Amira Kheir Announces New Album Black Diamonds: A Musical Tribute to Sudanese and African Heritage
- Kimberly Porter
- Sep 25, 2025
- 3 min read
Amira Kheir’s New Album Black Diamonds Honors Ancestral Heritage Through Reimagined Classics and a Heartfelt Journey
Sudanese-Italian singer, songwriter, and producer Amira Kheir returns with her highly anticipated fourth album Black Diamonds, releasing worldwide on October 10, 2025, via Contro Cultura Music in collaboration with Sterns Music. Known for her powerful voice and distinctive artistry, Kheir has been praised as a “tour de force” (Songlines) and honored as the “Diva of the Sudanese Desert” (BBC News). With Black Diamonds, she offers her most personal work to date: a deeply moving homage to her Sudanese roots and African ancestry.
A Heartfelt Ode to Ancestry
Black Diamonds presents a carefully curated collection of reimagined Sudanese classics alongside original songs written and performed in Arabic, English, and Italian. The album explores themes of belonging, heritage, and resilience, weaving poetry and reflection throughout its intricate soundscape.
“This collection of songs is inspired by my ancestors in Sudan and Africa,” shares Kheir, “and everything they have passed on to me and the world, as cultural wealth. The inspiration for the album is a desire to recognize the immense heritage passed on to us by our ancestors. Recognizing that as the most precious treasure—hence Black Diamonds.”
The album’s lead single “Sudani” (“My Sudan”), originally written by Fadl Almula (Zingar), captures Kheir’s deep love for her homeland. Other standout tracks include the evocative opener “River,” where the singer contemplates the “valley of dreamers,” and “Ard Alafrah” (“Land of Happiness”), a poetic journey through the desert’s “ancient path of sand.”
Honoring Sudanese Musical Legacy
Through Amira Kheir's Black Diamonds Album, Kheir honors not only her personal heritage but also Sudan’s rich cultural legacy. She carefully selected songs from renowned Sudanese writers and composers to amplify the album’s message of pride and resilience. These include Abdel Rahman Alrayyah’s “Rabie Aljamal” (“Spring of Wonder”), Isa Barwi’s “Zenuba,” dedicated to Sudanese women, and “Fi Mowdi Aljamal” (“In a Place of Beauty”), co-written by Zingar and Abdel-Gadir Talodi.
By intertwining these classics with her own compositions, Kheir creates a living dialogue between past and present—bridging ancestral voices with contemporary arrangements.
A Collaborative Ensemble
Long celebrated for her ability to bring cultures and musicians together, Amira Kheir continues to collaborate with a formidable ensemble on this project. Oud virtuoso Nadir Ramzy adds emotional depth with both playing and spoken word, while Michelle Montolli provides intricate bass textures. Leandro Mancini-Olivos delivers dynamic percussion, and guitarist Ant Law makes a notable contribution with his sensitive accompaniment. Together, they bring Kheir’s vision fully to life, resulting in music that feels both rooted and transcendent.
A Journey of Independence and Recognition
Amira Kheir launched her career with the 2011 debut View From Somewhere and went on to release Alsahraa (2014) and Mystic Dance (2018), all to wide acclaim. Over the years, she has consistently unveiled bold, genre-crossing work, fusing Nubian and Sudanese traditions with jazz, contemporary Western sounds, and spiritual lyricism. Through her independent label Contro Cultura Music (partnered with Sterns Music), a leading UK house for African music, she has been able to maintain creative control while reaching audiences across Europe, Africa, and beyond.
A Closing Gift: Amira Kheir’s Black Diamonds Album
The album comes to an emotional close with the title track, “Black Diamonds,” in which Kheir reflects on the wisdom and treasures of her ancestors. The song encapsulates the project’s message: an honoring of the past as a gift for the future.
With Black Diamonds, Amira Kheir solidifies her place as a unique voice on the world stage as an artist unafraid to draw deeply from history while pushing musical boundaries. Each track is a reminder of music’s power to carry memory, honor heritage, and illuminate pathways of resilience.
Black Diamonds will be released internationally on October 10, 2025 through Contro Cultura Music and Sterns Music.
Follow Amira Kheir Online:
Website: www.amirakheir.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amirakheirmusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amirakheirmusic/