Billboard Arabia

Riyadh is gearing up for a transformative moment in its cultural history with the launch of Riyadh Music Week, a landmark initiative by the Music Commission in partnership with MDLBEAST and SRMG.
Spanning Dec. 5-14, 2024, the spotlight shines bright on the first-ever Billboard Arabia Music Awards (BBAMAs)—the pinnacle of Riyadh Music Week and a historic moment for the regional music industry.

Taking place across multiple venues in Riyadh, the week kicks off on Dec. 5 with the fourth edition of XP Music Futures, featuring workshops, panel discussions and networking opportunities along with an evening program driven by regional party brands, promoters and record labels, showcasing emerging talents from MENA and beyond. On Dec. 8, the Global Music Makers Summit marks its first edition, where it will bring together leaders and global policy makers from the music sector’s international bodies.

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The week-long event will also host the Music Cities Convention and Awards, taking place Dec. 8-10, bringing this prestigious global event to the Arab world for the first time. This achievement highlights Riyadh’s growing reputation as a leading global destination for music and arts, with the Convention focusing on the pivotal role of music in urban development and its potential to shape the future of modern cities.

With the BBAMAs taking place on Dec. 11, the ceremony aims to not only celebrate artistic excellence but also expand upon the growing global Billboard network. The Billboard Arabia Music Awards represents a regional first, adopting a pioneering approach entirely based on listener opinions and data. This year’s awards will honor over 40 categories, celebrating achievements such as Top Artist, Song of the Year, Best in Dialect Charts and Top New Artist of the Year, among other standout recognitions.

Riyadh Music Week will close out with the MDLBEAST’s groundbreaking Soundstorm music festival, the loudest in the region, mixing international superstars on the same stages as homegrown local and up-and-coming artists. The week will also host a range of fringe events and performances by various artists taking place across several venues throughout the city.

As Riyadh Music Week unfolds, the series of events stand as a testament to the region’s vibrant music scene and its aspirations as a burgeoning global music hub.

Interviewing an artist of Angham’s caliber presents a unique challenge and a thrill, merging anticipation with the weight of her legacy. Angham is, after all, a towering figure in Arabic music, an extraordinary voice whose career bridges the classical foundations of Arabic song with its modern evolution over two dozen studio albums. This was not just an interview – it was an exploration into the journey of authentic art that has shaped contemporary Arabic music.

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As expectations filled the air, they quickly dissipated when Angham appeared in white, radiating a captivating smile. Angham takes in all opinions and comments with a calm demeanor, soothing the room’s tension. When she begins to speak, the atmosphere transforms: her words reflect a powerful personality, expressing complex ideas with simplicity and an undeniable charm that enchants her audience.

There’s no doubt that Angham has emerged as one of Egypt’s most impactful modern voices. Her journey began in the late 1980s, nurtured by her father, the renowned musician Mohamed Ali Suleiman, whose guidance and influence helped unlock her early talent. With training in music and piano, she developed a solid foundation in the musical arts, initially singing traditional Tarab (classical Arabic music) pieces that bore her father’s distinct artistic signature, such as the album Ila Ana (Except Me), in parallel with her collaborations with classical composers of Khaleeji music such as Talal Maddah, Suleiman Al Mulla and Sami Ihsan. Yet, in the late 1990s, after professionally parting ways with her father, Angham redefined her path.

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She embraced a modern style closer to Arab pop and reached a major milestone with the 2001 album Leih Sebtaha (Why Did You Leave Her?), marking her first collaboration with composer Tarek Madkour and Sherif Taj. The early 2000s also saw Angham experimenting with Latin pop, in the release of one of her most prominent hits, “Sidi Wasalak” (Why Aren’t You With Me?), and with it she established her new artistic identity, which she continued to grow and develop while absorbing new musical trends, and integrating them into the context of her own musical experience and identity. Through these works, she expanded her reach to a broader audience, solidifying her status as a central figure in the Arab music scene and maintaining her role as a bridge between Arabic music’s rich history and its present.

While it is difficult to pin any one of Angham’s albums over the other, another massive success for Angham was her album Hala Khassa Gdean (A Very Special Case) with hit songs “Ya Retak Fahemny” (I Wish You Understood Me), where we hear her nuance for emotional complexities of love develop more with each work, in addition to her vocal delivery and performance. With 29 studio albums under her belt, Angham’s prolific body of work has found a home in the hearts of her listeners year after year, where she has come to be known for her unique ability to sing a range of emotional experiences found in each stage of love.

Billboard Arabia’s conversation for the October cover began with her latest album, Tigi Neseeb (Let’s Leave). Each song, a journey into the depths of emotion, allowed Angham to share pieces of herself and the untold stories embedded within the lyrics. She describes the album as a story, explaining, “This album is like a story with a beginning and an end. It’s filled with stories of people and situations – very real and relatable. What ties it all together is the music, the expressive kind I resonate with.”

Angham’s musical expertise shines through as she discusses her talent for weaving stories from real-life experiences — narratives that listeners might recognize from their own daily lives or even feel personally connected to. She notes, “The album is like a drama; it’s as if you’re witnessing the stories of many people around you. Sometimes, you see yourself in the narrative, or you recognize two or three others whose stories you’re familiar with. It’s that simple, yet it’s a core reason for my success.” Angham unveils that the key to her songs’ success and uniqueness lies in her deep connection with her audience and the relatable stories they share. Each song she performs embodies a sense of authenticity, forging a personal bond between the music and the listener, as though she shares in the daily experiences.

She approached her latest album, Tigi Neseeb, not as a fixed blueprint but as a dynamic journey filled with transformations and experiences. “I wouldn’t lie to you and say I knew exactly what I was going to do; the album developed gradually, with changes in lyrics and musical arrangements. There was a plan, but it evolved for the better.”

After discussing her latest album, Angham elaborates on her artistic choices and musical collaborations. With dozens of albums under her belt, she articulates her philosophy regarding song selection, highlighting the stage’s pivotal role in her decisions: “I’m always focused on how a song will translate on stage; my choices are guided by this aspect because the stage is my essence. My concert is my soul.” Angham expressed her enthusiasm for direct audience interaction, an essential element in her creative process. “When I choose a song and its arrangement, I consider how it will start, end, and engage the audience; I’ll re-record as many as two or three times to reach that perfect ending that commands applause.”

For Tigi Neseeb, Angham maintained a thoughtful balance between longtime collaborators and fresh names she worked with for the first time. She sustained her successful collaborations with producer Tarek Madkour and lyricist Amir Teima, with whom she’s worked for over 20 years, crediting these long-standing collaborations with upholding her distinctive musical identity. At the same time, she brought in new, unexpected collaborations. In her conversation with Billboard Arabia, Angham highlights the album’s surprise: collaborating with Akram Hosny, initially an Egyptian comedian, who contributed songs like “Khalik Ma’aha” (Stay With Her) and the title track.

Angham

Sharbel Boumansour/Billboard Arabia

On her album, Angham also introduced new vocabulary into her piece with lyricist Mostafa Hadouta, whose background in mahraganat music added a fresh layer to the song “Mowafaqa” (l Agree). Unpacking the album’s rich collaborations, she also praises three poets she worked with for the first time on Tigi Neseeb, including Hala El Zayat, whose song “Howa Enta Meen” (Who Are You Anyway) achieved remarkable success, landing in the No. 9 position on Billboard Arab Hot 100. Tigi Neseeb’s performance on the Billboard Arabia charts proves its remarkable success, with 10 out of 12 songs finding a home on Billboard Arabia’s Hot 100.

But Angham isn’t just a singer, performer and classically trained musician — she is also a businesswoman. In her interview, she unveils her most ambitious endeavor to date: her own production company, Sowt Masr (The Sound of Egypt), which launched with its debut album, Tigi Neseeb. Established between 2014 and 2015, the company initially aimed to produce her personal projects, yet Angham’s vision extends far beyond her own artistic ambitions. She expresses, “Deep down, I aspire to nurture new voices, and with time, I will make that happen.” Angham emphasizes that her role as a producer is not merely to finance projects but to guide emerging talent on the right path. Her insight highlights a transformative view of the producer’s role – one that encompasses organizing and creatively directing rather than just providing funding.

Looking ahead, Angham was unequivocal about her commitment to continuous innovation. “As I speak, I’m actively engaged in new projects. Music constantly flows through my mind, inspired by the words I hear and read, along with new songs and fresh collaborations,” she shared. Her boundless ambition drives her to enhance her artistic repertoire through collaborations with new composers and artists who can add their flair to her work.

Angham is not just an artist; she embodies a modern classic Arabic voice and serves as a vital link between musical generations. With her album Tigi Neseeb, its diverse collaborations and her production venture, Sowt Masr, she demonstrates her remarkable ability to adapt and innovate while remaining true to her artistic roots. The interview concluded on an inspiring note, envisioning a bright future not only for Angham but also for emerging artists who may find her label Sowt Masr a springboard to new horizons in the music industry. As she continues to pave the way, Angham’s legacy promises to illuminate a path for the next wave of talent and Arabic music at large.

Angham

Sharbel Boumansour/Billboard Arabia

In one of their first performances nearly two decades ago, a modest gig along the banks of the Nile in Egypt, Cairokee played to a silent crowd – no applause, no cheers. Reflecting on this moment in a recent interview, Cairokee’s lead singer Amir Eid shared this story to illustrate the mindset that has defined the band from the start. The band didn’t interpret the audience’s silence as failure; instead, they heard the hum of something new. Rather than retreat, they pushed forward, knowing deep within that they were planting the first seeds of a new musical landscape. What began that night wasn’t just a performance. It was a turning point for Arabic indie bands, signaling the potential to rise from the underground and become charting artists with a sound that would echo far beyond the river’s shores.

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Fast forward to today. These echoes eventually reached Europe and North America, where Cairokee embarked on various successful tours. The first one, in 2019, was followed by 2022’s tour which saw them perform in cities like New York, Houston, Los Angeles and San Francisco. More recently, they completed a multi-city tour across Europe, the U.S. and Canada, which wrapped up on Sept. 30, further solidifying their global presence. Meanwhile in August 2024, at the Alamain Festival on Egypt’s North Coast, they sold out a show of upwards of 27,000 fans, suggesting their echoes have become something of a roar, reverberating globally.

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Founded in 2003, and led by singer-songwriter and guitarist Amir Eid, the Egyptian rock-pop band has maintained its original band members with Tamer Hashem on drums, Sherif Hawary on lead guitar, Adam El Alfy on bass and Sherif Mostafa on keys. While their early music carried political undertones, it was in 2011, during Egypt’s revolution, that Cairokee’s breakthrough single, “Sout El Horeya” (The Voice of Freedom), turned them into a voice of a generation, where the song became an anthem for Egypt’s youth and later found resonance with youth culture around the Arab region.

Cairokee’s Momentous Discography

In the time since, Cairokee has released six additional studio albums, each evolving musically: Wana Maa Nafsy Aaed (When I Sit Alone, 2012), Nas W Nas (Some People, and Others, 2015), El Sekka Shemal (Wrong Way Blues, 2014), Noaata Beida (A Drop of White, 2017), The Ugly Ducklings (2019) and Roma (2022), along with two compilations of their biggest hits. While every album carries with it Cairokee’s sonic fingerprint — largely driven by lead singer Amir’s Eid’s distinctive vocal quality — over time they broadened their sound to include a mix of rock, pop, elements of hip-hop and traditional Arabic sonic textures, showcasing their versatility.

In many ways, Cairokee have often been like a mirror to the times in which they exist, reflecting the sentiment of not only Egypt’s youth, but millennials and Gen Z across the Arab world. They weren’t the only band to launch at the time, alongside them we saw the rise of Massar Egbari, Jadal, Adonis, to name a few, but Cairokee have managed to achieve a level of pop and mainstream success with several songs finding a home on Billboard Arabia’s charts.

In early albums like Matloob Zaeem (A Leader is Wanted), we hear the political undertones they were first known for, particularly in songs like the title track, or “Ethbat Makanak” (Hold Your Position) and “Ehna El Shaab” (We Are the People). Musically, this album was driven by Amir and Hawary’s swirling soft rock guitar licks and riffs and sardonic political commentary. We find this sound continuing through to their follow-up album, Wana Maa Nafsy Aaed (When I Sit Alone), which sonically oscillates between heavily reverb guitar driven tracks like “Kol Youm Momken Yekoon Bedaya” to songs teetering on pop anthems like “Mestany.”

Their 2014 album, El Sekka Shemal, marked a turning point for Cairokee, presenting a more refined sound, while introducing an eclectic blend of musical references. El Sekka Shemal presented a fuller sound, both with atmosphere production and a deeper integration of Arabic textures, including the rababa and percussions, as heard in songs like “El Khat Dah Khatty.” This album sees Cairokee pushing the boundaries of genre while expanding their collaborations, as heard in “Agmal Ma Andy” featuring Souad Massi, and later the genre-bending “Ghareeb Fi Belad Gareeba” (Stranger in a Strange Land) with shaabi music icon Abdel Baset Hammouda.

In Nas W Nas, Amir Eid’s vocals come into focus, with different production elements supporting a more polished studio sound. The gentle guitar lines and keys in tracks like “Walla Ma Aayez (All I Really Want),” along with subtle Arabic textures – such as oud lines and percussions in “Geina El Dounia Fe Laffa” – create a fuller sonic backdrop. However, it’s in “Kol Haga Betaady” (This Too Shall Pass) that Eid’s pop sensibility shines, featuring Shahira Kamal. Their memorable duet presents an earworm exchange with memorable lines like “Everyone is scared of tomorrow/Tomorrow comes and they are still scared/Tomorrow isn’t a day/It’s an idea.” Amir Eid again manages to hold a mirror to the times, in 2015 reflecting the era’s political uncertainty.

Eid’s introspective lyricism drives Noaata Beida (A Drop of White, 2017), as seen in the title track featuring Abdelrahman Roshdy, which reflects a dualistic struggle playing out between the two vocal lines. Politically weary themes resurface in “Kont Faker” (I Thought) and “Hodna.” Musically, we see Cairokee embracing more eclecticism, offering diverse tracks like the rhythmic “Layla” and anthemic “Dinosaur” while nudging more into a pop sound.

This dynamism culminates in The Ugly Ducklings (2019), where a multiplicity of genres is presented, expanding Cairokee’s audience base by offering them each something. The album spans alt-rock tracks like “Benkhaf” (We Get Scared) to hits like “Ya Abyad Ya Eswed” (Either Black or White), which draws from popular Egyptian genres like shaabi and mahraganat. This cross-genre approach continues and peaks in Roma (2022). However, we see another turning point for Cairokee in the high production value, and synthpop influences as heard in the hit song “Samurai” to the beat driven “Basrah We Atooh” (Lost in My Headt), both of which continue to chart Billboard Arabia’s Hot 100. Meanwhile, seven songs from Roma continue holding ground on various Billboard Arabia lists, cementing Cairokee’s place as a pioneering force offering an alternative to the traditional pop landscape.

The Voice of Cairokee, Amir Eid

Amir Eid’s voice has a deep rasp in it, the kind of guttural texture that makes it feel like it has traveled from a far-off time to deliver a very important message. It’s not a prophetic voice, but rather one that transmits the timbre of falling in love in one song, and in another, cutting socio-political commentary. His vocal quality and lyricism have been central to Cairokee’s identity, and through his words, Eid expresses the frustrations, hope, and loneliness of a generation navigating everything from political uncertainty to personal challenges. His side passion projects, including the soundtrack for the hit series Rivo, andmhis EP Roxi (2024), have further showcased his artistic evolution.

Envisioned by Eid, Roxi’s elaborate and cinematic video rollout was presented in three chapters, where we see the artist blending his penchant for visual storytelling, distribution and a body of hit songs. Roxi takes on a different sonic aesthetic than Cairokee’s big band, rock and pop sound, where we see Amir’s songs like “Hagat Gowaya” (Things Inside Me) take on a darker, synthpop sound than what we heard on Roma’s “Samurai.” Lyrically, Amir combines his penchant for storytelling in this three-chapter cinematic story of falling in love, with lyrics bordering on existential explorations deep within himself. Shortly after the EP’s release, songs like “Esmek Eh” (What’s Your Name?), “Hagat Gowaya” and “Nasy Kol Haga” (I’ve Forgotten Everything) landed on Billboard Arabia’s Arabic Indie chart and remained in the No. 26, 36, and 44 positions, respectively. Meanwhile, Eid currently holds the No. 56 position on Billboard Arabia’s Top 100 Artists chart at the time of publishing this article.

From Cairo to North America, Cairokee’s Live Shows

It is only possible to tell the story of Cairokee and Amir Eid by also discussing the resonance of their live shows. After concluding their third multi-city North America tour, Cairokee has found an audience both at home and abroad. In August 2024, Cairokee sold out their show in Jeddah, and the very next day at the Al Alamein Festival on Egypt’s North Coast, Cairokee saw over 25,000 attendees, according to the artist’s team. Upon returning to Cairo in the aftermath of their tour, they sold out another show with upwards of 27,000 in attendance at ZED EAST in October 2024. Their concerts are riveting experiences, with iconic collaborative moments, in the past they have featured guest artists on their stage such Marwan Pablo, and later Muhab and Tult8e, highlighting their ability to blend genres and connect with a diverse audience.

After two decades of pushing boundaries and challenging the status quo, Cairokee’s journey is far from over. They continue to evolve musically while staying true to much of their original fan base, while their impact on the Arabic music scene only grows stronger with time.

Cairokee

Courtesy of Cairokee/Billboard Arabia

A new generation of artists are pushing the envelope in Arabic music, striving to explore new ground. Among them is Ayed, who humbly claims no desire to be a pioneer. Instead, he insists that his work merely carries forward the rich legacy established by the many artists who came before him. This young talent has achieved remarkable success in Khaleeji (Gulf) music while becoming the most-listened-to artist among his peer group. As of this publication, he holds the No. 1 position on the Top 50 Khaleeji Songs chart with his hit, “Lammah” (Hints), and ranks No. 9 on Billboard Arabia’s Artist 100. Despite these significant strides, he embodies the humility of the Khaleeji music legends that preceded him, utilizing modern production tools and techniques, which he credits for expanding the reach of his music.

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When asked about his musical style, one that combines the rhythms and melodic structure of Khaleeji music but delivered through a sound that is very much Ayed, he says, “I don’t think I’ve done anything that different. It’s just a continuation of the music of my predecessors; I’ve followed in their footsteps. But let’s say we’re in the digital age now, and maybe that’s what has changed [regarding the sound]. But that aside, it’s the same kind of music.” Ayed aims to continue enriching the Khaleeji pop landscape, hoping to make a lasting contribution to its history. As a fan of the genre, nothing is stopping him from cementing his contributions to the genre as he strives for the excellence of the artists that inspire him be it Mohamed Abdu, Abdel Majid Abdallah, Rabeh Saqr or Rashed Al Majid.

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The year 2024 has been remarkable for Ayed, who graces the cover of Billboard Arabia’s September issue. It started with a bang: he netted the “Male Musical Artist of the Year” at the 2024 Joy Awards, a ceremony organized by the General Entertainment Authority that honors achievements in the Arab artist community.

Following this accolade, Ayed collaborated with Khaled Al Muthafar, a Kuwaiti performing artist, in the song “A’lam al-U’shaq” (The World of Lovers). Initially composed for Al Muthafar’s play, “Al’uwl Min Nweih” (The First of its Kind), the duo recorded it together when Ayed heard the song. The song proved a hit, finding virality across social media platforms and climbing the ranks of Billboard Arabia’s Hot 100 and the Top 50 Khaleeji Songs chart.

“I expected the song to be successful, but I didn’t expect this overwhelming success all over the Arab world,” says Ayed. “We were meant to collaborate on a project long ago and thank God I was able to work with him on this project and I hope this is the start of many successes for us together.”

Hot on the heels of this success, “Lammah” (Hints) also went viral a month after its release, quickly climbing to the top of Billboard Arabia’s charts. As of this article, it has held the No. 1 position on the Top 50 Khaleej Songs chart for eight consecutive weeks. It has broken into the top 10 on Billboard Arabia’s Hot 100, prompting Ayed’s return to the top ten on Billboard Arabia’s 100 Artists chart. Ayed always believed in the song’s potential, and its performance on the charts has validated his assumption.

Ayed’s artistic journey began at a young age, with the 2015 launch of “Nasitini” (You Forgot Me) on Instagram. It was remastered and rearranged in January 2016, tallying upwards of 16 million views on YouTube at the time of publishing this article. The song remains close to Ayed’s heart, as he’ll rarely forgo an opportunity to mention it: “It’s special,” he says, “because it marked my beginning. I think your first song always has a special place, regardless of what else you make. It’ll never be a disappointment. If my work ever comes up, that song’s inevitably mentioned, too.”

Ayed continued to evolve his craft in the next eight years. This evolution can be traced through the EP Bel-Mout Ja (A Hard Time Coming), then the two LPs, Thaman Al-Alam (The Price of Pain) and Kol Al-Khata (All the Mistakes), as well as several singles like “Rdy” (transliteration for “Inferior”), a late 2023 release that achieved remarkable success and propelled Ayed to the top of the charts. “Rdy” landed him his debut on Billboard Arabia’s Hot 100, landing the No. 4 spot in the week of Dec. 11, 2023. “Rdy” sparked curiosity about the artist’s love life, prompting Ayed to reaffirm on social media at the time that he keeps his personal life separate from his professional one.

In an exclusive reveal to Billboard Arabia, Ayed says that he is preparing to release an album, “The album will feature songs that, God willing, you will enjoy,” says Ayed. “The composers are diverse, with noted composer Rakan taking the lion’s share, followed by Yasser Buali and Saham. Most lyricists involved are part of a new generation of talent.” The composers Rakan and Yasser Bou Ali have been key to Ayed’s journey, shaping his sense of sound over the years. They’ve allowed him to deliver the essence of the voice of the generation preceding him, like Abdul Majeed Abdullah and Rabeh Saqer, while allowing it to take on a contemporary and dynamic style. Their continued collaboration on Ayed’s upcoming album reflects his commitment to the partnerships he has established and his belief in repeating his successes by drawing on the talent that enabled it.

Ayed

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