Biography

Ruhiya is a UK based singer-songwriter. Fusing heartfelt melodious vocals with the sounds of nature and live instrumentation, her music shares stories and expresses sacred remembrance. 

Ruhiya's voice has taken her all over the world, from headlining shows at Joe's Pub (New York), The Wynwood Yard (Miami), The Fridge (Dubai), and the SOAS Concert Series (London); to performances at Glastonbury festival, The Secret Garden Party and Waterford Festival (Ireland) with the Latin Dub Sound System; Roskilde festival (Denmark), Splash festival (Germany), Jazz Cafe (London) and Hammersmith Apollo (London) with Yarah Bravo; Latitude Festival, a Sweden tour with the London International Gospel choir; and a women’s prison in Cebu, Philippines.

She has recorded with the Grammy award-winning Soweto Gospel choir in South Africa, and featured on BBC Introducing, FOX TV Middle East, TFC Balitang America, Timeout magazine Dubai, SunStar newspaper Cebu Philippines, and Songlines Magazine. 

In 2021 Ruhiya received an MA. in Music in Development from SOAS, University of London. Her final dissertation was presented as a podcast featuring native and indigenous Filipino voices including Lily Mendoza, Taipan Lucero, Delmo Dulay of the Tboli people, Rolinda Gilbaliga of the Panay Bukidnon, and many more. In 2022 she took part in an interdisciplinary project for artists with Filipino heritage called Maharlika, funded by the Arts Council UK.

Ruhiya's debut album “Ginhawa” was released in July 2022, and produced by Zayn Mohammed. Inspired by her matriarchal lineage, nature, spirit, and dreams, the album weaves together folk, soul, jazz, and chant. Her recent acoustic live EP "Carry Me Home", featuring Jakey Boy Hughes, was released on all streaming stores in May 2023.

Ruhiya is currently based in the UK where she continues to write, record, and perform. She is also a trained sound healing practitioner and offers sound healing sessions and holistic voice lessons.