Challenges are what makes you who you are – Arqam Al Abri
Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, The Temptations – these are just a few of the legends who shaped soul music. With roots in gospel, rhythm and blues, the genre carries strong associations and even stronger expectations. But prepare to have those expectations upended – Arqam Al Abri is here to challenge the preconceptions of what a soul singer looks and sounds like.
We stumbled upon singer Al Abri during a random doomscroll on Instagram and were blown away by his voice. We watched as the Emirati/Omani gentleman, who was born and raised in Dubai, effortlessly belted out Use Somebody by Kings of Leon.
Arqam al Abri
Dressed in a navy-blue kandura and a white ghutra, the Emirati soul singer easily evoked goosebumps. And clearly, it’s a common feeling, because the singer has over 60,000 followers on social media, and every comment was nothing but praise.
We just knew we had to reach out to him to get to know the man behind the stunning voice.
When asked about his inspiration, Al Abri tells us he grew up in a house full of music. “My dad was a musician and had a massive music collection that we used to listen to. Music from legends such as Elvis, James Brown, Otis Redding, Sam Cooke and more. We used to sneak into his room to listen to his music and I think that inspired us.” The singer also shares that his first memory of music is hearing his father sing.
When asked when he realised he could sing in that way, he laughed and said “sing like what?” However, he added he had no formal training and had a voice coach for just a couple of weeks.
It’s a constant learning curve, Al Abri admits. “I like to think I learn from every musician I’ve jammed with – from guitarists and keyboard players to drummers and singers. Every rehearsal, every performance is a lesson.”
Other singers who strongly influenced him include his own brother Abri, and other prominent names in the soul singing business including Sam Cooke, Lauryn Hill and Bob Marley. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is an album Al Abri tells us he can listen to on repeat.
When asked if he faced any challenges being a soul singer in the UAE, Al Abri shared “The early days were difficult, I can’t complain though. Challenges are what makes you who you are.”
However, it looks like his hard work and dedication has paid off, because he has not only performed in some top venues here in the UAE, he also sang alongside internationally acclaimed pianist, Lang Lang.
When asked if being Emirati influences his music, he said “To a certain extent, I add some elements of our music into my songs. I’ve sampled the Ayala in one of my songs Towards the Light… slipped in some Oud into another original Leaving, and I often perform live with an amazing Oud player – Nezar Omran.”
Al Abri also writes his own songs which the world can listen to on Spotify and Apple Music. According to the singer, he is hoping to do more to merge Khaleeji music and soul music in his next EP (extended play).
And it looks like his dreams will soon become a reality, because Al Abri happily shared that he was “fortunate enough to receive a grant from the Ministry of Culture to produce and EP.” He added, “It will be a fusion of Emirati/Khaleeji music and soul music – around four or five songs.’ He is working on a few campaigns and is excited to share them with us soon.
Al Abri said that he was fortunate enough to sustain himself through his music during the Covid-19 lockdown when he was unsure of his decision to leave his job, he wrote a song called Heavy. “It starts off fairly sad, but then becomes more hopeful and determined towards the end. It’s also the first song where I played guitar on my own track.”
When asked what’s something that people might be surprised to learn about him, he chuckled quietly and shared, “I am fairly reclusive… very demure… very mindful…” He also shared that one of his favourite songs to perform is Creep by Radiohead. “It’s such a beautiful song. For someone like me that isn’t necessarily comfortable being around a lot of people, I can relate with the song.”
“It’s been an incredible journey to be able to do something that, I hope, is able to touch people and make a decent income from,” he said. However, when he is not dabbling in music, Al Abri unwinds by spending time with his cats.
For emerging artists in the region, Al Abri has one simple piece of advice: “Find out who you are. It’ll show in your music.”
Follow Arqam Al Abri on his musical journey on Instagram @r.qam
