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In a music scene that has quietly become Egypt’s most open space for self-expression, voices like Nourine Abouseada don’t just emerge, they endure. While cinema and other art forms continue to navigate visible constraints, music has carved out a different kind of freedom, one that allows artists to experiment, provoke, and exist unapologetically.
For every unconventional artist who dares to sound different, there are many who disappear under the weight of criticism, sarcasm, and a culture that often resists what it cannot immediately understand. Nourine stands in that tension, between playfulness and depth, irony and sincerity, creating a sound that feels as unpredictable as it is intentional.
In this conversation, Nourine Abouseada opens up about beginnings shaped by chance, criticism as a form of validation, and the delicate balance between instinct and craft in a rapidly shifting Egyptian pop scene.
Q: I’m really curious about the behind the scenes of your very first song, even after it was released, what was that experience like?
Nourine Abouseada: It was during the Corona years, so content creation was just starting to become really a thing here in Egypt. You know, that was the time. So, I decided to put myself out there. I’m just going to post random stories of myself singing, random stories of myself making sketches, randomly talking. I never vlogged. I was never an influencer. I was just someone… I don’t even know what I was. I did funny videos and stuff.
And then I got the idea: okay, why not make a song that goes with the content I was posting at the time, something that aligns with that, because it was going viral. So I made this song, that was basically it. I was like, maybe someone’s going to see it, and they’re going to want to cast me, or meet me.
And that’s exactly what happened. Actually, Ayten Amin, the director of Al Shanab, cast me because of the song. She once spoke about the song and said that she believed this is what true art really is.
Q: I know what you do isn’t very familiar in Egypt, and people often mock what’s unfamiliar. How did you deal with that when you first started, and how do you handle it now?
NA: I’ve gotten used to being different my entire life, my entire existence. I’ve always been different. And, you know, different isn’t always looked at in a positive way. I mean, being different isn’t always a positive thing, or people don’t always appreciate differences. So, I got used to it.
Basically, when I get criticized for anything I do in my art in general, I’m not going to say it doesn’t bother me or it doesn’t hurt, because of course it does sometimes, but at the end of the day, I just do it, you know?
I mean, when this happened, when Besbasa went viral, people were saying I’m ruining art. And I felt like, wow, if you feel like I have this much importance to be able to actually ruin art or affect art, that just made me happy. You know? I just felt like if I don’t get criticized, then my music is not making a difference. Anything different is always frowned upon because people get scared of anything they don’t know or anything that’s a bit different. And what I’ve learned is that you push through, and then everyone accepts it at some point and actually starts liking it.
Q: Do you think your songs ever touch on real struggles or pains, or do they stay in a different space? Do you think people would relate to this kind of music you make?
NA: You know, I feel like any form of self-expression is coming from somewhere. Even, for instance, someone who does clowning is not necessarily a happy person, and he’s not necessarily a dumb or shallow person. He can be the most depressed, the most intense, or the most philosophical and intelligent person you know. So it’s just a way of expressing yourself. And if you look into it, you will find the layers. Even a song for children has layers, and there’s a reason why it works. So it’s self-expression. You will always find it, no matter what the format is, the genre, or the type, if you’re smart enough to look for it.
Q: Pop artists are often bold, out of the box, and unpredictable, that’s what makes them exciting. Considering you’re in the Arab world, do you feel the audience ever limits what you can do creatively?
NA: Of course, all the time, not just the audience. My own family, my culture, everything, even me, but I adapt. That’s the thing. I feel like you can always adapt with art. There’s no one way of expressing yourself. So as much as I feel like I would love to have a bit more freedom, I don’t feel like it’s stopping me that much from what I want to do. I feel like I find a way to do what I want to do. I find a way to communicate. It’s how it works. It’s how it goes.
Q: You mentioned before that you love musicals, what is your favorite musical film?
NA: I love Hamilton. I love Mamma Mia. I love Hairspray. I love Wicked. I’ve seen all the Broadway musicals online, and I’ve actually seen three of them in New York.
Q: What is the story behind Feen El Kalam?
NA: Ismal Nosrat is my music producer for the entire EP. We released one of the songs from the EP, called Feen El Kalam. When we began working on it, we had in mind that we wanted to create pop music reminiscent of the early 2000s, with familiar sounds, melodies, and catchy tunes. This was our vision as we started jamming, and Feen El Kalam ended up being the first song we developed for the EP.
Q: How are you feeling about the breakthrough it’s having on TikTok and the way people are engaging with it so authentically?
NA: I feel incredibly grateful, especially since this is quite different from what I usually do. I was a bit concerned about how people would react and receive it, but it was really rewarding to see that it had exactly the impact we were aiming for.
Listeners connected with both the sound and the melody, and it was even compared to early 2000s tracks and pop hits. That’s when I felt like we truly achieved our goal. In the end, it’s not so much about the numbers, it’s about the feeling, and I believe we managed to convey the exact feeling we set out to create.
Q: How did your collaboration with Ismail Nosrat start?
NA: Ismail Nosrat is a partner at Beetroot Records, the label I’m signed to, which is how we first started collaborating. Since we’re part of the same label, our working relationship developed naturally. He takes on an A&R role for me, essentially acting as my music advisor. Whether I’m working with him directly or with other producers, he’s always involved, offering his perspective and expertise. That’s really how our collaboration began.
Q: What should fans expect from the EP?
NA: They’re all nostalgic. With each song you listen to, you’ll feel like you’ve heard it before, even though you actually haven’t. None of the melodies are identical to any existing ones, yet they’re so familiar that you’ll be almost certain you’ve heard them before.
Q: I really love the visuals in your music videos, especially Paris. Do you contribute to the visuals, or is that primarily the director’s vision?
NA: I contribute to everything. So, for example, Paris, the treatment of the music video is mine, and that’s why it’s a bit chaotic and personal, because it’s very personal. Every part of the music video represents something in my life.
Marwan implemented this perfectly, more than I would have ever dreamed of. Mesh Farek wasn’t really my idea, but I tried to slip in anything I could as much as possible. Yeah, Miss Bossa as well, everything. I mean, we can’t really afford not to be involved.
Q: Do you take part in designing the choreography for your music videos, or is that entirely the choreographer’s work?
NA: I don’t think I’m a great dancer. I’m not sure. I mean, it’s not my thing. Some people are good dancers. I know how to have fun with music and move with music, but I’m not a dancer, so I wouldn’t get involved in the choreography. I might say what I like, what I think looks cool, what I think goes with what we’re trying to do, but not more than that.
What’s the shortest time it’s ever taken you to make a song?
NA: Shortest time? I don’t know, like two hours. Does that count?
Q: Do you think the amount of time spent affects whether a song becomes a hit or not?
NA: I mean, this is also a very important topic because it’s something most artists either discuss or argue about at some point in their life, because we really don’t know whether we should craft or let things be organic. And there’s something called ‘the first demo syndrome.’
So you listen to the first demo for the first time, and then as soon as you change anything in the song, you miss it, you think it’s not as good as the first demo. So you don’t know if that’s true or not, and at the same time, you feel like, okay, the more I craft it, yes, it’s getting better, but it’s also losing some of that fresh rawness that gives it character.
So, you get into the discussion of whether you should craft, or not, let music come as it is and just move on to the next.
Q: I know you’re friends with Marwan Imam, and he’s directed music videos for you before. How would you describe your creative collaboration with him?
NA: I adore working with Marwan. He’s very talented, extremely smart, very well informed, well prepared. He reads, he watches things, he knows things. He’s just unbelievable. And he just gets me very quickly. I don’t need to explain myself too much, and I trust him so much, I don’t really need to know what he wants to do. I just know it’s going to be good.
So, yeah, he’s one of those people who I really believe in, you know, as an artist in general.
Q: For someone who’s never listened to Egyptian music before, which song would you recommend as a first introduction?
NA: Interesting, wow. I would probably go for Nancy Ajram or something. I feel like she is the most universal, maybe Eh 2ol Tany Keda.
Q: You have a very old and popular video online of you singing Faker El Hawa. Can you tell us what was happening in that video, or what you remember from that time?
NA: I was at the office. I was just singing, and my friend started doing the music, and I just posted it as a story, and it’s been surfacing on the internet up until now.
At the time, I had a nine-to-five job. I had just graduated from university. It was during Corona, right after the lockdown, and I wasn’t even famous at the time.
Q: At this stage of your career, what kind of risks excite you the most?
NA: I think at this point, the only risks that really excite me are the ones involving the work itself, so a challenging role, or challenging music. I want to upgrade my music. I want to tackle a new genre or try to do something I’ve never done before. These are the risks I like taking right now.
Q: Have you ever rejected a project because it felt like it would misrepresent the version of yourself you wanted to show?
NA: Of course, even when I don’t want to. Sometimes I really want to work with someone just out of enjoyment, or even empathy, not empathy in a bad way, just empathy, like we’re hanging out together, we both like this, and we just want to do it. You know? We just want to do it.
Sometimes I don’t want to think about it too much, and sometimes I have to make certain decisions because, at the end of the day, it’s a career.
Q: Did you ever hesitate or delay your work, waiting to feel bold enough to take the first step?
NA: I wanted to be an actress when I was 16, and I studied fine arts and theater, and it was the plan all along. Then I graduated, and I had a full-time job. I had no idea how I was going to make it. I had absolutely no one on the inside, no connections, no friends, no family, no one who knows anyone who works in this field. I did not know how I was going to start.
Q: Your music gives me the vibe of old Egyptian sitcoms, which sitcom is your favorite?
NA: Ragel W 6 Setat. And Tamer w Shawkeya.
Q: Do you see yourself going on tour in the future?
NA: Of course, I will tour. Let me just release the rest of my album, work on some more music, and then we will be touring
Q: If you could rewrite your first breakout song with the experience you have today, what would be different?
NA: I wouldn’t stop there. I think I would spend a bit more time on the writing itself; I would give it a bit of thought.
Q: What do you want audiences to feel after encountering your work, even briefly?
NA: If it made them feel something, that would make me very happy. I don’t need anything more than that, just any feeling.
Q: What’s a movie that moved you so deeply that it made you want to hug someone afterwards?
NA: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
Q: Do you watch old classic Arab movies? If so, do you have a favorite one?
Ibn Hamido and Rumor of Love.
Q: Who is your favorite Arab director?
Kamla Abu Zekri
Q: What is your favorite film of all time?
Silver Linings Playbook.
Q: Is there a film that genuinely changed the way you see life?
NA: I think Titanic was the first movie to ever break my heart.
Q: We’d love to hear more about your upcoming projects.
NA: There will be more music, we are working on more music for the summer. So there’s that. There’s also maybe a movie, or more than a movie, that we’re preparing for right now. There’s nothing I can really say for sure, but there will definitely be more music and more movies this year.
Q: After collaborating with Marwan Moussa, which rappers would you love to work with next?
NA: I’m actually working right now with Turk, Ziad Zaza, and Zaid Khaled. We’re still fine-tuning the songs, and there’s a chance they could come out as singles.
Q: If you were a single shot in a film, what would it look like? Make something completely up.
NA: So, an extremely messy room, but one that has a lot of interesting gadgets and objects and colorful stuff. It’s very messy. The gadgets represent the psychotic side that we haven’t gotten to see yet, or the different layers. I mean, there are a lot of beautiful things in the frame, but it’s messy.
