Album Notes

Dania Abu-Shaheen grew up in Amioun, a small town in North Lebanon. Learning from great artists including Janis Joplin and Stevie Ray Vaughan, Dania developed an intricate relationship with the blues as a technical style and raw aesthetic. Classic bands like The Who, Pearl Jam and Oasis nourished her love for rock 'n roll and folk artists like Cat Stevens and James Taylor gave Dania her emotional edge and songwriting skills. After her first vocal performance with The Pipers, a hard rock band from Tripoli, Dania began performing solo shows at bars and restaurants in Lebanon. In 1998, she formed Last Minute Creed, a 4-piece band that played a mixture of covers and original songs written by Dania. In 1999, Dania organized Jukebox Bandwagon, a grassroots music festival featuring 15 Lebanese bands and performers, including Last Minute Creed. Dania handled all aspects of production from scouting new talent and fundraising to advertising the event through national media sources. Jukebox Bandwagon became an annual event with Last Minute Creed headlining the shows in 2000 and 2001. Dania moved to the United States in August 2000 to attend Berklee College of Music's Summer Guitar Session in Boston and in the fall enrolled in the American University in Washington, DC. Her time in DC proved to be extremely creative as Dania wrote avidly and honed her musical style. After transferring to Sarah Lawrence College in 2001, Dania paired up with violinist Sarah Nurbhai to perform at various events including benefits for the V-DAY College Campaign 2003 and the 2003 and 2004 Take Back the Night events. In 2003 and 2004, Dania was a featured performer in the Coffeehouse Concerts on-campus. For two years (2003 and 2004), she has been named a finalist in the UK Songwriting Contest. Dania has collaborated with performer Bekah Hayes on her album, "Boys and Girls" and with artist Amina. She completed "Expatriate" with producer/sound engineer Matt Noble at The Loft Recording Studios in Bronxville, NY. Dania is currently playing shows in NY.