Mahdiya & Lucy Liebe (Co-Creation Residency: Kampala — Berlin)

As part of the Kampala — Berlin Co-Creation Residency, a musician from Kampala develops a new production during her stay in Berlin. The results will be presented live for the first time at Pop-Kultur – the festival of Musicboard Berlin. The Co-Creation Residency is a collaboration between Musicboard Berlin and Nyege Nyege, enabling artistic exchange and transcultural collaboration across two continents.

Mahdiya is currently based in Nairobi, having fled the war in her home country of Sudan – an experience that deeply shapes her artistic work. Her music blends emotional storytelling with captivating melodies, drawing on the rich diversity of Sudan’s musical heritage as well as contemporary influences.
In her songs and lyrics, the songwriter processes personal experiences often intertwined with socio-political issues – including women’s rights, civil rights, and the Sudanese revolution. For Mahdiya, music is not an escape but a deliberate act of socio-political visibility. The result is an artistic expression that weaves together tradition, resistance, and both individual and collective identity. Mahdiya maintains a close connection to Kampala-based Nyege Nyege Music Festival and label.