Malayka (known formerly as Malak Sound), is a Canadian-based singer-songwriter, whose music is inspired and driven by her experiences as a Canadian-Egyptian, and bridges the gap between Western and Middle Eastern pop culture. Coupling electronic and organic elements, she melds her memorable songwriting and charismatic persona into an impactful and engaging live show.
Having won multiple vocal competitions throughout Egypt and Europe, including Greece, Germany and Italy, Malayka has turned her youthful passion for music into a flourishing music career. Now a graduate of music performance and songwriting at Carleton University, she has garnered many accolades for her songwriting and musicianship.
Since releasing her EP, Circus, in 2016, as well as multiple live performance videos throughout 2017 and 2018, Malayka has been invited to perform at Megaphono International Music Conference, Ottawa Grassroots Festival, Festival Folk et Guitarre d’Aylmer, Canadian Music Week, and RBC Bluesfest. Malayka is also the 2017 recipient of Ottawa Life Magazine’s “Ottawa’s Best Musician Award” as voted by its readers and has most recently opened for renowned Middle Eastern band, Massar Egbari, on their Canadian tour. She herself has also toured Canada three times and the Middle East twice.
Most recently, Malayka was a quarter-finalist on the 5th season of The Voice Middle East (AKA The Voice Ahla Sawt), making her one of 48 voices among a total of 21,000 applicants. Capitalizing on the successes of the past year, Malayka is currently recording her full length album, The Neighbor.
Malak filled the room with her incredible, multi-octave voice, accompanying herself on keyboard to a song that evoked the epic scope of Lady Gaga mixed with the artistic sensibility of Kate Bush. The emotion in her voice was spine-tingling.
Lynn Saxberg, Ottawa Citizen