Dana Hourani recording in Beirut. Photo: Instagram/ @danahourani
Dana Hourani has had an exciting past few years. Since releasing her first single in 2019, the Lebanese artist has enjoyed a soaringly successful music career, redefining her status as one of the region’s ‘It‘ girls along the way. Now, Hourani is preparing to release her fourth single Enti Ana (I am You), a song that reflects the strength and power of Arab women, and the resilience of her home city Beirut.
Behind the scenes from Dana Hourani’s fourth single Enti Ana. Photographed by Joyce Nakhoul
Since her music debut last year, the musician and model, who is also renowned in the Arab fashion industry, has made a notable impression on the regional Indie music scene, and in spite of the on-going pandemic, Enti Ana, marks Hourani’s second single this year. Inspired by the strong women in her life – “women who shaped who I am today” – the single follows the success of Hourani’s remake of the Arab classic Zuruni, which became the first-ever Arabic indie song to reach number one position on the official Lebanese Top 20 charts.
“Enti Ana celebrates our strong Arab women and all they’ve overcome; our mothers, sisters, grandmothers,” Hourani tells Vogue Arabia. “The song is also a tribute to every man who appreciates, supports, and elevates the women in his life. Finally, in light of recent tragic events, I cannot sing Enti Ana without thinking of my ultimate source of inspiration, my home city Beirut, who, for me, is the greatest and strongest woman of all.”
Behind the scenes images for Dana Hourani’s fourth single Enti Ana. Photographed by Joyce Nakhoul
Despite a year of challenges, which saw Hourani’s plans for releasing her debut album postponed, the Sharjah-born artist still found the space for her creativity to thrive. “For me at least, it is hard times that spark creativity and inspiration to start somewhere and build an idea. I tend to be inspired the most when I’m not feeling at my best. I’ll feel the need to express it and I do so through music,” she explains.
The singer’s debut album is now scheduled for release early next year – travel restrictions and the tragic Beirut explosion on August 4, has meant Hourani was unable to return to the city to finish the record. “It was quite difficult given my circumstances of having to produce everything in Beirut, and travel back and forth during this pandemic. But the pandemic was the least of my worries at this point given the tragic events Beirut had to go through in the last year,” she says. “It was difficult to come back to work in light of everything happening but I somehow managed to use that pain and put it into the work.”
Hourani describes Enti Ana as a “timeless” and “forever song”, radiating “a message of strength and resilience, a celebration of all our strong Arab women and all they’ve overcome and to all the men supporting and elevating these women.”
Dana Hourani’s fourth single Enti Ana will be released on November 12.
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