Pigeon Spins Featuring an Interview with Layla Kaylif

Layla Kaylif - I'm Afraid of Americans

Released on the tenth anniversary of David Bowie’s passing, Layla Kaylif reimagines Bowie & Brian Eno’s “I’m Afraid of Americans” through a Middle Eastern musical lens. Produced by Johan Bejerholm, the cover is a cultural translation—unsettling and deeply current.

Interview with Layla Kaylif

What inspired you to reinterpret David Bowie & Brian Eno’s “I’m Afraid of Americans” through a Middle Eastern musical lens?

I think that speaks for itself, doesn’t it lol.

How did your background in both English and Arab cultures influence the creative direction of this cover?

I’ve always had a foot in both worlds. It felt natural-and necessary-to explore that tension through the lens of this song. The track functions as a cultural translation rather than a tribute. How did you approach balancing respect for the original with your own interpretation? I didn’t overthink it. I just went with the flow.

Can you talk about your collaboration with producer Johan Bejerholm and how it shaped the sound of the single?

We worked on this track alongside another song from my upcoming album God’s Keeper. From the start, there was a heightened awareness of the zeitgeist we’re living in, and that informed the tone and atmosphere of the production.

What challenges did you face in reimagining a song with such an iconic legacy while making it feel contemporary?

Honestly, we didn’t treat it as “iconic”, we treated it with the integrity that it deserves, which I am sure, or I hope, Bowie would have appreciated.

How does this reinterpretation connect to broader conversations around identity, power, and cultural perception today?

Ideology can become a false idol, which can lead to the dehumanisation of people. At the end of the day, the song is about fear of ‘the other’, paranoia, and the song addresses that. I don’t think it’s about fear as much as paranoia.

The release coincides with the tenth anniversary of David Bowie’s passing. How does that timing influence the significance of the project for you personally?

I actually didn’t know it was the anniversary. I came across a film company schedule mentioning a Bowie retrospective, and the synchronicity caught my attention. I shifted the release date slightly to align with that.

Your music often blends poetry, pop, and cinematic storytelling. How did you integrate these elements into this cover?

The performance is a character I inhabit. That’s how the story is told.

How does this project set the stage for your upcoming 2026 album and your evolving musical phase?

It doesn’t really. It’s more of a curveball-maybe a complement-but not the main thesis.

In your creative process, do you see covers as opportunities for commentary, experimentation, or both, and why?

I don’t do many. There’s this, Hallelujah, and thinking about it now, Heart of Glass years ago, and Can’t Take My Eyes Off You back in college. I was about to say I don’t do covers… then I realised, apparently, I do! I guess it is a case of being inspired. Sometimes it’s not that deep. It’s just an appreciation of the song.

(•)> That's all, Folks! Check out  Layla Kaylif on the Pigeon Spins Playlist