Credit: Bea Kadri
The world of music is a vast and dynamic landscape, constantly evolving with each new artist who steps onto the stage. Among these artists, some journeys are particularly inspiring, marked by passion, resilience, and a deep connection to their roots. This is the story of one such artist, whose path from the vibrant streets of Beirut to the diverse music scene of London and beyond has shaped her into a unique and compelling voice in the industry.
Bea Kadri, a rising R&B/Pop singer-songwriter, is making waves in the music scene with her unique sound and heartfelt lyrics. Growing up listening to 90s R&B, pop, and hip-hop, Bea’s music is influenced by artists like H.E.R and Jhene Aiko, while her sound is characterised by a relaxed and sultry vibe, with her writing offering a personal look into her mind.
“I’ve always been naturally incredibly drawn to music and have this itch to keep expressing myself in writing and rhyming,” she explained.
Her songwriting is deeply personal, often exploring themes of self-discovery, empowerment, and matters of the heart, and she describes it as “pages straight out of my journal.” Her creative process varies, often happening spontaneously when inspiration strikes. Her songs serve as therapy and healing, making music intrinsically rewarding, and Bea revealed that she finds confidence in the connection listeners build with her songs, sharing how it has helped or motivated them.
“I often find myself jotting down lyrics of things I’m feeling or thinking into my journal or notes with an initial melody in mind, so it is quite a therapeutic self-reflective practice for me that I can tap into and turn into songs to perform. Anything can ignite it really; it depends on the topics that roam my mind at that moment,” she said.
Credit: Bea Kadri
It’s quite evident that from a young age, music was a constant presence in her life. Growing up in Beirut, she was surrounded by a family that cherished artistic expression. Her father would often sing at home and in the car, while her mother painted and listened to music. This nurturing environment inevitably led both her and her brother to develop a love for singing and songwriting.
Her first foray into songwriting came at the tender age of seven, when she and her childhood friend Dalia penned their first song over her mother’s meditation CD. “We wrote and recorded a couple of tracks on a cassette,” she recalled with a smile.
As she grew older, Bea seized every opportunity to express her musical side, participating in vocal lessons, musical theatre, pop rock bands, and choirs: “Growing up in Beirut, I met a lot of creatives who had similar interests and was exposed to live music often. I clocked early on how that truly elevates me and keeps me feeling alive.”
This resulted in Kadri moving to London in 2018 to pursue a master’s in music business management, a decision that significantly impacted her career. She soon found herself becoming immersed in the cosmopolitan city’s vibrant scene of fashion and music, where she tested her original songs in open mics and built her confidence.
“I needed to be away from everything I’ve known to allow myself to entertain the idea of me seriously being a singer-songwriter,” she said.
Since then, the multi-talented artist has continued to push her musical talents and boundaries through releasing music and live performances in cities from Beirut to London, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi.
“Each city has something different to offer, I think it’s more the crowd and the vibe that they bring that always influences different sides of me to come out on stage. I’ve had shows where the crowd comes ready with the hype and presence, it’s a party! Some shows I have to be more engaging and put in more effort to build that connection between me and them, even then, sometimes it might not happen. It’s all part of it,” Bea said, smiling.
Credit: Bea Kadri
She also revealed that while she draws inspiration from the musical stars of her childhood, her influences continue to evolve. “I was obsessed with Destiny’s Child, Spice Girls, Backstreet Boys, Celine Dion, and Britney Spears,” she said, laughingly reminiscing about the 90s artists who adorned her bedroom walls. She also mentioned her appreciation for Middle Eastern artists like Najwa Karam and Warda, whose song “Batwanes Beek” has been a particular favourite since 1993.
However, she emphasised that her inspiration isn’t limited to the past. She is equally inspired by contemporary artists she has discovered over time. “I love what Elyanna is doing and have watched her journey from her song cover days on social media to where she is now. I’m also a fan of Zeyne and Zeina Mates; I love the art they’re putting out. I’m excited to see what these three Middle Eastern artists do next.”
When asked if she had the chance to collaborate with any of her musical idols, Bea was quick to answer: “To collaborate with Celine would be a dream. I studied her French and English songs and music videos religiously.”
Living as an expat in the UAE has also deeply influenced Bea Kadri’s perspective and musical style. “The UAE feels like a second home to me; I first moved here in 2015,” she shared. “Most of my friends and people I meet are other expats as well with different influences, cultures, and music tastes, and I love to raid their playlists. I’m sure that influences me somehow.” She also noted the growing support for local artists and their original music in the UAE, expressing hope that these initiatives continue to encourage more local talents to share their music with the world.
Meanwhile, as she waits for the opportunity to sing with Celine Dion to be realised, Kadri continues to explore collaborations, such as her most recent one with Blu Fiefer, a Lebanese-Mexican artist, music producer and director.
“I recently collaborated with Blu Fiefer; she produced the latest songs that you’ll hear soon, and I’d love to work on more music with her. I really come out of my shell with her, and she just gets how my creative process is and I hers. Can’t wait to explore more with her, she’s very versatile and is always open to explore whatever idea comes up,” Bea said.
This meeting of minds comes on the heels of the release of her debut album in July 2023, “No Love For The Long Distance.” It explores a range of emotions inspired by her own long-distance relationship, delving into the highs and lows of love, blending English and Arabic lyrics. It was produced during the pandemic and involved online collaborations with producers and artists worldwide, including from LA, Stockholm, Dubai, Beirut, and London. Some tracks retain the raw, heartfelt essence of their initial demo vocal takes, captured amidst tears and vulnerability in Bea’s home studio.
The standout track “Come Over” is a relatable R&B/Pop composition reflecting post-breakup wishful thinking, where Bea yearns to remember only the good memories and considers reuniting. However, she quickly regains clarity, choosing an independent and empowered path. The album then progresses into a healing journey, featuring empowering anthems in its latter half. Accompanying it are visually stunning narratives, with four songs having official music videos and conceptual visualizers reflecting the album’s captivating storyline.
“After experiencing long distance relationships, I truly am not a fan of the toll it could take on you mentally and the logistical upkeep and planning of it all…it’s weird cause you live separate lives and can only communicate so much. I need quality time and connection; I need to be able to be there for my person and vice versa. It was a learning experience that I would prefer to avoid moving forward, at least romantically speaking,” Bea revealed.
However, she revealed that she’s excited about an upcoming project, which embraces her Arabic roots: “I’m currently more excited about my next project. I wrote new tracks to be released in a couple of months. They’re a new sound for me as I’m embracing and exploring the Arabic in me…[its] somewhat of a challenge within myself. I don’t know why I’m so excited and anxious about what the feedback will be, I think I feel more exposed doing it in my mother tongue and I don’t have as much experience as I do with English yet. But I try to remind myself to have fun with it and keep on discovering to hone more skills.”
Even as she remains excited and optimistic about her musical journey so far, Kadri acknowledged that as an independent artist, she faces numerous challenges, from making a sustainable living to managing social media presence and staying motivated.
“It’s definitely not an easy path to follow…as an independent artist I feel like we need to ‘do it all’. It can honestly feel like swimming upstream sometimes, but when it’s your passion, you just do it, it’s like a calling and it’s so intrinsically rewarding. But now that you’ve asked me that and I said what I said, I think we must be mad to pursue it, we definitely do it for the love of it,” she said.
That’s one reason that Bea takes a very hands-on approach to every aspect of her work: “It’s the control freak in me that loves to be involved in it all…I think it’s fun creating anything from scratch and doing it yourself and teaching myself how to but I can definitely get lost in it and be pulled in different directions so I do try to collaborate and let go where I can and then the things and edits and vocal comping and recording that I know I can do, I’ll do.”
Her efforts and work have not gone unnoticed. She has been featured in prominent magazines like GQ, Harper’s Bazaar, Esquire, and Emirates Woman. “It’s all very validating to my ego, I love it,” she said laughingly, “Positive support in any shape or form is always good, it’s motivation to go on.”
Not only that, Kadri has also achieved an impressive two million streams on platforms like Spotify and Apple Music – and counting.
“It’s quite rewarding to see support from platforms like Anghami, Spotify and Apple Music, I’m grateful for them pushing my music to wider audiences and I always love seeing the data on the backend. Where are people listening from, how are they playlisting it into their own personal playlists etc. It’s crazy how music travels everywhere, I hope I follow and get to travel to my listeners more,” she noted.
Her journey has also taught her valuable lessons, both as an artist and an individual, from balancing her music career with other ventures, such as her fashion e-commerce brand Young Wilderness, which she has put on hiatus for now.
“Surrounding myself with other creatives, collaborating, creating, and putting different talents to play is crucial,” she advised, “Having a community makes the journey a much more enjoyable one, basically people that believe in the same delulu that you do. Also, divine timings… sometimes things just don’t go as planned and that’s fine!”
Credit: Bea Kadri
She also has some more poignant words of wisdom for emerging artists: “Don’t be your own hater. Don’t overthink it. Don’t seek perfection. Start somewhere. Your message and music are valuable and unique.”
Looking ahead, she is excited about her upcoming projects and personal goals, like learning to play the piano and cooking more, reflecting her personal motto of “Embrace the journey, not just the destination”.
“Sounds cliché I know but I’ve let my expectations and sudden changes bring me down a bunch of times, so I’ve learnt to detach from the outcomes as much as possible and do my best to enjoy the moment and process, or at least make peace with it,” she said.
Bea’s journey is a testament to the power of passion, resilience, and staying true to oneself. As she continues to explore new sounds and embrace her cultural roots, her music promises to inspire and connect with audiences around the world.
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