Kaan Wafi – German Musician

As one of millions of displaced Syrians, Kaan Wafi has found refuge in Berlin, Germany, where he has been creating music. This music producer Khaled Kurbeh goes by the name Kaan Wafi and was inspired by his country’s plight to make an album.

Last September, Wafi release his debut album titled, “Pieces From Exile,” which combine Dilla based beats, traditional Syrian music, and jazz to create a beautiful sound. The lyrics are inspired by the many stories of Syrian writers and artists that have assisted making the anthology “Syria Speaks: Art and Culture from the Front Lines”.

Wafi wanted to be a part of the Syrian movement and to share the many stories that were being lost to the bombs or those who drowned while crossing the Mediterranean in hopes for a better life. All the proceeds from the record are being donated to the White Helmets a non-government organization in Syria. In 2016, Arabian Business named Wafi one of the 100 most influential young Arabs in the world.

The masculine name Khaled is a variant transcription of Khalid, which means “eternal’, and is derived from the Arabic khalada that means “to last forever”. While his stage name Kaan is a variant of Kagan, which is a Turkish title that man's “ruler”, “king”, or “king of kings”, ultimately from Mongolian origin. The title is often translated into the English language as Khan. There are many notable people with the given name, from Khalid of Saudi Arabia the former King or Khalid ibn al-Walid the famous 7th-century military leader.