Interview with Hamdan Al Abri
Dubai Born and based Singer / Songwriter
Your EP just released, tell us a little about it.
Yes, I just released my solo debut EP! It's my own effort together with Producer Yasser Anderson. He produced three tracks on my album, I produced one and coproduced another one. It is more of a personal record, what I was going through last year. The EP is a diary of what happened in 2010 - what was going through my head and what I was experiencing during that time.
Was it strange for you to go back into the studio solo without the rest of your band?
It was a bit strange because I was so use to the way we work with Abri. It was a little different from what the approach is as far as recording and writing with Abri which is kind of a good. It's different and new. It got me out of my element.
Your songs from your new EP have been featured in CSI and the Ringer, where are you hoping that will take you?
Having my songs featured on TV shows was such a new thing for me. It wasn't one of my visions to have my songs on TV, it just kind of happened and so quickly. I hope it continues and I hope my songs can be featured in films as well. I think it is such an important tool as far as exposure.
When we look at some of the international acts some of the A Listers worldwide they always show you their home town and how people are supporting them. They have banners and t-shirts and they're out on the streets celebrating. That doesn't really happen in Dubai. When it comes to supporting acts from Dubai we're not getting through to people. What do you think we are doing wrong?
I just think it's the fact that the music industry here is so new, something so new and different for Dubai. We are in such an infant stage as far as music and entertainment. I think it'll take time for people to completely take a band, group or an artist into their hearts. I don't think they're use to it yet. It needs to be accepted and they need to realize that this is theirs and that we are a part of this city, a part of this country, and we are here to represent the UAE. I think it just needs time.
You were in London for a year. Was your experience there very different from the Middle East or was it just a continuation for your journey?
It's a huge difference, as far as the music scene, but obviously, the music scene has been there for a lot longer. It's different in the fact that it's more competitive there so it is a little hard to get heard. And the audience is brutal, if they don't like you they don't like you. I liked all that though, for me it was a challenge. I was coming in there as an outsider and I was trying to express myself and perform.
Did you feel like you achieved what you wanted to in London?
I definitely want to go back. As far as achieving what I wanted, initially we were supposed to go there as Abri, my band, and go on a tour and possibly record an album, but that obviously did not happen. So for the first few months I was a little lost, but it was positive as well in that I had time to work on my own stuff and experiment with different kinds of music and styles. I would definitely like to go back. It challenges me and makes me want to be a better musician.
What's the road right in front of you right now?
Now that I have released the EP I would like to go out there and perform live. I have already been doing some shows here in Dubai, but I would like to perform internationally – Europe, Japan, the United States, Canada. I think going out and performing live and interacting with the crowd is the best way to let them know what you are about. I want to reach out to as many people as I can and open my world up to them.
"Performing arts to me is basically laying down your soul and communicating your soul to the world - telling what you think, telling what's wrong and what's good in the world and expressing yourself to the fullest. Making people happy, making them sad, making them feel something, making them escape. I think it's just being passionate about what you do and wanting to share that with the world."
