Wafia Opens Up About ‘Stigma’ & ‘Shame’ After Being Dropped By Label

Adored Netherlands-born, Australian-based Iraqi-Syrian songwriter and vocalist Wafia has announced the release of her new single In The Honey via an emotional and uplifting Instagram post.

In the post, she describes being "let go by [her] record label" which led to a "low point behind closed doors". 

Wafia intimately described the result of that action and its effect on her self worth, stating, "I kept it a secret for months and was embarrassed to tell the people close to me what had happened out of stigma and shame of being dropped.

"I started getting panic attacks that I couldn't work my way out alone. I felt sadness and failure so deeply and for so long."

The story however, quickly changes tone, following a conversation with her parents. 

She describes an old Egyptian saying, نايم في العسل, meaning "they fell asleep in honey". Upon reflection on the phrase, she stated, "From there I realised that no one gets to decide my peak for me but me. I had to take the bet that I'd taken so many times before and that was believing that my best work was still ahead of me.

"And it is."

With that tone, the statement announced that Wafia's next single will be titled In The Honey, and will be released independently via her own imprint, Heartburn records.

On creating the label, she exclaimed her excitement stating, "I'm so excited for the opportunity to run this label by my values and ethics. Songwriters are both essential to this music industry and also severely underpaid. Moving forward every songwriter that helps me write a song will also have equity on the master side of the recording."

An update from my heart. In The Honey, out Thursday. See you soon 🐝 pic.twitter.com/VTyuo5mHAH

— Wafia (@Wafiaaa) May 16, 2022