Ahmed Moneka
Drawing on his Afro Sufi music heritage, Juno-nominated Ahmed Moneka delivers a joyful and transcendent mix of African grooves and Arabic folk melodies, informed by contemporary funk, soul and jazz.
Ahmed Moneka
Drawing on his Afro Sufi music heritage, Juno-nominated Ahmed Moneka delivers a joyful and transcendent mix of African grooves and Arabic folk melodies, informed by contemporary funk, soul and jazz.
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.
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