Billboard Arabia

Speaking with Saint Levant feels like encountering two personalities at once. One moment, you hear Marwan Abdelhamid (his real name), his intimate voice carrying the warmth of distant days spent with his father in Gaza. He recalls them in detail, as if each melody holds a story refusing to fade. The next moment, the more widely known artistic persona of Saint Levant takes over, exuding charisma and absolute confidence in front of the camera. The seamless blend of personal memory and stagecraft, nostalgia and defiance, defines his presence.

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As Billboard Arabia’s February cover star, Saint Levant’s artistic journey has taken him from Jerusalem and the alleys of Gaza to global stages from The Olympia in Paris and Coachella and Lollapalooza. Born into several cultures and languages, his identity is a fusion of Arabic, English and French, shaped by his Palestinian-Serbian father and Palestinian-Algerian mother. His migration to France and the U.S. further enriched his artistic outlook, injecting his work with a globally intertwined essence. This diverse background enables him to merge different musical styles, from funk to traditional Eastern rhythms, making him a rising star in Arabic music.

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When discussing the Arab artists who inspired him, Saint Levant looks back to his time in Gaza. He reminisces about road trips with his father, who played music in the car, filling the air with the voices of global stars like Lenny Kravitz and Michael Jackson. “Before any singer, my father was my inspiration,” he says. Yet, diving deeper into memory, he adds with nostalgia, “But if we’re talking about Arab singers, definitely Cheb Khaled. We used to listen to his albums, especially Sahra and Khaled, with songs like “El ‘Arbi” and “Wahran”—those are incredible. To me, Cheb Khaled is the top.”

Saint Levant’s first professional track carried his real name. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, he released “Jerusalem Freestyle,” a rap song about the Palestinian cause. “That was my first real track where I put my name —on Spotify, I was Marwan Abdelhamid.”

Hussein Mardini

What sets Saint Levant apart are his multicultural roots, which grant him a broad perspective on music. He seamlessly sings in three languages, English, French and Arabic, within a single song. Explaining his unique lyrical structure, he says, “From my very first song, I was using three languages because that’s just how I talk. The same goes for my music. Now, I’ve learned to separate them more. Before, I used to mix all three languages in one sentence, but I realized not everyone is like me—they can’t follow that. So now, I do one chorus in English, one in Arabic and one in French, which makes it easier. But it all happened naturally. I never planned to be a trilingual artist.”

This cultural foundation also influences the structure of his music. When asked to define his genre, Saint Levant explains that his work transcends classification. He blends 1980s funk with traditional Palestinian and Algerian sounds, making it difficult to stick a single label to it. His team frequently revisits this question, reflecting the fluid nature of his artistic identity. Instead, he describes his music as part of a “New Wave Arab” movement, blending futuristic Arab sounds.

Hussein Mardini

His latest project, the album Love Letters, is an open letter to love in all its forms, released in February to align with Valentine’s Day. Elaborating on the title, he says, “Each song is a love letter in its own way. ‘Daloona,’ which I did with Qassem Alnajjar, Shadi Borini and 47Soul, isn’t a romantic love letter. It’s a love letter to my country and my people. I brought together seven Palestinian artists in one track, so it’s a love letter to Palestine. ‘Diva’ is a love letter to the golden girl and to Algeria. ‘Wazira’ is a tribute to the minister of love and ambassador of emotion. And ‘Wayn Ma’addi Wayn’ is a Libyan song, a love letter to Libya, and also a song for broken hearts. So to me, they are all different love letters.”

Explaining the album’s structure, he says, “I divided it into two sides: Side A and Side B, because there’s a difference. Songs like ‘Daloona,’ ‘Wazira’ and ‘Carmentina,’ those are love letters from Marwan. But ‘Diva’ and the rest are love letters from Saint Levant, the persona. Of course, I feel more comfortable as Marwan, but I have to play Saint Levant.”

Speaking about his collaborations, Saint Levant highlights his long-anticipated project with Marwan Moussa. “I’ve wanted to work with Marwan Moussa for a while. Since 2020, in interviews, whenever they asked me which rappers I’d like to collaborate with, I always said Shabjdeed and Marwan Moussa. To me, those two played a big role in my journey. So finally meeting him and being in the studio together was an insane experience.”

Before this project, Saint Levant released his debut full-length album, Deira, in 2024, following the success of his 2023 EP From Gaza with Love. The latter gained widespread attention for its raw and heartfelt expression. Deira is named after the hotel his father built in Gaza in 2000 when their family moved there. The hotel bore witness to many tragedies before being completely destroyed in the recent war. Singing about “Deira” became a celebration of Palestinian daily life and Gaza’s landmarks through a deeply personal lens, reflecting Saint Levant’s lasting bond with his hometown and how that bond has endured over time, adding a profoundly personal and emotional dimension to his work.

In Deira, he worked with prominent artists from different musical landscapes to expand its impact and make it a shared experience. His collaboration with Cheb Bilal on “Let Her Go” and the standout track “Allah Yihmeeki” with global artist Kehlani, who has publicly supported the Palestinian cause, are among the highlights. The album also features tracks that capture Saint Levant’s mix of defiance and emotion, alongside romantic ballads like “Forgive Me” and “Qalbi.”

Saint Levant has secured a consistent presence on the Billboard Arabia Top 100 Artists chart, holding a spot for 46 consecutive weeks. His single “Wazira” released before “Love Letters” entered the Hot 100 last week, with more songs from the album expected to follow in the coming weeks.

This article was originally published by Billboard Arabia, written by Omar Bakbouk.

Perhaps the most asked question in the Arabic music landscape in 2024 was, “What’s the story with Al Shami?” Those who hadn’t tracked his rise over the past four years suddenly found themselves caught in the whirlwind of his explosive success last year, marked by hit releases, smashed records, electrifying live shows and a trove of awards. As the industry watched Al Shami’s YouTube channel soar to a billion views with just five tracks, the spotlight intensified, and his rapid ascent became a case study of unprecedented success, closely watched by both his peers and experienced artists.

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Billboard Arabia first took notice of the young star in the summer of 2023, leading to an in-depth interview at the start of 2024. In the time between, Al Shami’s rise accelerated, with record-breaking numbers and artistic milestones keeping us engaged week after week. At just 22, he became one of the year’s most talked-about artists.

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Al Shami

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Al Shami’s Milestones in 2024

He topped the Billboard Arabia Hot 100 after releasing the summer hit “Wein,” making our headline that week “Al Shami did it and became the youngest artist to top the charts.” His songs never left the top five in both of Billboard Arabia’s main charts, Hot 100 and Top 100 Artists, throughout the year and he remained at the top of the Top 50 Levantine Songs chart most weeks. At the end of the year, he walked away from the Billboard Arabia Music Awards with four trophies: Top Levantine Song and Top Indie Arab Song for his track “Sabra,” Best Levantine Artist, and Artist of the Year – Levantine Dialect, making him one of the most celebrated artists of the evening alongside superstar Sherine Abdel Wahab.

Alongside these pivotal achievements, 2024 marked a major milestone for Al Shami as he took the stage for the first time, officially launching his live performance career. While this might seem routine for seasoned musicians, it represents a significant shift in today’s evolving music landscape. It underscores the contrast between certain Gen Z artists—who rise to fame through platforms like TikTok and streaming services—and earlier generations, who built their careers through more traditional methods. For artists like Al Shami, performing live and connecting with an audience is a defining moment, revealing whether their art, creative process and collaboration with their teams can successfully transition into the realm of live music or remain confined to digital streams and online success.

This remarkable shift in Al Shami’s career journey saw him move from preparing for his debut concerts in Beirut, as he shared in our first interview, to completing a global tour that extended beyond the Arab world to Europe, America and Canada. Along the way, we witnessed his incredible growth, including a memorable joint concert in Dubai with Levantine music legend George Wassouf. During our conversation with Al Shami, we played a clip from his previous interview and asked for his thoughts. Al-Shami reflected, “Today, after roughly 12 months, I’ve done 30 or more concerts around the world, and so many wild things have happened. When I was singing in Dubai at the Global Village, I was standing in front of almost 35,000 people trying to see the end of this crowd, thinking about how a year ago I was scared of my first concert! What’s happening?” He continued: “Sometimes I don’t know if anyone notices, but while I’m singing I freeze… thinking about how this year has been insane. After performing ‘Ya Leil W Yal Ein,’ I think about how I don’t want to be just a one-hit artist, but how I want my music to be an identity and a genre in itself.”

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Even though his 2023 release, “Ya Leil W Yal Ein,” wasn’t his first song, it was the one that officially put Al Shami on the map. Before that, he was simply experimenting with friends, blending rap and pop in tracks he uploaded to YouTube. He steadily built a fanbase within his generation through TikTok, staying connected by frequently going live, sharing his music and opening up about his dreams. Today, he commands a devoted fan army, much like global pop and K-pop icons in recent years. His rise exemplifies how the new generation of artists are rewriting the rules of success—leveraging social media to cultivate a following before stepping into the traditional industry spotlight.

Al Shami

Patrick Mechekany/Billboard Arabia

As with any new artistic phenomenon, there are voices of criticism alongside those of celebration and support. In Al Shami’s case, however, the scales seem to tip more toward appreciation. Many established artists have praised his journey, while some have taken it a step further by collaborating with him. Just weeks ago, we saw Al Shami in the studio with Melhem Zein, recording a new duet written and composed by Al Shami himself. This collaboration marks a significant moment for both artists. Melhem Zein, one of the standout voices of the Millennial generation and among the top talents from the Levant in the past two decades, chose to embrace the new wave of artists instead of competing with them or pushing them aside. Al Shami reflected on this collaboration, saying, “He was open to the kind of music I create and even encouraged me to write and compose something for us. That’s a bold move on his part because he comes from a different background.” For Al Shami, this was a meaningful acknowledgement from a great artist that what he presents is indeed “art.”

Al Shami hinted at the possibility of collaborating on a new duet with superstar Tamer Hosny, sparking excitement after a photo of the two surfaced following a private family gathering and some intriguing conversations. If this collaboration comes to life, it will be a dream come true for countless young fans across Egypt and the Levant. Nearly two decades before Al Shami’s rise, Tamer Hosny was the ultimate youth icon, seamlessly blending music and cinema, earning him the title “Star of the Generation” from his devoted audience. Al-Shami shared his thoughts on the meeting, saying, “I never show up in the media with people I don’t genuinely like. For me, I have to admire them, listen to their music, and feel a real connection to say that I am excited to meet them and work together, whether it is through writing or composing for them. And surely Tamer Hosny is one of the people I love,” he continued, explaining that he has been a fan of Tamer since the start of his fame and used to hang his picture on the wardrobe in his childhood home.

Between our first and second interviews with Al-Shami, the conversation evolved significantly. In our initial discussion, he shared his journey as a young man who fled Syria for Turkey, turning to the internet—especially TikTok—in search of his passion. Once he found it, he pursued professionalism step by step.

For this cover interview, however, we spoke with a confident star at the peak of his career, navigating a future filled with tours, awards and new artistic milestones—all while striving to maintain his mental well-being and balance. Yet, through it all, Al-Shami remained calm and humble, calling Billboard Arabia his “family.” His gratitude was evident as he reflected on the support from our platform and the media, acknowledging how Billboard Arabia’s charts and weekly data not only amplified his music and journey but also played a pivotal role in shaping his success and securing his well-deserved accolades.

Tamer Ashour’s journey to becoming a celebrated singer was marked by twists of fate far beyond his expectations or plans. In the early stages of his career, Tamer was deeply focused on his goals as a composer. He poured determination and professionalism into crafting melodies for other artists and strived to deliver his best with each composition. Before the public even knew his name, his voice began to resonate through the streets of Cairo, his hometown, capturing hearts and attention.

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Two decades ago, as a composer, Tamer Ashour recorded demo versions of songs he had written for other artists. During a time when the Internet was gaining traction in the region, forums enabled users to download audio clips directly, and Bluetooth technology allowed songs to be shared across mobile phones. Amid this technological shift, Tamer was stunned to discover that some of his demos, featuring his own voice, had been leaked on forums and websites. Songs like “Zekrayat Kadaba” (“False Memories”),” Thania Wahda” (“One Second”), “Senin El Shoq” (“Years of Longing”) and “Albak Ya Hawl Allah” (“Your Heart, Oh God”) began circulating widely, gaining popularity even though the identity of the singer behind them remained a mystery.

This unexpected turn of events left Tamer, who had never intended to step into the spotlight as a singer, feeling conflicted. He recalls a time when he closely monitored the spread of his voice, allowing it to resonate with audiences before officially stepping into the spotlight to launch his career as a singer. Eventually, he connected his face to the voice that had already resonated with the public and released his debut album, Sa’b. Success followed with albums and hits like “Leya Nazra” (“I Have Insight”), “Esht Maak” (“I Lived with You”) and “Ayam” (“Days”). Alongside his singing career, Tamer thrived as a composer, collaborating with some of Arabic music’s most prominent artists to create melodies that became unforgettable. His compositions include “Ya Reatak Fahimny” (“I Wish you Understand Me”) and “Lawha Bahetah” (“Faded Canvas”) by Angham, “Min El Aasham” (“Out of Hope”) by Amr Diab and “Hikayti Maak” (“My Life with You”) and “Ana Sekketen” (“I Have Two Sides”) by Elissa.

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In our in-depth, half-hour conversation with Tamer Ashour, the star featured on the December cover of Billboard Arabia, he consistently speaks of his career as being shaped either by destiny or a series of fortunate coincidences. Yet, if you pay close attention to his words and perspective, you will quickly see that they reflect both humility and realism. This humility shines through as he speaks with great appreciation about his fellow stars, the artists he has worked with, and the young talents he hopes to support or collaborate with in the future. Even when discussing his own successes, such as his recent hit “Haygely Mawgow” (“You’ll Come to me Broken”), Tamer remains grounded.

After nearly two decades in the music industry, marked by steady and quiet successes, “Haygely Mawgow” emerged as a turning point in Tamer’s career. The song became his biggest hit to date, as demonstrated by its impressive streaming numbers across various platforms and the enthusiastic interaction at live performances. By the end of the year, just two weeks before our interview, the song had won the Song of the Year award at the 2024 Billboard Arabic Music Awards. It also claimed the Top Egyptian Song award, with Tamer leaving the ceremony with two prestigious trophies, a testament to the song’s immense success.

In addition to these awards, the creators behind the work were also recognized for their contributions. Aleem received the Best Lyricist award, while Amr El Shazly was named Best Composer. Tamer took pride in acknowledging their contributions during our conversation, also confirming that he would continue collaborating with these talented names, as well as other diverse collaborators, for his upcoming album, Yaah, slated for release in early 2025.

As his new album is set to be released independently, Tamer Ashour shared his recent experience with independent production, a trend we have seen grow over the years and discussed with many Arabic artists, including Angham, Elissa, Nassif Zeytoun and others. Ashour expressed a unique satisfaction in working outside of major production houses, as it gave him full control over his creative direction. This autonomy allowed him to take responsibility for his decisions and vision, and with that, the credit for his successes, which he feels are sometimes stifled by larger production houses. When talking about releasing independently, he says, “The production experience has been the best of my life in the last ten years. It means you are responsible for yourself, without anyone telling you that you failed or undermining your success. Production houses have always done that, and that was the assurance they offered.”

When discussing his songs and his most notable hits, Tamer Ashour refrained from labeling his songs as “sad” and instead preferred the term “drama,” a description he used frequently, as if it were an artistic genre in its own right. “The Arab audience generally gravitates toward songs with a sense of sadness. They do not necessarily have to be sad, but the songs that endure and make singers successful have always been dramatic – not cheerful or upbeat hits. What lingers in the listener’s mind is the emotion of sadness and drama, across all genres, even with popular singers,” he said. He goes on to explain: “Even popular artists during their peak success, like Mr. Hassan Al Asmar, for instance, had the world dancing to songs like ‘Kitab Hayati Ya Ain,’ a dramatic song. There are many examples from that era. The songs that helped them rise to fame and establish their names in the industry were all dramatic in nature, but they were crafted in ways that suited the style they were presenting.”

Tamer Ashour

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Tamer speaks extensively about the concept of the dramatic song and how it has become deeply intertwined with his artistic identity, shaping the path he follows. While he releases emotional and romantic songs, he understands the expectations his audience has of him. He also emphasizes that crafting a dramatic song is not something that happens effortlessly; it requires a solid foundation, with careful attention to the lyrics, melodies and performance style. When we jokingly ask if his success in this genre means he has discovered the secret to the perfect formula, he responds: “It is not the secret to the mix. This is from Allah. There are no specific things I do to make the song come out the way you hear it. People just love my voice in dramatic songs.”

Tamer Ashour

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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

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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