Jordanian-Palestinian singer Dana Salah lit up the Barbican stage on June 6 as part of the Shubbak Festival in London, sharing her unique mix of traditional and modern sounds rooted in heritage and identity.
The name “Dana” comes from the Arabic verb meaning “to get closer,” which is fitting for an artist who brings together global rhythms with Palestinian folklore and Middle Eastern melodies in her music.
Raised in Amman’s vibrant cultural landscape, Dana later moved to North Carolina to study at Duke University, earning degrees in Economics and Theatre Studies in 2012. But her passion for music began long before, even as a baby—a love her mother noticed when Dana would get excited hearing songs from The Sound of Music.
Dana first emerged on the music scene under the stage name King Deco, making waves in New York’s indie-pop circles. She gained traction with two viral tracks, a spot on the Billboard Dance chart, and performances for crowds of up to 15,000 alongside artists like Diplo, Skrillex, and Zhu. But she admits that navigating her dual identity was a challenge. “I was the girl from Amman who studied in the U.S. and also the artist breaking free in New York,” she says. Eventually, embracing her true self led her to drop the King Deco name and reconnect with her roots.
After returning to Jordan in 2018, she thought her music journey had ended. However, a radio invitation she received following the recognition of her track “Castaway” rekindled her journey. She began singing in Arabic and releasing music under her real name, creating hit songs like “Weino,” “Ghazaleh,” “You Ta3leen,” and “Shu Ma Sar.”
At the Shubbak Festival, Dana performed alongside Rola Azar, whose rendition of You Ta3leen—originally by Rim Banna—inspired Dana’s take on the song. The track is based on Tarweedeh, a form of coded communication used by Palestinian women to send messages to imprisoned men under British rule in the early 20th century.
Dana shares how the song resonated deeply with her: “It felt like a soul connection—maybe something passed down through generations or from a past life.” Her connection to Palestinian culture is also personal, rooted in stories of her grandfather, an attorney in Nablus who supported the Palestinian cause, and her grandparents’ displacement from Haifa in 1948.
The English verse of You Ta3leen came to her in a dream. “I hadn’t written in English for two years,” she says. “But in my sleep, I asked myself what I wanted to say. I envisioned a free Palestine, and the lyrics spontaneously emerged.
Shubbak Festival is a celebration of Arab and SWANA (South West Asia and North Africa) culture, encompassing music, theater, poetry, fashion, and art. Dana shared how honored she felt to be part of such a powerful cultural event.
Alongside artists like DAM, Sama Abdulhadi, DJ YA Z AN, and Rola, Dana’s performance was a reflection of her journey—from Amman to New York and back—and her deep commitment to telling stories through music.
She also revealed the upcoming release of her new single, Bent Bladek (meaning “hometown girl”), on June 18. The song is a tribute to the strength and resilience of Palestinian women—the backbone of their communities, families, and societies.
