HuDost

“HuDost has a folk quality yet is quite postmodern; the band offers new takes on ancient words and melodies, cross-cultural hybrid transcendental chill-out music with an edge.… This is not fluffy new-age music—it’s serious, complex fare with no aversion to addressing agony. Sommer’s vocal execution is precisely orchestrated, her voice-opening, hollow-toned vortexes piercing through the tough spots. ” - Chronogram Magazine

Long before receiving praise from NPR, ranking on the Billboard charts, or winning prestigious awards, something magical happened. A teenage Moksha Sommer sat in her Montreal apartment, immersed in the lush poetry of Rumi, when she impulsively joined friends on a spur-of-the-moment trip to North Carolina for a Rumi Festival hosted by Turkish Sufis. There, in a room of whirling dancers, Jemal Wade Hines was playing frame drum when he heard Sommer’s voice cut through the crowd—a sound that jolted his heart awake. That moment was the beginning of HuDost.

Since then, Sommer and Hines have woven their lives together—as partners in music, in activism, in parenthood, and in love. They are deeply engaged advocates, working as Representatives for ONE (a nonprofit fighting to end extreme poverty) and collaborating with other organizations to create change. Through their journey, they’ve discovered the alchemy of music and activism—how the two, when combined, have the power to move hearts and shift realities.

HuDost’s upcoming album, The Monkey in the Crown, is set for release in 2025. Their past albums have earned critical acclaim, reaching #4 on the Canadian National Folk/Roots Chart, #9 on the US Folk Radio Charts, and #24 on the Billboard Folk/Americana Sales Chart. They’ve also won an Independent Music Award for Social Action Song and received two Best of Nashville awards in 2020. Their work has been shaped by collaborations with GRAMMY-winning producer Malcolm Burn (Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris) and GRAMMY-winning mixers Oz Fritz (Tom Waits, Bill Laswell) and Vance Powell (Jack White, Chris Stapleton).

Whether performing as a duo or with a full band, HuDost brings in guest musicians from diverse backgrounds, often incorporating dance into their shows. Their instrumentation includes vocals, harmonium (Indian pump organ), live looping and beats, NORD keys, guitars, Dulcinet, percussion, and an array of ambient sonic effects. Musically, they bridge worlds—blending pop and rock with traditional Sufi influences, Eastern European folk traditions (Bulgarian, Croatian, Macedonian, and Balkan), and the rich sounds of Farsi, Turkish, and Arabic music. Their sound defies borders, taking listeners on an unforgettable journey.

HuDost’s music is a powerful voice for life’s raw beauty—its struggles, its healing, its triumphs. In 2008, Moksha underwent brain surgery to remove a tumor, a process that forced her to relearn language skills, regain her sight, and navigate seizures. Instead of breaking her, the experience deepened her understanding of music as a tool for healing. In 2013, she and Jemal welcomed their son, Kaleb, and in 2022, their sweet baby Sylvan was born. Their music gives voice to both the pain and wonder of life, a resonant expression of empathy that critics and fans alike return to time and time again.

Food & Bar: Our full food and drink menu will be available before and during the show.