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Vinyl Release October 9
Upcoming Events
Sun, Oct 11
Jewish Currents Live
1 pm
at BAM
Habibi Fest
8:30 pm
at Joe's Pub​
Ya Ghorbati
يا غربتي Divas in Exile
Vinyl Record Release October 9, 2026
Elkeslassy launched her much-anticipated studio album of spirited, haunting judeo-arab folk at Joe’s Pub for the digital release on July 11, and returns to the legendary venue for the vinyl record release on October 11 to close Habibi Fest. She will be accompanied by her stellar live band directed by Ira Khonen Temple (music direction and production), playing alongside Eylem Basaldi (violin and music production), Yoni Avi Battat (viola and oud), Nizar Dahmani (drums and percussion), Zoe Guigueno (bass), and Rachid Halihal (oud).
Art Direction | Tom Haviv, Laura Elkeslassy
Arabic Album Title Typography | subtype.studio
Studio Album July 10, 2026
In the multimedia album Ya Ghorbati | Divas in Exile, singer Laura Elkeslassy excavates the music and stories of Judeo-Arab divas from mid-century North Africa. Developed in collaboration with music director Ira Khonen Temple, the album weaves together North African Jewish folk and sacred music, spanning from traditional Andalusi style, to popular Chaabi, to Francarabe cabaret. The project looks across time and space to tell a tale of political upheaval, exile and displacement, ultimately questioning the supposed binary of Arab and Jew.
With songs originally composed and interpreted by Line Monty, Zohra Elfassia, H’biba Msika, Maurice El Medioni, Shlomo Abitbol, Salim Halali
Executive Production | Laura Elkeslassy & Ira Khonen Temple
Music Direction | Ira Khonen Temple
Music Production | Ira Khonen Temple, Eylem Basaldi, Chris Gilroy, Laura Elkeslassy
Featuring Ira Khonen Temple, Eylem Basaldi, Rachid Halihal, Yoni Avi Battat, Zoe Guigueno, Marwan Allam, April Centrone, Nizar Dahmani
Buy Now Digital
Listen now
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