Hayeli

The name Hayeli meaning "mirror" in Armenian, speaks to the essence of the music – transparent, honest and unfiltered.

This project reflects both the personal and the collective, rooted in the experiences of ordinary and sometimes not so ordinary moments and the emotions they carry. There is no pretense here, no veils or masks—only the raw and unguarded truths of existence, mirrored in sound.

Home (2025) is an album that explores the profound sense of belonging and peace found when we are in our truest, most authentic state. It’s an attempt to represent this place where we feel connected to ourselves and our surrounding and are closest to our essence. An homage to that sacred space where we are free, open, and existing fully as we are.

We invite you to lean in, to listen closely, and to experience the world in a humble, transparent form and maybe to see yourself in the mirror that is Hayeli.

Hayeli: Home

by Ian Patterson
June 4, 2025

Hayeli is the moniker of Lebanese double bassist Donna Khalifé and Armenian double bassist Khachatur Savzyan, partners in life as in music. Khalifé is held in high esteem as one of the most progressive voices on Beirut's jazz and improvised music scene--a reputation her highly original self-produced albums Heavy Dance (2017) and Hope is the Thing with Feathers (2019) strongly support. In addition to her conservatoire study in Paris--and like most bassists in the Lebanese capital--she also studied with Savzyan, ...

A highly personal and stimulating collaboration, Hayeli sings of individuality, unity and freedom.

Last Updated: June 4, 2025