There is a lot to be said about the power of music and the positive influence that it has on its audience – but does it also have the power to break cultural barriers? The Swedish Arabic band Tarabband says yes!
Tarabband is a multinational Arabic band from Sweden, formed in 2008 as an experimental music group. Today, they are popular both in Sweden and across the Middle East, and met large audiences when they toured the region this summer.
The band was founded by Egyptian-Iraqi Swedish Nadin Al Khalidi, now the lead singer of the band, together with five other members of diverse backgrounds. And while their lyrics are only in Arabic, the music is a marvelous mix of all kinds of music styles! Ranging from Jazz and Latin, to Persian and traditional Middle Eastern and Nordic Folk, Tarabband’s music is composed to touch the hearts of an international audience and to represent the many styles found in their hometown Malmö, a culturally diverse city in southern Sweden.
According to one of the Swedish members of the band, Gabriel Hermansson, a major goal of their music is also to introduce a beautiful and positive side of the Middle East to Swedish and Western audiences. By mixing the cultural influences on their melodies, they make their music more relatable to their Western fans, and present a side of the Middle East that differs from the one shown in Western media.
Music – what a wonderful way to break cultural barriers!
Do you want to catch them during their next tour? Like their Facebook page for event updates!
And if you can’t wait for a concert to hear their music, then check out some of their songs on SoundCloud! Don’t miss this song:
Do you know of any other multinational bands? Let us know in the comments!
This story was originally published on A Teaspoon of (لیمون) Zest.
