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Ahmed Moneka
Drawing on his Afro-Sufi musical heritage, Juno-nominated Ahmed Moneka presents a vibrant and transcendent fusion of African rhythms and Arabic folk melodies, enriched by contemporary influences of funk, soul, and jazz. Reflecting on his personal journey as an artist, actor, and activist—who fled Baghdad for Toronto as a refugee after his involvement in a film about gay rights—Moneka, alongside his stellar global ensemble, invites listeners to a jubilant celebration of life. His music explores love in all its forms while evoking a deep sense of longing for one's homeland, all through original compositions and timeless Middle Eastern classics.
Ahmed's sophomore, Juno-nominated album Kanzafula is the first Canadian-Iraqi record to be nominated for the prestigious Juno Award. In addition to this achievement, he also received the Dora Award and the Stingray Rising Star Award. Ahmed is collaborating with The Tragically Hip on the 2026 production of It’s a Good Life If You Don’t Weaken, a musical based on the band's iconic Canadian catalogue, alongside Michael Rubinoff, the producer of Come Away With Me.
Awards
Dora Award
Juno Nomination, 2025
Stingray Rising Star Award 2022
Tags
"Each track of the [Kanzafula] album is captivating, even without the lyrics, but the reward of reading the translations only deepens their reach, and solos from the top-notch band really bring them home."— Wholenote Magazine.
"Ahmed Moneka’s engaging Kanzafula is a vibrant fusion of Afro-Sufi music, seamlessly intertwining influences from Iraq, Kenya, and Canada. This album reflects Moneka’s unique journey, from his birthplace in Iraq and his ancestral roots in Kenya to his new home in Toronto, where he arrived as a refugee following his role in a film about gay rights." —World Music Central
