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The National
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The National
From Al Ain to the world: Syrian singer-songwriter Ghaliaa finds success without compromise
As the Israeli military's bombardments of Gaza intensified in October 2023, Syrian singer Ghaliaa Chaker got on a plane and headed to the Jordanian capital Amman. There, she gathered with two dozen of her peers across the Arab world in a studio to record Rajieen, a Palestinian solidarity anthem and plaintive call for peace. 'That was the fastest project I've ever worked on,' she tells The National. 'I got the call from [Jordanian music producer] Nasir Al Bashir and when he explained the concept, I was like 'yes, I am all in'.' Featuring an eclectic array of artists, from Egyptian hip-hop heavyweights Afroto and Marwan Pablo to Jordanian viral sensation Issam Alnajjar, Ghaliaa, who is more popularly known by her first name, remembers not knowing everyone in the room. Not that it mattered, because it was all about the collective spirit for a worthy cause. 'We were 25 people, just listening, giving ideas. We seriously crafted this whole thing in two days," she recalls. "We filmed for almost 26 hours in this huge warehouse, and we were all sitting, eating and sleeping in the same place because we just wanted to finish the song and put it out.' That same instinct and conviction has shaped Ghaliaa's rise from a little-known singer-songwriter in Al Ain to a regional favourite. Her Saturday concert at the Dubai World Trade Centre will be followed by a headline slot at Beirut's Aley Festival on July 18. Born to Syrian parents, she recalls a childhood in Al Ain, dubbed the UAE's Garden City, where music inspired and was practiced. 'My dad just loved everything about music. He specifically loved Umm Kulthum and he would play her songs every night before we went to sleep,' Ghaliaa says. 'He would bring home different instruments, from drums to violin and even a saxophone. These were my toys, literally.' Her mother, a fan of western pop such as The Beach Boys and The Beatles, preferred Ghaliaa's music passion to remain a hobby and take up a more "secure career" as a psychologist. While she may have graduated with a degree in communications, the real education came at home. She built her own bedroom studio and signed up for online masterclasses by producer Timbaland and singer Charlie Puth. 'I was a nerd. I spent so much time on the laptop. I consumed a lot of information. I studied a lot, watched a lot of videos. I signed up for a bunch of courses. I just kept going.' The move to Dubai to pursue a full-time music career, including appearing in many of the city's open-mic nights, had an inauspicious start. 'I visited all the labels that were in Dubai at the time and there weren't many,' she says. 'It was a very hopeless situation for me and I remember thinking: 'Am I even in the right place? Should I fly somewhere else to do this, or should I just stick to mass comm?'' Her early singles, such as 2019's Why, were written in English, built around minimal and atmospheric production and emotionally direct lyrics that would go on to define her craft. However, what caught people's attention wasn't the material, but her image. 'I think me being this songwriter, who happened to wear a hijab was super new to them,' she says. 'While I felt the music was easy to relate to, once people started putting a face to the song, that's when the shock came.' Criticism and ill advice followed from the industry and the internet. 'Sometimes it would be about the way I wear my hijab. Sometimes I'd hear that maybe I should cover my tattoos or show more skin. It was always: 'how about you do this, how about you try that',' she says. 'And you know what, it's so freaking tempting to say yes 'I can do that' because these people in the industry know exactly what to say to make you say yes.' It was enough for Ghaliaa to retreat to her own circle of friends and collaborators and double down on her approach. As a result, her confidence grew to meld her evocative songwriting with Arabic lyricism. The results were a string of winning tracks such as A'bali and Elak w Bass that would eventually get the attention of US record label Empire, who Ghaliaa says encouraged her to be herself. Even with her new release Orchestra Sessions, a collection of original works lavishly reimagined by the all-female Firdaus Orchestra, Ghaliaa says she is still drawn towards the stripped-back sounds found in some of the UAE's smaller music venues. 'I still go to these open mics and look forward to the feeling of being surprised,' she says. 'I am telling you there is still so much talent out there who are working hard for the opportunity to be found.'
Gulf News
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf News
From Al Ain to the stars: How Syrian singer Ghaliaa Chaker turns doubts into musical triumphs in UAE
There's a warm and winsome charm about Ghaliaa Chaker that draws you to her instantly. After several postponements of our meeting, we finally met, and she marched in with a smile and said without any reservations, 'The stars aligned finally! We have been trying this for a while, haven't we?' It's like talking to a friend. A friend, who just wanted to share a story, of how she became a singer, a bittersweet journey filled with highs and lows that can be as rough as an unpaved road. Open mics to original tracks Ghaliaa, a Syrian singer who grew up in Al Ain, recently marked a major milestone in her musical journey with the release of her debut album, Nafsi El Oula. In her words, she's been 'out and about' on the music scene since childhood—taking part in open mics, cultural performances, and school clubs. But it was at 18, while finishing a degree in mass communication. that she had a reckoning. 'I realised that wasn't what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. So, I started recording at home. I had a warm, cosy little studio and released my first song at 19, in English.' With no industry roadmap to follow, Ghaliaa, now recognised as one of the 'Digital stars under 30' turned to research. 'I didn't even know how to release on Spotify or YouTube at the time,' she admits. A conversation with a well-known UAE radio host became a turning point, guiding her through her first steps into the music world. 'I started doing interviews, learning everything on the go.' Yet, as she says, she just wanted to keep learning and acquiring more knowledge. She took short-term classes at Berklee College of Music, which was transformative for her. 'Those few months changed me completely, from A to Z. Music theory, the business of it all, it gave me structure and showed me the importance of balancing the creative and the commercial sides.' Powered by passion and family In an industry like this, she emphasises, you need to be surrounded by a rock-solid support system. And that starts with her parents, who are her biggest cheerleaders. 'My dad's a mechanical engineer who runs a couple of restaurants, super business-oriented. He's always brought me new instruments to try. And my mom? She's huge on world music. They've always pushed me to explore, to take classes, even Turkish music.' Yet, despite the support, it gets gruelling. The fame, the worry about not keeping up, and always wary of competition. Yet, Ghaliaa, in tandem with her spirited nature is determined to view it all in a transformative light. 'Balancing everything is hard—your job, your personal life, your creative goals. There's a lot of self-doubt. There are days I've wanted to just stay in bed and forget it all. But then the next day rolls in, and I tell myself—I'm a dreamer,' she says with a chuckle. And she is. There will always be competition, but she is determined to view it in a healthy way. How can she push herself forward, and that's exactly where she chooses to focus. Inspired by legends, driven by emotion She reflects deeply on themes that shape her art. 'This year is about being authentic. I've been shy about promoting my work—making it all look shiny and polished, because you need to package it well and sell it properly. That part's hard. But behind closed doors, I've just been recording, experimenting.' Regarding the various influences that shape her music, she says, 'I love Arab legends, but also Adele. I'm drawn to ballads and anything that explores belonging and vulnerability. I love that feeling when a crowd resonates with a song like they've all lived the same story.'
