Alia Haju | Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

Artist’s Bio:

Alia Haju is a Brooklyn-based musician, filmmaker and multidisciplinary artist. She arrived in New York after fleeing Lebanon for the second time in 2020. Alia received a grant from the NYFA in 2022 to complete the first music album for her band Taktouka which she co-founded. Her band has performed on stages like Public Records,Lincoln center and Joe’s pub. She is also part of Remix culture’s Zalazil band that went on a Gaza benefit tour on the west coast in October 2024 and the Brooklyn improv orchestra among many other music projects.

Alia took her music to the streets of Beirut during the 2019 Lebanese uprising and New York during BLM, Pride and the Gaza encampments. 

Beyond music, Alia initially studied conceptual arts at the American University of Beirut and is an award-winning filmmaker and worldwide published photo/video journalist. She co-authored the award winning feature doc ‘Kashkash’ and her most recent short anima/doc premiered in Blackstar festival. 

 On top of all this, Alia loves kids and loves to pass down, through play and fun, any skills she might have by being an NYC proud City Lore teaching artist.

 

What students and teachers say about Alia:

I love Debke dance because we learned some new dances that I enjoyed. I liked when you are dancing, and we kick our leg out in the dance. Ms. Lulu taught us to be awesome Arabic dancers. I didn’t realize that the music had people singing in Arabic. I am so happy in this class. Thank you! – A student at P.S. 69 in Jackson Heights

 

Sample Residency:

Coming Soon!

Gallery

Alia Haju and Bashar Farran during a Debke Arabic music residency
Alia Haju and Bashar Farran during a Debke Arabic music residency
Alia Haju during a mentorship session with educators at P.S. 69
Alia Haju during a mentorship session with educators at P.S. 69
A student performs Debke dance for a residency program led by Alia Haju
A student performs Debke dance for a residency program led by Alia Haju
Artwork by Alia Haju
Artwork by Alia Haju
Alia Haju during a professional Learning event at City Lore
Alia Haju during a professional Learning event at City Lore

Videos

“Bassara” is the debut album of the band Taktouka, founded in 2022 in New York City. In this project, the band recreates Arabic folk songs with a futuristic sound, drawing from jazz and improvised music as well as electronic textures and dance rhythms. This album was completed thanks to support from the NYFA in 2022.