Malia Obama has been photographed on numerous occasions with a man named Dawit Eklund, sparking rumors that he is her new boyfriend.
The duo have been spotted in both New York City and Los Angeles, reinforcing rumors that they are in a romantic relationship after first bonding in July 2022.
So who is the man who may have taken the win over former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s eldest daughter? Here’s everything you need to know.
He is a record producer
Eklund founded the record label 1432 R in 2014 together with Joyce Lim and Sami Yenigun. Based out of Malia’s old stomping grounds of Washington, DC, the indie label specializes in experimental electronic music, according to its website.
“Their music seamlessly blends house music grooves, British garage stutters, an uneasy electronic vibe and—perhaps most notably—Ethiopian folk music,” said a 2016 Washington Post article about 1432 R.
He is from Ethiopia
Eklund is from Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, where he was born to an Ethiopian mother and an American father, according to his Facebook. Given his father’s career in the US government, the music producer has lived all over the world, including Bangladesh, Egypt, Kenya and Sudan.
Eklund’s father, John, was a longtime American Peace Corps employee, while his mother, Yeshi, was an entrepreneur.
He graduated from George Washington University
Eklund completed his secondary education at an Ethiopian institution called the International Community School of Addis Ababa.
After his matriculation, Eklund enrolled and graduated from George Washington University in DC, where he studied international development in Africa.
He is one of the four
Eklund is one of four siblings. He has two sisters, Yodit and Sara, the latter of whom made a name for himself helping women across Africa.
Vogue published an article about Sara in 2019 after introducing menstrual cups to Ethiopia with the Noble Cup brand.
“It starts with talking, sharing stories about menstruation. When we hand out the cups, we encourage girls to give it a chance, but of course they’re scared,” she told the magazine.
“Maybe only a handful will try it at first, and that’s okay. The idea is that they learn from each other, develop new habits and break the taboos together. I like to see this as an activist movement that truly all women can be a part of, wherever they are.”
It is not known whether Obama’s Eklund . have met
While it’s unknown if Malia introduced her newest beau to her world-famous parents, Michelle previously revealed that she’s met her daughters’ previous boyfriends over the years.
“They loved the Jonas Brothers. Now they’re bringing grown men home,” Michelle said on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” in April 2022.
“It used to be just pop bands. Now they have boyfriends and real lives and all that stuff. They have grown up before our eyes and are doing well.”
Malia’s younger sister, Sasha Obama, is currently in a relationship with commercial director Clifton Powell Jr.