Shébani X RAYAN Rock Sole DXB 2017 Music Main Stage !!

Shébani & RAYAN performing at Sole DXB 2017 - Pic Credit: Waleed Shah

On Dec 9th, 2017, Dubai-based Iraqi singer/songwriter "Shébani" took the stage at Sole DXB and it was so dope to watch her perform old & new tracks on a big stage like that. Shout out to the guys at Sole DXB for their great work & dope vibes.

She was accompanied by her producer and motivator, the genius "RAYAN". Both were incredible on stage and I am so proud of them.

It's been amazing watching Shébani grow into her own artist and paving the way also for so many Arab female singers. Shébani was the ONLY Arab female to participate in the Sole DXB music line-up for this year. That is an amazing accomplishment and we need to push for more female representation in the years to come.

I've sat down with Shébani & RAYAN and asked them few questions about their Sole DXB set, check it out below:-

Big Hass: How was it preparing for a big show like Sole Dxb?

Shébani:  It was very similar to prepping for any other show to be honest, except you had to keep in mind that this stage is twice as big and the festival is twice as important. I try to treat it like any other show because I don't really tend to give different amounts of efforts no matter how big or small our performance will be. This helps me reduce a lot of the stress and the nerves I get before a show, it's constant practice leading up to bigger opportunities I guess.

RAYAN: It wasn’t too different to any other show we prepare for in all honesty. We were fortunate enough to have a string of shows leading up to sole, so we tried and tested out a number of different ideas for our live show throughout that period. So by the time we got to Sole DXB we had a concrete
idea of how the show was going to play out. A lot of focus was more on the visual aspect as well
crowd participation.

Shébani & RAYAN performing at Sole DXB 2017 - Pic Credit: Waleed Shah

BH: Shébani, Tell us about that moment, right before you get up on stage. What was going through your mind?

Shébani: "Don't mess up, don't mess up, don't mess up!" haha! I was only clearing my mind, I wasn't thinking about anything else but THAT very moment itself, I said a little prayer, reminded myself why I'm doing this, and reassured myself that this is where I'm supposed to be. 

BH: RAYAN,The way you arranged this full set was great. Take us through the process of creating Sole DXB set? 

RAYAN: Sound wise, I was very adamant on creating a sonic atmosphere for the set. I wanted to translatea mood and scenery that you could hear with the interludes, effects, and breaks between songs. A lot of the songs were re-mixed for a live out-door setting so that some of the audio elements in the songs didn’t go missing with the size of the venue and the sound dispersing in an outdoor
environment. The set was essentially a 25 minute song-piece moving from motif to motif of how we wanted to tell Shebani’s story.

Shébani & RAYAN performing at Sole DXB 2017 - Pic Credit: Waleed Shah

BH: I believe you dropped 2 or 3 new tracks at the Sole Dxb set? tell us about each record? When will they be online? 

RAYAN: One of the song will be out on 21^st December 2017, whilst all the rest will be 2018 releases which we’re super excited for!

**The song Rayan is talking about was just released today. You can hear it on Anghami below 

BH: You performed @ the same stage where headliner Hip Hop legend Pusha T performed. What does that mean to you guys?

Shébani: The whole festival itself is something I can't really comprehend just yet, aside from sharing the stage with all these incredible artists, I personally focused more on the fact that I played in the same festival one of my favorite artists played at. It's an incredibly humbling and exciting experience, it really puts everything into perspective for you. I don't quite think about these details until a few days after when it really hits me, these moments push your career further into levels you never thought are even possible. I can't wait for what's to come next! 

Rayan: It was an absolute privilege to share the stage with an icon such as Pusha T. He’s someone that a lot of artists and fans here look up to so it means a little more when you get to perform alongside artists of that caliber. It was also equally exciting to share the stage with artists like H.E.R and local artists that we believe have so much to offer music in our region. We felt we deserved that opportunity after a lot of the hard work we had put into the music through the tail end of 2016 and all of 2017. To play a show of that size was a small recognition and acknowledgement of our previous efforts. 

Shébani: You were the ONLY female reppin' Arabia. How does that make you feel? 

Shébani: This is why we do this, to inspire others to come out of their rooms and show the world what they're made of. I started off in my room singing to walls and camera lenses, I didn't know that I was going to be doing what I'm currently doing in my life, but I had a lot of support from friends and family, and I owe it all to them! This is what it means to me to be the only Arab female artist on that stage, it means that I have a responsibility to represent all Arab women around the world, and make it valid and valuable for them to be whoever they want to be

Shébani & RAYAN performing at Sole DXB 2017 - Pic Credit: Waleed Shah

RAYAN/Shébani: Tell us about your Sole DXB 2017 experience. Any last words.

RAYAN: Definitely one of my most enjoyable and memorable moments as producer and musician. The entire weekend was a testament of how much music culture we are developing in this part of the world. To be able to see local and international acts seamlessly share the stage is a moment I take so much pride from, as someone who is actively trying to improve, celebrate and endorse that artistic liberty. 

Shébani:  It was a mixture of all good, new and tough things! It was eye opening and a massive learning experience, but it was also fun, exciting and very new. I was very happy to be experiencing moments I had to learn from, meet new people, and share the nights with some of the most prestigious musicians and artists who flew across oceans! 


Any Last words?

Shébani: Really excited for 2018, there's a lot to talk about and look forward to. No stopping now! 

RAYAN: Sole DXB 2017, you guys were amazing. We can’t wait to come back. Stay tuned for 2018. 

Shébani & RAYAN performing at Sole DXB 2017 - Pic Credit: Omar Tartoob

Follow them on Social Media:-
Shébani
RAYAN

Q&A with Palestinian/Canadian Producer/Singer/Songwriter ROSEGOLD

Canadian/Palestinian Producer/Singer Rosegold

When I first found out about Palestinian-Canadian producer Rosegold, I was extremely happy to see a female music producer from the region. I then discovered that she also has a great voice which for me is also incredible and its a no-brainer not to feature talent like that on Re-Volt. I believe it is a duty on any person who has a voice to reflect & support these kind of talents. I wish her the best and I am sure she will be able to make a huge impact in the music scene in Arabia. 

Below is a Q/A with Rosegold whose based in Doha,Qatar.
Also check out her latest track featuring MVRS (interview with him is out soon)



Big Hass: How did you get into music production? 

Rosegold: This is gonna sound cliche, but I really think it was just a sweet twist of fate! I was a media and film student at a university in Canada, and one of the courses offered was an introduction into music production and sound design. 
Being me, I always loved to know how things were made, be it movie magic (the reason I got into film), or a beautiful musical composition. And I revelled in the satisfaction of knowing that I could make that kind of magic happen, like I was in on some secret not many know about. So I took the course. And it definitely changed my life. Since then I've listened to music differently. Music was no longer just a beat and some vocals; it became layers of sounds that I could hear and feel. Every song became a chemical compound I was trying to deconstruct. I started asking myself "what sounds combined on a 4/4 beat would make one wholesome frequency that changes or compliments a mood I was feeling?" "How do I make these sounds materialize?" "How do I manipulate them so that I have full control over their effects?". And so I learned, and I'm still learning. 

BH: Why RoseGold as an artist name?

RG: Simply, because its my favourite color and it fits my aesthetic nicely ;)


BH:You have a beautiful voice. Who inspired you to start singing? take us back to when you realized you can sing! 

RG: Thank you! I don't know if this is going to be the plot-twist of the day, but actually, I started singing when I was 14 and trying to cover some Avril Lavigne and Paramore songs. I was that Angsty Awkward Teen™ that sang in her room pretending to shock her classmates with a rock show performance at the school talent show hahaha. So I picked up a guitar and learned one of Avril's four chord songs (probably Complicated or I Will Be. I don't remember too vividly) and did actually try to perform...I completely bombed it haha. So I actually didn't start singing again until I left my rocker/punk phase behind and discovered softer indie songs, then eventually r&b. I realized "hey, maybe this is more for me", and it was. I started to cover songs by Banks, Lana Del Rey, Florence and the Machine, then Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, and even some Motown tunes, and I felt more in my element. 
Still, I hardly performed at shows cause I was still reeling from that time in high school, but I had a lot of fun doing covers with some of my talented friends in Canada and Qatar. And at the end of the day, it really should be about the fun of it all. 

BH: In your own words, how do you see the music scene in Doha? 

RG: I think it needs a chance. I'm sure many have said this before, but there's a lot of untouched talent in the city, and I think that's because the platforms and resources needed to boost these artists up are not as easily accessible or as abundant as they are elsewhere. I know, upon moving to Qatar last year, if I hadn't met Mvrs and Trak, I'd probably still be producing mini beats in my bedroom and doing nothing with them because I wouldn't know where to take them here! They knew the city better than I did and they are well established artists, so they showed me the ropes and introduced me to the new wave of other young, dynamic, versatile, and incredibly gifted Arab artists in the region. That really inspired me to keep going with my music here in Doha. 

BH: How's that EP coming along with MVRS? What can you tell us about it? Will you be producing all of it? 

RG: The EP is honestly a product of realizing the incredible musical chemistry Mvrs and I have, whether making music in Trak's studio or just jamming in the car to our mutual favourite artists. Over the course of the year, he's become the older brother I never had and (sometimes) wanted haha. After we recorded Make U Wait in an impromptu studio session during a vacation we took with our friends, we confirmed that there's a lot of potential we could unlock in one another. He encouraged me to sing again when I wanted to just be comfortable in music production, and conversely, the music I produced brought him back to his roots as a melodic rapper. And it just worked! And now we have an EP in the works that I'm producing in full and we're both vocally present on. 

BH: Who are some of the talent you like from the region? 

RG: What I love about artists in the Middle East is that they each have their particular thing, a trait unique to themselves that gets me hooked on their music. For example, I like N1yah for her ability to freestyle in real time, and her singing voice is outta this world. I like Shébani's lyrical repertoire as well as her creative music video concepts - I could watch her clips on loop! Our boys in the UAE - Menon, Majeed, Mohflow - are crazy epic rappers too. AY the Producer, Bailouni, and Sarah Nabil got insane production skills. There are other artists (Narcy, Omarion Shihottie, Meryem Saci, Mashrou' Leila, Kshr..I could go on!) that actually don't reside in the region, but are originally from a MENA country, and they're making a name for themselves and putting us on the map everywhere around the world, and I think that's profound. 

BH: Being Palestinian/Canadian , how does that affect your production/songwriting? (or how is that represented in your music)?

RG: The intersections of my identity do end up seeping in the sounds I produce, however it's not simple to explain. I used to run the Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights club at my university, and during that time I attended and participated in a few spoken word functions that took place on campus. I used to write poetry that explicitly focused on the Palestinian Diasporic plight of having no home to return to and nowhere that I feel I truly belonged. That began to translate in my early musical compositions which are unreleased, but sometimes when I couldn't find the words to express how I felt about my Palestinian identity, I found solace in composing instrumental pieces. That began to develop my confidence in playing the keys, which I eventually combined with percussion I picked up from the Toronto music scene. I will admit that, musically, I identify more with the Canadian scene than anything else, simply because I've lived there for years and I have a direct emotional connection to the music through the memories they take me back to and through the relevance of the lyrical content to my lived experiences. The soft and sampled r&b sound paired with low-fi trappy percussion is what Toronto and London Ontario sound like to me, which is why my music draws a lot from this sound - it sounds like home. 


BH: What kind of feedback have you been getting on your production & songwriting? 

RG: I'm always grateful about the feedback I receive because it is nothing but positive feedback from everyone I know. I have my close circle of friends who will always push me to strive for better by giving constructive criticism (like if a kick drum is too loud etc), and I love them for their honesty and support. As for songwriting, the only person I seek feedback from on my lyrics at the moment is Mvrs actually. I don't like sharing my lyrics with anyone before they hear me sing them, especially if I write from a vulnerable personal perspective. But with Mvrs, I think he is very lyrically gifted and I trust him to always tell me if something I write sounds good or could be better - he's basically been kinda like a mentor to me haha. I've been writing poetry for years, but haven't been writing songs for a long time, and the latter has proven to be more challenging than the former. But like I said before, I learned and I'm still learning. 

BH: Who would you like to work with worldwide & from our region? 

RG: To be honest with you, I'm still new to the scene, so I wanna work with everybody! Right now it feels like there are no limits to what I can and want to do, I just want to experiment and learn as I go. But if I were to pick a few artists now, it'll have to be Kehlani, Jhene Aiko, Quinn, SZA, and Tyler the Creator from worldwide. All of them are major influencers on my sound at the moment, especially Kehlani, but that's cause I'm biased - I've got a major crush on her voice and style! As for regional, I'd say Shébani, N1yah, Meryem Saci, Narcy, and Mohflow - all different vibes, but all talents I would love to partake in projects with. 


BH: Tell Re-Volt something not a lot of people know about you.. 

RG: There was a brief moment in time where I was going to choose "Pandz" or "Panda" as my producer name because that's been my nickname for years to everybody that knows me....I'm really glad I didn't go with that, especially after Desiigner dropped his single "Panda" LOL. My friends still call me Pandz though, and almost never by my real name.

BH: I truly fell in love with your talent & production. Big up Trak & MVRS for introducing me to you. What are your final words to re-volt blog?

RG: Thank you so much Big Hass, it's your support and the encouragement I've received from everyone over the music I've released so far that keeps me going and pushes me to do better. Let's keep the scene thriving in the region!


Listen to MVRS Ft Rosegold track entitled "Way" & you will understand how amazingly talented these guys are.

ABRI & FUNK RADIUS RELEASE VIDEO FOR "SUNNY DAZE" | Directed by FREEK TV

Emirati singer/songwriter "Abri" alongside his group Funk Radius just released a video for their track "Sunny Daze". I had the honor to interview Abri and also catch this track performed on my show.

I fell in love with it and the vibe. Abri is considered a legend in the UAE scene not to mention that hes mad talented. I am so happy to see him release videos/songs. 

This video is so cool, given that it's also directed by "Freek" who is one of the best at this in the city. When I asked Freek how was it working with Abri, he said " Humble man, been seeing him on TV since I was a teen.. and now I am collaborating with him to direct a video for him. It's an honor.." 

And this is what Abri had to say "I am excited about releasing Abri & Funk Radius 'Sunny Daze (Ankabūt)', our new single and video exclusively on Anghami. The song and video were done a while back so i was itching to get it out there so that people could hear it and watch the amazing video (shoot and edited by Freek T.V) at the same time, that way they get the whole experience. The song and video go hand in hand.'"

& When I asked him about the spider, Abri said " The Spider is symbolic. It represents the female and fate. The choices that we make construct our lives. SO if you do good things then good things happen but if you make bad choices, then..." 

The video was released EXCLUSIVELY on Music Streaming Service "Anghami" - Check it out below. Dope Song. Dope Visuals.

Abri is BACK!

Big Hass Interviews Emirati Singer Rashed Al-Nuaimi

Rashed Al Nuaimi 

I am always trying to give a voice to artists and I pride myself that I been doing this since 2008. Its simply a liberating feeling for me when I reach out to artists who are not getting enough "exposure" to feature on my blog just as a sign of solidarity and support. Today's guest is Emirati singer Rashed Al Nuaimi  whom I first stumbled on via his instagram account and this song:-

Can't help falling in love / رهيب

A post shared by RÃN - رآن (@r__a__n) on Oct 14, 2016 at 11:41am PDT

I became a fan and I wanted to show support. I salute this brother and wish him nothing but the best. The interview has been done a month ago and I thank him for his time. Have a nice read & show love to him.

Big Hass: What's up brother?
Rashed Al Nuaimi: Thank you for having me brother.


BH : Your passion for singing shows. How did that passion start?
RAN: There's no real way to answer this question..I like it ever since I was a kid, it was just something I always did; but I can definitely tell you when the transition happened between becoming something I'd do in the shower to something that I might make a career of.
It was not until I went to university and i joined my first vocal lesson class and I tapped into the "opera classical" type venue and I had my first recital at the end of the semester. I remember inviting my family to attend and they were all shocked although they knew I sing, but not to this extent..So i guess that course I took in university was the transition..I felt this could be something bigger..


BH: Do you remember the first track you ever heard?
RAN: "Laugh" Can you ever know the first track? but i can probably say the first favorite song was for "Whiteny Housten" who was a big inspiration as a kid, it was weird because I wouldn't find anyone my age listening to it. She was the reason why I would label myself as "Powerhouse" vocalist maybe. My housekeeper who was Ethiopian is the one who introduced me to Whitney Housten. 


BH: You just finished/finishing the military service for the UAE. Salute on that. How do you feel and what has this experience meant to you?

RAN: I haven't finished yet; for me I serve my country in various ways, I dont label whatever I do with the army as extremely different, Either I serve it with my music, my day job and with literary just living here.  Whatever I do with the military is just adding to that whole journey of giving back an unmeasurable debt that I have to my country for giving me everything. It's something that I pride myself on alongside the other things that I do..My music is also a big part of that "giving back". 

BH: Do you believe the UAE has a solid foundation in supporting their Local Artists?

RAN: Step by step. It's not fully formed yet, but its being created as we speak. We are kinda of setting a pedestal for the ones who would come after us. It's hard but its happening and we are creating it.


BH: Tell us about your participation at the Emerging Talent Competition that took place last year? how was that for you?

RAN: That was the biggest crowd I ever performed for. I thought I'd be nervous but surprisingly I was very comfortable. I love watching the reactions of people, I felt everything in its details. I saw facial expressions, I actually felt what the weather was like, how the "dishdasha" was moving in the wind. I also got to meet amazing local artists and interacting with them, getting to know their stories.

BH: Have you released any original material? and would you be interested in working with local/regional producers?

RAN:It's time for me to release original material. I been doing covers for quite sometime and gotten a name for it. I am definitely working on that. YES! of course, I would love to collabo, either I am doing a horrible job at finding them or they are doing an amazing job at hiding (lol) , if you know any, please direct me to them.

** This interview was done about a month ago and ever since Rashed collaborated with Egyptian producer Moseqar in an awesome track/cover - check it out




BH: How important is the support of the family?
RAN: Extremely important. I know a lot of people might not get it, I understand the value of having it. Sometimes you have to work against their wishes but I definitely believe that family's support will create a more stable road and it will also create a stamina that you need.

BH: What can we find on Rashed's MP3 player?
RAN: Mainly its Adele, Sam Smith, Whitney Housten. I also been listening to Mura Masa and John Bellion.

BH: Name few local artists you love listening to?
RAN: I been really digging Rotana Tarabzouni's "Daddy" , "Dancing Shoes" by Mougleta and also the Omani Artist "Ghazi Al Balushi"

BH: Do you believe Radio Play is as important as before?

RAN: I guess it depends where you want to reach with your music, what's your definition of success and how much do you follow "mainstream/commercial" music. I definitely am a radio listener but I also can point out that the radio is not a "definitive" result of success, big part of it is marketing and feeding a commercial need, but i think its an outlet that somehow spreads your music. I would love my message to go through but also it would not affect me negatively if it did not because I believe in my message. Its an important tool, I hope it gets used in the right way to support the right people, to push the right content.. You can not deny that hearing your songs on the radio wont give you butterflies.. that's a fact :)

BH: What's coming up for you in 2017?
RAN: Well, military for the remainder of 2017. Hopefully 2018 will be my year ;)

BH: What's your dream?
RAN:As cliche as it sounds, as many times you've heard it on Hallmark postcards..it is honestly to be happy. With music or without music, but I do believe that music for me is the road to reach my dream

BH: Any last words or shout outs?
RAN: Believe in yourself. Be Yourself and criticize yourself in a positive and healthy way. Always strive to be your own.


Thanks for your time Hass!

Saudi Singer/Songwriter 'tamtam' releases new EP | Identify Myself

Saudi artist "tamtam" has always captured my admiration!! She just released her new EP entitled "Identify Myself" alongside the video for the track with the same EP title.

Love the track, love the message & more power to her! The message of ONE, of not being boxed in, of being human first..

Check out the video now! 

Big Hass Interviews Malaysian Singer/Songwriter "YUNA" on Laish Hip-Hop? on MIX FM

Historic moment for me right there !!