Music
From a busker on the streets of Byblos to a rising artist who's storming the Arabic pop scene
“I’ll never be imprisoned between four walls. All I want to do is music, and I will invest every minute in that until time starts investing in me.” That’s how Joseph Abboud (Zef) describes ditching a master’s degree in advertising and communication as well as a design desk-job, to pursue a career in music. Zef’s career took an unexpected turn into the realm of Arabic pop.
It all started with Zef meeting Anthony from Adonis for a project not directly related to any of them and asking about a guitar laying around to show Anthony a song that he wrote. “I guess he agreed out of social obligation”, Zef describes the random request with a grateful smile. Impressed by the catchy tunes and engaging vocals, Anthony offered to rewrite the song in Arabic. “Arabic music has always been a part of my daily life. Sabah Fakhry is close friends with my Grandpa and he’s always at our place whenever he visits Lebanon. Being Lebanese, singing in Arabic is only common sense.”
Shortly thereafter, Zef was introduced to producer Sleiman Damien who recognized him from the streets of Byblos seven years back. “He left some money while I was playing and said I’d go places. And here we are working together seven years later.”
And so, it was, just like he wished it would be. Zef recorded his first song “Chi Nhar” and filmed a breathtaking music video, performed and sung in reverse on the shores of Chekka. “The sea is like my natural habitat, and I had to do something original with a tight budget. Sometimes it’s worth sacrificing 3 months of memorizing a song backwards to get that.”
As a matter of fact, his latest single “Sofon el Bahara” is dedicated to his grandfather who taught him everything he knows about the sea. We know you’re curious. Check it out: