Quartertones | Music from the Arab World

A deep exploration of the shifting relationship between sound, politics, and the visceral search for home with Hamed Sinno. The discussion moves from their childhood in Beirut, where they internalize a sense of being an outsider, to their time at the American University of Beirut (AUB), where they began to understand the expectations of a generation raised for export. Reflecting on the intense col...

Zeyne joins Quartertones after her performance at XP Air and discusses her journey from being too shy to share her voice to becoming an artist who finds empowerment in letting her art out. She reflects on the influences of her family who instilled in her a love for music, Arab culture, and the Palestinian cause. Growing up taking vocal and piano lessons Zeyne shares that she only recently started...

Tunisian artist Soudeni joins Quartertones recorded live at XP Air and talks about her musical journey and the influences that shaped her sound. She introduces the idea of Harissa Pop – her playful way of describing music rooted in Tunisian culture but open to contemporary sounds. The touches on nostalgia, identity, and the challenges Tunisian artists face when trying to be heard beyond their bord...

Duo Kazdoura, composed of Syrian vocalist Leen Hamo and Lebanese multi-instrumentalist John Abou Chacra, who have just won the JUNO Award for Global Music Album of the Year, join Quartertones at XP Air and discuss their award-winning music, which blends Arabic lyrics and maqam with psychedelic rock, jazz, funk, and soul. The conversation covers their beginnings at a Beirut explosion fundraiser, th...

Music group TootArd discusses their unique blend of Arabic scales, reggae, hip-hop, metal, and synth music in this conversation at Quoz Arts Fest 2026. The artists explore their musical evolution, from growing up on Arabic classical music to experimenting with Western genres and instruments, and how their roots remain a constant influence. Band members Hasan and Rami Nakhleh, who come from Majdal...

Visual artist, performer, and DJ Nasri Sayegh Jr. discusses his practice and the profound influence of music on his work and life at Quoz Arts Fest 2026. He opens by sharing the urgent, improvised creation of his installation for the festival, "You Ain't Never Been Blue," which features 100 suns drawn in one night in Beirut. He speaks candidly about the two-year hiatus he took from producing art d...

Palestinian hip-hop group DAM is often credited as the first rap group in the Arab world. Now 26 years into their career, the band members join us on the Quoz Arts Fest stage to discuss the group's evolution and how they navigate personal expression amidst political tragedy. The conversation covers the mixed emotions of performing while their people are suffering through a genocide, the honor and...

South Asian-American artist Gayathri Krishnan discusses her journey, her unique musical fusion, and her performance at Quoz Arts Fest this year. She delves into the tradition of Carnatic music—a classical form from South India—and how her extensive training in it influences her contemporary R&B and neo-soul sound. She shares her start in music, her influences from Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber to...

We sit down with Ahmed Alammary (otherwise known as DJ Baloo), the Chief Creative Officer of MDLBeast and a leading music figure and thinker in the region. We discuss the origins of MDLBeast and its goals for transforming the music industry in Saudi Arabia and the broader region. MDLBeast was born from a brief for a three-day music festival in 2019. Since then, it has evolved into a multi-layered...

Oud player, singer and musician Huda Asfour takes the stage on Habibi Festival's fifth and last night of 2025, performing new tracks she wrote during the genocidal campaign on Gaza, and a track called "From the River to the Sea" which she Wrote as a response to the May 18, 2021 strike in Palestine. The Mohamed Abozekry Sextet also take the stage for a second night this festival.   0:00:00 Huda Asf...

On the fourth night of Habibi Festival 2025, Sudanese artist Mai Elgizouli takes the stage with a dynamic, deeply emotional first "serious" show in New York performing a set of acoustic songs that explore themes of sadness, power, and hope, including a deeply personal tribute to her late brother and the strong women of Sudan. She follows with a nuanced and candid conversation with afikra Quarerton...

Day 3 at Habibi Festival 2025 brings two boundary-pushing Arab artists: Iraqi-American visual artist-turned-musician Maryam Turkey and Egyptian oud player Mohamed Abozekry. They discuss their artistic journeys, creative transitions, and their unique collaborative processes. Turkey details her move into music in New York, where she found a more playful and collaborative creative space. She discusse...

Experience day two of the fifth edition of Habibi Festival, hosted at Joe’s Pub in Brooklyn. The evening begins with the festival co-founders, Yacine Boulares and Meera Dugal, welcoming the audience and reflecting on the festival’s mission of celebrating the living, breathing music, culture, and traditions of the Arab region and actively combating their "museumification." The night features contem...

Habibi Festival is back for a fifth year with performances and talks on stage hosted by afikra, which we'll be releasing on our Quartertones series. Day 1 opens with a solo performance by Maii Waleed, an artist from Alexandria, Egypt, in her debut at Joe's Pub. She sings tracks from her previous EP, including "Neptune" and "Sama", and "Fashi" from her upcoming EP.  Then violinist Layale Chaker tak...

Musician and composer Maya Youssef takes us on her unique journey with the qanun. Currently based in London, Maya delves into her early musical upbringing in Damascus to challenging traditional perceptions of the 78-stringed Instrument and developing her own innovative approach to composition and teaching. She discusses the profound connection between the qanun and human emotion, and how music bec...

Rapper, writer, and thought leader Akala joins us on Quartertones live at Sole DXB to talk about his early career steps in London, the city's unique blends due to its history, and his drive to connect with diverse audiences. He shares insights into the impact of colonialism and the importance of embracing shared cultural heritage from Shakespeare to his Jamaican influences. We discuss the signific...

Palestinian singer Lina Makoul delves into the responsibility of artists to translate public sentiment, the worsening situation in Gaza and the West Bank, and the impact of the 900 new checkpoints added by the occupation on day-to-day Palestinian life. Makoul talks about her journey as an independent artist, her research into Palestinian history, and the challenges faced by Palestinian artists und...

Palestinian-Jordanian singer, songwriter, and producer Dana Salah shares her journey graduating from Duke University to DJing in New York City and writing songs in Jay-Z's studio to transitioning to creating and performing songs in Arabic. She discusses the impact of DJing on her music writing, and the importance of staying connected with her culture. She reflects on her musical influences and the...

In this episode of Quartertones, we're joined by Palestinian composer and musician, Issa Boulos who tells us about his deep connection to Jerusalem and Palestine, and how his upbringing influenced his approach to music and life. Boulos recounts his unique experiences growing up in a small town, his family's musical traditions, and the cultural life in Ramallah. He delves into the evolution of Pale...

In this episode of Quartertones, we're joined by Barbara Lebrun, the author of "Dalida: Mythe et Mémoire." We explore the remarkable career of Dalida, the iconic singer who rose to fame in the mid-20th century. Born in Cairo to an Italian family, Yolanda Gigliotti's journey to stardom began when she moved to France in 1954. Initially adopting an Italian persona to navigate the complexities of the...

In this special episode of Quartertones in collaboration with XP Air, we sit down with prominent artist Dreamville's Bas, to discuss his journey in the music industry. We talk about the financial challenges of touring, the value of exposure over immediate monetary gain, and the significance of rehearsals and meticulous work ethic exemplified by artists like J. Cole and Drake. Bas reflects on his S...

The inspiring Emel Mathlouthi joins Tanya Khoury on the Quoz Arts Fest stage in Dubai for a riveting discussion on music, cultural roots, and breaking gender norms in the music industry. Emel shares her journey of proving that women can excel in music production, creating her all-female album "MRA," and the significance of connecting with audiences through heart and authenticity.  This special epi...

DJ amen RA welcomes the talented Syrian-American rapper, poet and longtime friend of afikra, Omar Offendum, to the Quoz Arts Fest stage. Host Tanya Khoury asks Offendum to delve into topics ranging from the impact of war on art and identity, and the significance of maintaining cultural heritage through creative expression, to the evolving landscape of Arabic hip hop. Offendum shares insights on hi...

This episode of Quartertones was recorded live on the Sole DXB stage in Dubai on December 13, 2024. Founder of Empire Records Ghazi Shami, and head of Empire Iwana Sohail Nafar explore the challenges and future of the Arab music industry, from Ghazi's connection to Palestinian heritage to Sohail's work with DAM and Empire. They discuss cultural representation, the impact of geopolitics on music, a...

In this episode of Quartertones, we interview award-winning violinist, composer, and educator Layth Sidiq at Habibi Festival in NYC. He shares his journey in Arabic music, and discusses his upbringing in a musical family, the evolution of his career, and his role as the artistic director of the New York Arabic Orchestra. He also delves into the improvisational nature of Arabic music, his album "So...