BIO:
SARIYAH IDAN (www.sariyahidan.com) [SAAH - ree - yuh ee - DAAN]
From the hills of Woodstock NY, now based in the New Orleans swamps, Sariyah Idan is an awarded singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and captivating performer. Jazz and folk trained, hip-hop educated, and influenced by Latinx/Caribbean sounds and her Jewish roots, she possesses an "ability to seamlessly combine a wide variety of disparate styles and sonics into a memorable sound all her own," (Tinnitist). She views honoring traditions of both influences and ancestors as a form of cultural activism. Her lyricism is hailed as "powerful, soulful, spirited songs filled with stories of struggle, love and social justice" (Fusicology).
Sariyah’s music has featured on NPR, WWOZ, Pacifica, college and online radio. She has rocked iconic venues The Kennedy Center (DC), Skirball Cultural Center (Los Angeles), Nuyorican Poets Cafe (NYC), PANDA Platforma (Berlin), The Jazz Museum (New Orleans). Since 2023 she has produced and hosts the monthly multi-genre round-robin “Songs For The People” benefitting local community organizations. “Breaking Shadows” (2019) her debut solo LP addressing trauma and patriarchy was recorded in Los Angeles, Berlin, and Lisbon. “Glitter & Blood” (2023) about transitions and healing was recorded in New Orleans as a continued collaboration with Berlin engineer Andy Schlegel. Her album "Solo Live In Berlin" drops winter 2026.
Ms Idan has shared stages with legends Pete Seeger, Lee “Scratch” Perry, Yusef Lateef. When not touring or playing local venues she plays the famed busking scene on Royal St. and is known among locals and tourists as “the most hauntingly beautiful voice of the New Orleans’ streets.”
