How many years have you been singing and songwriting?

I’ve been singing amateurly since high school, but I only took it seriously in late 2018 when I met Rayan Bailouni, one of the most experienced producers in our region (the Middle East), who really encouraged me to attempt it at a more professional level. We have been working together since then to identify and build my musical persona. A year later, I released my debut single ‘Nights Like This’, produced by Rayan, in November 2019.

If you were an advertisement, which would your slogan be?

From the outside, looking in.

What is your main inspiration when you are creating?

My subconscious. As cryptic an answer as that may sound, I don’t consciously think of what I want to write (and ultimately sing) about. When I hear a beat that resonates with my subconscious thoughts and emotions, I start writing.

If you didn’t like music what would you like to do?

This might be a pretty common answer in 2020, but I’d love to host a podcast. Oh, and have a restaurant of my own…for sure!

Most artists say that through their art they learn more about themselves, heal injuries… Which aspects has your art helped you?

It’s true and I relate to that a lot. I find that when I write down the lyrics to a song I’m working on, it represents the beginning of a self-therapeutic experience. By the time the song is out to the world, I’m often unshackled from the emotions (be it pain or longing, love or lust etc.) that drove me to write the song.

What does music mean to you?

It’s the one thing that I am willing to do anything and everything for. I lived 25 years of my life before I experienced the single most rewarding feeling there is: being in the studio and performing on stage. The studio and the stage truly are my happy places…oh and I have a hunger and drive to achieve great things in music that I will find very hard to let go off so yeah this thing is here to stay!

What would you say to all those people who say to artists “Don’t try it is not worth it?”

I think it’s very important to listen to all sorts of opinions. I also think it’s very important to assess which opinions you will follow and which you will reject. It’s ultimately your decision, if you believe in your art and have the hunger and passion to pursue it, then you should. What’s the worst that can happen? You fail? Well at least you can say you tried, and not many can.

If you could change the world, what would you do?

I’m hesitant about bringing politics into this but I have to stay true to myself, so my answer would be to unshackle my occupied people, the people of Palestine, from the decades-long oppression they are faced with. & maybe then, I can know what it feels like to step foot in my homeland.

What would your idyllic life as an artist be like?

As long as I have the drive and inspiration to keep creating, the rest will come. But yeah, my answer would be to never, even for a day, lose my love for music and creating music. I would also love to reach a point where my journey can help positively impact other artists, whether it be from my region or across the world.