Credit: Redaround
In the vibrant landscape of the UAE’s music scene, one band stands out for its unique fusion of rock and Arabic music, captivating audiences with their distinctive sound. Redaround, comprised of Amr Hisham (Lead Singer), Alaa Ibrahim (Drums), Omar Elbeshbishy (Rhythm Guitar), Omar Wahby (Lead Guitar), and Marwan Elmesseery (Bass), has been making waves in the region with their innovative approach to music.
Creativity Undefined spoke with the band about their philosophical approach to music, the band’s evolution, their upcoming projects and everything in between.
Redaround’s journey began in 2012 when a group of friends with a shared passion for music came together. Their journey was fuelled by the experience of seeing a live band performance for the first time, igniting a spark within them to pursue music as their life’s goal. Over the years, the band’s identity has evolved, and they’ve ventured beyond the realms of traditional rock to introduce a fresh sound to the Arabic music scene.
“The choices that we took in our music career were instrumental in our growth as a band and as individual artists. It also helped us learn that we can’t realise our dream by doing what’s already been done. To be a world class band, we need to not only think outside the box but create an entirely new space outside that box, and we can only hope that sound will inspire others like we were,” Amr explained.
Their name, Redaround, draws inspiration from the imagery of a blood moon emerging from the horizon. This captivating visual is echoed in their newly redesigned logo, which also pays homage to their Egyptian heritage, featuring elements reminiscent of ancient Egyptian cartouches. Their heritage is also evident through their sound and lyrics with songs performed in both Arabic and English. That was part of the group’s commitment to representing Arabic music on the global stage while connecting with their core audience.
Credit: Redaround
The members also acknowledged that they’re constantly seeking ways to evolve, driven by their passion for experimenting with different musical styles. They aim to maintain their core sound while introducing fresh elements and genres, ensuring that their music remains exciting and innovative.
“The core philosophy behind Redaround is to always push the envelope, both musically and with ourselves. We like to challenge ourselves to listen to all sorts of music and draw inspiration to pioneer a new frontier in the Arab music scene… by drifting away from rock as a genre, but not as an idea, we’ve managed to incorporate elements from different genres that we like and develop something entirely new,” Alaa said.
Omar E. expanded on that concept by adding: “[Our]full potential…is yet to be realised. Music is a journey; we’re always going to be listening to something new or experimenting with a different style, so we’ll always have that element of evolution to our sound. We’re still always going to have our core sound to give people what they want, but our main goal is to give them what they never even knew they needed. This lets us stay true to ourselves and our musical integrity without alienating any of our fans.”
The band’s commitment to artistic progress is evident in their approach to songwriting with a creative process that’s far from conventional. During the creation of their second album, ‘Saraab’, they intentionally explored different sounds and directions to discover their true identity. This experimental phase has significantly shaped their current sound, such as their song ‘Shoftik Fein’, and upcoming releases in 2023. Their lyrics often revolve around themes of love and relationships, intentionally left open to interpretation to resonate with a broad audience. For instance, their song ‘El 3’yab’ can be viewed either as a reflection on a long-distance relationship or as a message to a deceased loved one.
“We don’t have a process set in stone; we like to keep ourselves open to inspiration from any source. No two songs are constructed alike, we usually find something new and interesting to our audience and blend it with their preferred taste, hoping to introduce a new flavour to their palate. We start with an idea for some lyrics with a simple melody and we think “how many ways can we write this song?”, therefore exploring different styles while still maintaining the core Redaround sound,” Omar W. explained.
He continued: “We try to make sure that anything we add serves the song and it’s not doing things for the sake of doing it. Our biggest challenge is finding the time to execute this creative process within a reasonable time frame as it is time consuming and requires a lot of coordination between the members and their schedules.”
When asked if they had a favourite song from their discography so far, the mood became sombre before the band members brought up ‘Qalam Layla’, which is dedicated to a dear friend who tragically passed away. The track features their friend’s voice and poetry, making it a poignant tribute.
“’Qalam Layla’ was a very difficult song to write and record. It is dedicated to a very good friend of ours that unfortunately passed away in an accident. He was one of our biggest supporters and a very inspirational and genuine person. It was a very sobering moment, and it played a big role in our identity and maturity moving forward as individuals and as a band. The name is in reference to his poetry project and that is his voice and poetry at the end of the song and on the opening track, ‘El Rawy’, on the album ‘Saraab’,” Marwan explained.
Along with drawing from personal and professional experiences, the band members also draw inspiration from a diverse range of artists, including Avenged Sevenfold, Massar Egbari, Sharmoofers, and legendary Egyptian singers like Abd Elhalim Hafez and Fairouz.
“Every member has a different set of inspirations…we take notes and learn from our inspirations, but ultimately, we keep ourselves locked in our vision of what the Redaround sound is,” Amr said.
While they’ve only scratched the surface, the band is working on projects and songs that aim to make a meaningful impact on society. They hope to release songs that resonate deeply with their audience, such as their latest single, ‘Shoftik Fein’, with plans to release four more singles by the end of 2023. These singles mark the beginning of a new phase for the band. They also have an upcoming headlining show on October 10 as part of The Fridge concert series.
“Within the next five years, our goal is to polish our sound even further and become one of the biggest names in the Middle East and hopefully plan a global tour to bring our music to the rest of the world,” Alaa said.
Their motto, ‘Give the people what they want and what they didn’t know they needed’, encapsulates their commitment to delivering innovative and captivating music. It’s this drive that allowed them to grow from milestone to milestone.
Credit: Redaround
One of the band’s standout achievements was performing at Wasla – the region’s leading Arab alternative music and arts festival – where they opened for some of the region’s biggest acts. This opportunity propelled them into more shows, such as their upcoming headlining show on 10 October as part of The Fridge concert series. Overcoming the challenge of finding an audience that appreciates their unique music style has also been a significant milestone.
“Performing at Wasla was a huge moment for us, as we opened for some of the biggest acts in the region for two years in a row. That helped us land more shows, like our upcoming headlining show as part of The Fridge concert series. The biggest challenge we feel like we’ve conquered is finding an audience that enjoys our music even though it is something unique and new to the region,” Omar E. said, smiling.
Among their future goals is a collaboration with the Egyptian act Sharmoofers, who are known for their mix of traditional Egyptian music with modern electronic elements. Beyond that, the band envision an orchestral section composed by Hans Zimmer in one of their songs. Redaround also has their sights set on touring the Middle East and the world, though they haven’t had the opportunity to do so yet.
Credit: Redaround/The Fridge
For now, they’re focusing on upcoming projects and preparing for shows, such as their upcoming performance on 10 October in The Fridge Concert Series. They’re also balancing diverse roles, from musicians to producers and marketers, in addition to finding downtime to rest and recharge. Marwan revealed that one way they’re trying to make sure that everything is balanced while also becoming more efficient is to incorporate technology into their various processes.
“We try to incorporate A.I. and new technology to visualise the new phase of Redaround. It’s very helpful to have these tools as everything we do is self-produced and is less time consuming; however, we still prefer having an expert oversee the process and keep the human artistic touch that can easily be lost when using that technology,” he explained.
When asked for their thoughts on the UAE’s music scene, the band observed that even as more acts emerge, there’s still potential to turn it into a stronger, more thriving platform.
“The music scene in the UAE is crowded but feels like it’s in its infant stages. We think that having more events with a focus on local talent rather than international artists would be beneficial to boosting the scene, not just locally but also globally,” Omar W. said.
They also had some poignant advice for those seeking to start on their own path in the industry – stay consistent, surround themselves with the right people, and strive to create something new and unique.
“The most helpful advice we got is to not just be another band but be somebody that everybody else wants to be. The worst advice was to stick to simple and choose just one audience. We really took the former to heart and it’s shaped our core philosophy,” Amr said.
Alaa agreed, adding that: “The choices that we took in our music career were instrumental in our growth as a band and as individual artists. It also helped us learn that we can’t realize our dream by doings what’s already been done. To be a world class band, we need to not only think outside the box but create an entirely new space outside that box, and we can only hope that sound will inspire others like we were.”
Redaround’s current success is a testament to their dedication to pushing the boundaries of music, challenging themselves, and evolving as artists. With their unique sound and ambitious aspirations, they continue to make their mark in the UAE’s music scene and beyond. Keep an eye out for their upcoming releases on streaming platforms including Anghami, Spotify, and Apple Music as well as shows as they embark on the next phase of their musical journey!
CREATIVITY UNDEFINED 