XAKALELE

XAKALELE is the solo project of Mara Lalihatu (they/them), a Moluccan-Dutch artist and composer based in Rotterdam. Their work explores the contradictions they’ve lived as a biracial, neuroqueer, and polyamorous person in Rotterdam. Moving through overlapping (sub)cultures, they navigate the confusion, tension, and emotional weight of living between worlds. Influences include Southeast Asian Indigenous practices, the exploratory sounds of early synth pioneers, IDM, noise, and DIY subcultures. Currently, XAKALELE focuses on building and reworking traditional and self-made instruments into raw, emotional sounds. Their performances and installations use noise, rhythm, and synthesizers to process identity, question norms, and tell biomythological stories. Lalihatu is also one half of Animistic Beliefs, an ever-evolving project spanning experimental (club) music, performance, theatre, and film scoring. The duo is known for high-intensity live shows, visually storytelling, and politically engaged work shaped by Southeast Asian queer perspectives. Their work has been presented at MUTEK, CTM, Rewire, and Elevate, as well as at institutions like TENT Rotterdam and Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ. The group is featured frequently in media like Resident Advisor, DJMag, Glamcult, and Crack Magazine.