Lafawndah is reincarnated as KUKII and is releasing her new EP which is the embodiment of an over-the-top new project inspired by her Egyptian heritage. KUKII is an artist reborn from the heart of Cairo’s bustling streets, forged in an inferno of pride and resistance. Her music is a battle cry, a call for unity. It is daring listeners to break boundaries, challenge perceptions, and charge into new terrain. KUKII invites you to turn inward, urging self-discovery as a path to liberation.
Sculpted by the music artist formerly known as Lafawndah, the essence of KUKII is the return to her origin of Cairo. Lafawndah is discovering one particular kindred spirit in newly unearthed extended family and ancestry. She’s the living spirit of an Egyptian aunt turned icon—a trailblazer rediscovering her roots and unapologetically transforming them.
Imagine KUKII as the lovechild of an explosive fusion: MIA, Sherine, and Siouxsie Sioux. A lovechild that is colliding in the back of a mauve Chrysler LeBaron, tearing through Cairo with Mahraganat blasting on the stereo, while Pharrell catches the scene at a red light. She’s the fierce afterbirth of Meredith Monk and Janet Jackson reimagining the AKIRA soundtrack. KUKII embodies Genesis P-Orridge and Gwen Stefani embracing at the peak of the Alborz mountains (Iran), immersed in the sounds of qawwali.
On her debut EP, sensual sounds influenced by KUKII’s rich DNA unravel frenetically with the rhythm of hypnotic drums, fervent battle cries that skip jubilantly among both arghuls and electric guitars. Sounds of the Middle East pulsate and undulate through the blueprint of emboldened pop. It’s a tonic for the ordinary that hits hard and fast. For some reason you just know that if you join KUKII, the wild ride into her world will be well worth the journey.
Since 2015 under the alias Lafawndah, the French artist has made a name for herself in the avant-garde music scene by signing to prestigious labels such as Warp (Tan, 2015), Concordia / !K7 (Ancestor Boy, 2019) and Latency (The Fifth Season, 2020). Her critically acclaimed records reflect a distinctive style marked by a constant quest for innovation and crossover, influenced by a rich Egyptian-Iranian musical heritage, where each track becomes an exploration of new textures and emotions.
Her career has also been marked by collaborations with internationally renowned artists such as Midori Takada, Tirzah, Kelsey Lu, Laurel Halo, Coby Sey and Kelela, expanding her repertoire and her influence on the global music landscape.
She has performed in such prestigious venues as the Théâtre du Châtelet, the Fondation Cartier, the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA), Southbank Centre, Barbican, Sónar, La Biennale di Venezia and The Guess Who, proving her ability to captivate diverse audiences with her spellbinding live performances.
In June 2024, Lafawndah became KUKII and began her metamorphosis under this new alias, unveiling the track ‘Rare Baby’ during a performance for COLORS, a seismic new single that marked the birth of her new project. It is no surprise that Resident Advisor referred to her style as a “globally minded experimental pop and R&B that resists easy categorisation.”
Tomorrow at 3PM GMT, KUKII will announce her new EP ‘Rare Baby’ along with the 1st single & its amazing video filmed in the streets of Cairo. Here is a glimpse of what is to come.
