Syrian-American Singer Balances Life Between Two Homes

Click on the audio player above to hear this interview.

Syrian-American singer Gaida has been in the United States for more than two decades. However, in the past few months, she has found her home in the United States increasingly at odds with her first home in Damascus, especially as anti-refugee rhetoric ramps up in America and the Syrian civil war continues to drag on.

Gaida's music mixes traditional Arabic sounds with American jazz and folk music. She says performing allows her to connect with the people and places she loves in Syria.

Here, she discusses the evolution of her music, how her relationship with the U.S. has changed, and the resiliency of the Syrian people. Listen to some of her songs below, and catch her in live on January 30th 2016. Click here for details.