Layali Project: A new dimension of Arabic pop

The music industry is always evolving, especially in Saudi Arabia. The pop genre is one of the most listened to as there are so many artists doing it. Sometimes, it’s hard to stand out and make a difference. That’s what the Layali Project is trying to do. They are trying revolutionize the Arabic pop genre and they have just started.
We caught up with them and had the below chat.

Arab News: What sparked the Layali Project idea?
Layali Project: We have been making music for a long time, in several different languages and styles. Making Arabic music has always been a dream of ours even though it seemed far away due to us being based in Sweden. Also the time wasn’t right, we were both busy doing solo projects, and managing our own careers individually. We finally had a chance to sit down together and make an Arabic song. When we heard the final result we just knew that this is something that we have to focus on.

AN: What is the Layali Project? What do you hope to achieve with this group?
LP: Layali Project is a group consisting of Ibrahim Namro and Ali Jammali, we do everything ourselves from producing to writing our own music.
We believe that we have something new to add to the Arabic music scene, which sometimes feels like its stagnant. Even though there has been a slight change And there are some artists who are trying new things, we still feel a lot of the music coming out is stuck in a timezone (90’s). Therefore, we want to be the ones who bring new sounds/styles to the region — a fusion of all Arabic music styles combined with a western touch.

AN: You’re signed to Universal Music, how did that partnership happen?
LP: Our manager Wissam Khodur, is based in the UAE and he was the first to hear our songs. He has done a great job, he took the music to labels in Dubai, and we finally went with Universal. We are very happy and we feel that Universal is the right place for us, they understand our vision. We know that it’s going to take some time, we are a new group and success doesn’t come over night, so we have a lot of things planned.

AN: In some interviews, you went on and said that you will revolutionize the Arabic pop genre. How would you do that?
LP: Someone has to dare to think outside the box, and try new things, you might win some and you might lose some, but you have to try and not just keep doing the same thing year after year. We feel that Arabic music in general needs some new energy, we believe that we can be part of the change that takes Arabic music worldwide.

AN: Will we see Layali Project collaborate with local producers?
LP: That is something that we plan on doing as well as working with other Arabic artists. So producers and artists, please feel free to contact us.

AN: How’s the feedback on your single ‘Layali’? And when can we expect a new release?
LP: So far it’s moving forward although not as fast as we would have wanted to but we knew that from earlier experience. We are a new band trying to break in to the Arabic market, it’s not going to be easy but it’s going to happen sooner or later. One thing that we are happy about though is that the song is doing quite well on Anghami. We think that Anghami is a great thing for the Arabic scene, Spotify did a lot for the music scene in the West. It changed the whole game. We think that Anghami is doing the same and we are glad it’s doing well there.

AN: Will we see English lyrics or only Arabic?
LP: We were discussing that in the studio and we will make some songs in English. Although we’re not sure now is the right time, we still need to get some more traction as an Arabic band before switching languages, but you never know what kind of opportunity pops up.

AN: Is radio play as important as before?
LP: The most important thing is the Internet for sure. I am quite sure that most people listen to music on YouTube today, that’s where you discover new music. People sharing music and songs going viral are the best and most important thing today. With that being said, I believe that radio and television are still important in the MENA region, more so than in the West. Having your song on the radio 20 times a day on a big channel can of-course do a lot for an artist.

AN: Tell us something not a lot of people know about the duo of Layali Project?
LP: One thing that might interest people is our nationalities, which are Palestinian and Tunisian.

Source: Arab News