Tarab

We’re thrilled to share that Tarab was named one of the Best of 2025 by Apple Podcasts in the Middle East. Hosted by Saeed Saeed from The National News in Abu Dhabi, Tarab dives into the sounds and stories redefining Arab music. In Season 1, artists from across the region, from classical composers to hip-hop trailblazers, shared what Tarab means to them. Featured artists in the first season includ...

As we wrap up the first season of Tarab, we look at where the Middle East’s music industry may be heading next. A Grammy Awards for the Middle East. That’s the vision Taymoor Marmarchi is bringing to life. As the first executive director of the Mena Recording Academy, Marmarchi is laying the groundwork for an inclusive regional music ecosystem that connects artists, producers and industry figures...

Born in Damascus and raised in the oasis city of Al Ain in the UAE, Ghaliaa Chaker grew up between quiet streets and a house full of instruments. She taught herself production, wrote in English first, then pivoted towards Arabic lyricism, as audiences asked to hear their stories in their own language. In this episode of Tarab, Chaker joins host Saeed Saeed where she talks about working on her firs...

A classically trained pianist with performances spanning Vienna, Chicago and London, Syrian-American composer Malek Jandali has dedicated his career to preserving and elevating Arabic symphonic music on the global stage. In this episode of Tarab, host Saeed Saeed sits down with Jandali, whose work bridges western classical tradition and Middle Eastern heritage. Jandali speaks about the inspiration...

You can only take so much in a suitcase. When Tania Saleh left Beirut in 2022, she packed lightly and started over. Now living in Paris, the Lebanese singer and visual artist has translated that rupture into a new album called Fragile. It is sparse, introspective and stripped of the social critique for which she's long been known. Instead of grand statements, the songs chart quieter emotional terr...

 They're known as the Lebanese Coldplay. Their shows are electrifying, their songs punchy and heartfelt. They've tackled themes from loneliness in the Covid-19 pandemic to heritage and a deep love of land. On this episode of Tarab, host Saeed Saeed speaks to Anthony Khoury of Adonis, the indie-pop band he established in 2011. He talks about the band's evolution and the emotional core of their seve...

How do you write a song about contentment in Arabic pop? Not joy, not heartbreak, not resistance, but stillness. Palestinian singer Lina Makoul has spent years exploring that question She is part of a growing wave of artists who are reshaping what emotional honesty sounds like in Arabic music, from a songwriting challenge with Palestinian teenagers during the pandemic to her ongoing solo work, she...

On this week's episode of Tarab, host Saeed Saeed dives into Khaliji hip-hop with Ya'koob Al Refaie, one half of Kuwait's groundbreaking sibling duo, Sons of Yusuf. Joining The National from Kuwait City, Ya'koob discusses their second album, Granada, a project crafted across continents that draws inspiration from spirituality, Islamic art, and history.

The music of Adnan Joubran is more than a family affair. A member of Le Trio Joubran – the Palestinian oud ensemble formed with his brothers Samir and Wissam – the Nazareth-born musician grew up in a house filled with sound: a father who was a master oud maker and a mother who was a singer. Carrying that legacy forward on stage has become more than keeping a tradition alive. For over two decades,...

Egyptian rapper and poet Felukah has carved out a place in Arabic hip-hop through a style that moves easily between Cairo and New York, English and Arabic. Since her 2019 debut, Citadel, she has built a body of work that blends hip-hop, neo-soul and regional influences, while maintaining her independence in an industry dominated by major labels. In this episode of Tarab, host Saeed Saeed speaks wi...

Lebanese singer Yasmine Hamdan remains one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary Arabic music. She forged a trailblazing career with the seminal band SoapKills before going solo, following a path defined by restless energy and a search for new forms of expression. Her latest album, I Remember I Forget, continues that journey, drawing on themes of memory, exile and distance. Written and re...

Tarab is a new weekly music podcast hosted by The National’s Saeed Saeed that takes you inside the Middle East’s music scene.  The first season brings you conversations with some of the region’s most captivating voices, from genre-defying performers to industry visionaries. You’ll hear from artists reshaping Gulf hip-hop, reinventing Arab music, using the piano as a call for peace and bringing jaz...