Although Kuwait has long been celebrated for its traditional music, relative newcomers are now adding fresh flavors to the scene. From hip-hop to indie, here are Kuwait's top 5 music acts to spice up your Middle Eastern playlist.
Zahed Sultan is a Kuwait-based alternative/electronic multimedia artist and entrepreneur whose music has been licensed for television, film and music compilations both regionally and internationally. He released his debut album "Hi Fear, Lo Love" in 2011, and his second EP "Eyeamsound" in 2015. You can stay up to date with his news via his Facebook page .
Composed of brothers Ya’koob and Abdul’Rahman al-Refaie, Sons of Yusuf are not your typical run-of-the-mill hip-hop duo. Having lived in Kuwait and the United States, the two present a unique blend of Western and Middle Eastern influences to lyrics that tell the story of young Arab men in modern day society. You can follow their news via their Facebook page .
3. Reham - Ambient Folk
Reham is a singer-songwriter of mixed Iraqi and Kuwaiti descent based between London and Kuwait. Her songs are inspired by both her desert upbringing and Western influences. You can follow her news via her Facebook page .
4. +Aziz - Rock
+Aziz is a Kuwaiti singer-songwriter who can seamlessly blend English and Arabic with tunes that resemble both the Middle East and New Orleans – his two main points of inspirations. He released his debut EP "SoHo Spirit" in 2015, securing a place for Gulf folk-rock on the regional music scene. You can follow his news via his Facebook page .
5. Ema Shah - Classical Arabic/Western, World Music
Ema Shah is a singer, composer, actress and multi-instrumentalist born to a Kuwaiti father and an Iranian mother. The recipient of several awards, Shah studied opera, photography and film and has attracted attention through her activism, radical views and eccentricity. She sparked controversy in 2010 after singing "Haza Nagila" in Hebrew, becoming the center of scathing reviews and criticism. You can follow her news via her Facebook page .