Lebanon is known as an arts and culture hub, and for being one of the very few Arab countries to provide a platform for an alternative music scene.
In recent years, more indie bands are making it big, and among those is >Adonis, a Lebanese four-member pop/rock group.
Behind their success is a mix of engaging lyrics and catchy tunes.
Anthony Khoury, the band's lead singer, met with StepFeed for an exclusive interview to discuss their latest album.
It all started when AUB students Anthony Khoury and Joey Abu Jawdeh got together for a jamming session.
Shortly thereafter, the duo expanded, recruited, and decided to take their talent to the next level.
Adonis was born.
Tell us a little about your past work
With two albums already out, Daw El Baladiyyi (Street Light, 2011) and Men Shou Bteshki Beirut (What's Wrong with Beirut, 2013) the band communicates with lyrics that tackle issues facing Arab youth.
>Men Shou Bteshki Beirut describes the ongoing dilemma of wanting to leave Lebanon, a problematic desire faced by most aspiring youngsters looking for opportunities not provided to them by their country.
"The two albums explore different facets of urban life, our original source of inspiration. Even the band itself is named after my hometown," explained Adonis' lead singer, Anthony Khoury.
Daw El Baladiyyi romanticizes and explores the trivial details and streets people take for granted; like streetlights, rooftops, windows, and so on.
"Men Shou Bteshki Beirut deals with personal struggle; one between my love for Beirut, and my desire to leave it to follow my friends who, at the time, were all moving abroad in search for better lives and new adventures," he continued.
How is Nour, your first album in three years, different from the previous ones?
Released last September with 14 songs, Adonis' latest album Nour addresses topics related to identity and belonging such as “Mafraa’ Amchit” ("Amchit's Junction") and “Yeb’a Enna” ("Stay Here").
"The release of Nour was a turning point in our lives. With this album, Adonis stopped being a hobby for the four of us, and started becoming a fundamental part of who we are," Khoury stressed.
Unlike previous albums, this one is mostly concerned with people. It deals with the polarity between “the stranger” and “the familiar”, “the anonymous crowd” and “the one”.
"Before Nour, when I presented myself to new people, I would say, 'I’m an architect'. That was my day-job, and what was written on my business card. Today, when someone asks me what I do, I naturally answer, 'I’m the lead singer of Adonis.' It just makes sense now. It also helps that I’m more comfortable introducing myself as the lead singer of a band, when I know there’s a big chance that my interlocutor has heard (or heard of) its music," he added.
The sound might have changed, but the Lebanese touch is still there
Musically, the album presents a more simplified sound when compared to the band's previous work, especially in terms of arrangement and song format.
It includes digital sounds and beats, without completely giving into them, best demonstrated in “Al Khafif" ("Slowly").
"This actually perfectly mirrors the relationship we had with the album’s producer, Jean-Marie Riachi, who was keen on adopting trending electronic sounds for easier access to the market, while we held on to our organic sound.
I think the result, somehow, manages to please both universes: while this album introduced us to a much bigger audience thanks to Jean-Marie's vision, our sound is still relevant to those who have been listening to us since the beginning," Khoury explained.
On song writing...
Nour took three years to make, but some of the album’s tracks were written in the span of only a few hours, including "El Ossa W Ma Feeha" (The Thing Is) and "La Bel Haki" (Not With Words). In contrast, others like "Yeb’a Enna," took years to complete.
"When I’m writing a song, the two sides of my brain are in a constant rope-pulling game. The right side just knows that a certain word or note sounds exactly right where it is, and that nothing else could sound as good... and then there’s the left side, which worries about how this word or note fits into the song's pre-defined sound or meaning. The best tracks, for me, are when a good balance of intuition and intellect is achieved," Khoury said.
Band members are still pursuing their individual careers
Joey Abu Jawdeh, the band's guitarist, is an architect, while drummer Nicola Hakim is the co-founder of a branding and marketing agency. Gio Fikany, the bass guitarist, is now building his own recording studio, and Anthony Khoury, vocals and keys, has recently shifted from architecture to music production.
"These professions are not only a necessity, they define each of us individually, enrich us, and, therefore enrich our music.
The essence of Adonis’ music comes from everyday people, situations and adventures that we encounter in our jobs, and that most full-time artists don’t get to experience," Khoury emphasized.