5 Arab Indie Pop Artists You Should Check Out in 2015

As 2014 came to a close and Mideast Tunes released their TOP 20 artists of 2014, we came across these 5 promising Arab indie pop songwriters to hear in 2015.

1) Youssra El Hawary (Egypt). Nominated for ONE’s Honesty Oscars in 2014 as “Best Activist Anthem,” Youssra and her accordion embodies the perfect mix of groundbreaking folk-style Indie pop with social criticism.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4oMi4pWv9o]

2) Mo Zowayed (Bahrein). With his soothing voice and folksy sound, Mo and his band The Accidentals are an indie gem with a lot to promise for 2015.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7M5D-BH3MO8]

3) Boshra al Saadi (Syria). There’s a lot of pop; some afro disco, and a lot of techno, too. New York-based but clearly tied to her Syrian origins, Saadi offers an uplifting electro-happy rythm that transcends all genres. One thing is for sure: she will not go unnoticed in 2015.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XM-5EYC1_Eg]

4) Alsarah (Sudan). Described as “the princess of Nubian pop”, Alsarah powerfully blends north and east African sounds with Arabic tradition.  A singer, songwriter, ethnomusicologist, and “self-proclaimed practitioner of East-African retro-pop”, she was listed last year as NPR’s 5 International music you must hear now and is ready to break the charts in 2015.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KFBKcl4CD0]

5) Reham (Kuwait/Iraq). Her “folktronica”, an ambient folk style blended with electro sounds, is probably one of the best matches you will come across in 2015.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/151857278″]

For more information: Visit Mideast Tunes and get inspired with more independent Middle Eastern artists.

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