Born in Saudi Arabia to Pakistani parents, Samia has lived in the UK since she was a child. She writes, performs and produces bilingual Urdu and English songs based on traditional Urdu Ghazal (a highly refined union of poetry with music) extending and subverting the form to explore contemporary issues around identity, race and gender. Samia is also a visual artist: her live shows are supported by projections of her original paintings and videos. 

Samia has collaborated and toured nationally and internationally with acclaimed world-class musicians, writers and artists including Baluji Shrivastav OBE, Dr Mallika Sarabhai, Giuliano Modarelli, Seemab Gul, Al MacSween, Sukhdeep Dhanjal, Sianed Jones and Cris Cheek.   She has released five albums: The Colour of the Heart (1998 reissued 2023) Jaago – Wake Up (2004), Azaadi: Freedom (2017)  and Samia Malik Live at Norwich Arts Centre (2019) Songs To Heal and Empower (2023) Samia says: 'I believe art can inform and transform. It is a powerful route to explore what we have in common and how we can heal individually and collectively.

At a time when barriers are being put up across the world, it is vital to see how art can also unite us, how we can use traditional cross-cultural forms to explore important contemporary issues, while also