breathtaking"- Kehlani
"Beautiful" - Jessie Reyez
"So proud of @amaalnuux and the amazing job she did putting together this masterpiece!"- Anthony Clemons
"Embodying female empowerment through her music and her activism work around the world, the Somali-born artist has been making her footprint known. Amaal has continued down a new path of self-exploration into her sound and the versatility that comes with being a woman; full of love, lust, and mystique." - Karen Civil
"Not What I Thought is an airy, understated ballad with an addictive pop beat that nicely showcases the subtle power in her voice. An EP is on the way in 2019."- NOW Toronto
"The enticing delicacy of Amaal's vocals paired with the track's sparing beats and creative textures give a respectful nod to Solange. The visuals dropping along with “Not What I Thought” are shot in stunning other-wordly wild locations in Iceland." - The Line of Best Fit
"The ballad serves as the first release from her forthcoming debut EP, and it's pulsing production providing the perfect backdrop to soaring vocals. Exploring the end of a relationship and the pathways that lead people from love to estrangement, it asks the tough questions about what it means to really know someone."- Fader
"Not What I Thought" is a powerful R&B ballad about the end of a relationship which asks the difficult question of how an intimate partner can become a stranger. The song on its own is beautiful but the video is truly a treat for the eyes and ears."- Complex
"On the cut, Amaal tackles life after love, processing the emotions of heartbreak and attaching them to an equally-captivating visual, directed by Sean Brown."- Hot New Hip Hop
"Toronto-based songwriter pairs hazy R&B; soundscapes with melancholic lyrics about a relationship that's come to an end.It's a captivating song that's only improved by its Sean Brown-directed music video, which follows Amaal to the foggy beaches, waterfalls and green landscapes of Iceland. Both the track and video are a gem of a release by this rising artist from the white pearl of the Indian Ocean." - Okay Africa
