Inspired by sleepless nights during the Gaza war, LAYLA (“night” in Arabic) first emerged in Amman, where Jamila Al-Yousef found solace after losing her uncle. It resurfaced in Ramallah, where music helped process violence—one night, as they played on a rooftop, a rocket flew toward Gaza.
Back in Germany, Jamila felt disconnected. With her bandmates, she shaped LAYLA into a full song. Later in Cairo, she filmed the music video with Melih Akya, capturing daily life and encounters with displaced Palestinian families.
Now based in Cairo, Jamila collaborates with Gaza musicians and co-produces a documentary on displaced artists. Her Berlin-based band blends psychedelic desert rock with socially engaged storytelling, weaving together her Palestinian roots and revolutionary spirit.