Nour Helou
With her debut single ‘Keef Bensa’, and a burning passion to shake up the Arab music scene, Lebanese singer Nour Helou has joined the new crop of homegrown talent to watch out for. Music runs in her blood, having come from a family whose members have a long history with singing and playing instruments, while some of the Arab industry’s greats shaped her early interest in the field.
Helou caught the attention of her label Vibe Music Arabia with her soulful voice and unique covers, which were mashups of international and regional tracks. Think Nancy Ajram‘s ‘Albi Ya Albi’ and ‘Say You Won’t Let Go’ by James Arthur seamlessly mixed together, or Coldplay’s ‘Fix You’ with Ajram’s ‘Aam Betaala’ Feek’. Now, the singer and songwriter has set on a path to move listeners with her first self-written track, ‘Keef Bensa’ followed by an upbeat song for summer.
Vogue Arabia caught up with Helou over e-mail to find out more about her musical journey, her new song, and the ambitions that keep her going.
What is your earliest and strongest memory of music?
I have many childhood memories that played a huge part in my musical life, but one memory that I never forget, because I used to do it often — and still do — is that whenever I walked into a room that had a piano, I would find myself sitting on the chair and playing random notes. I could spend hours just sitting there, trying to figure out the tunes, humming along with the notes I would be playing. It was since then that I discovered my connection with music and especially with the piano.
Which Arab and international singers did you grow up listening to? Did they influence your music style at all?
I grew up in a family that loves music. My late grandfather used to play an oriental instrument called the mejwez, and my father has a beautiful voice and used to sing as his part-time job. This really helped in shaping my knowledge of music and made me even more interested in it, especially since my father used to always make us listen to great artists such as Melhem Barakat, Wadih El Safi, and Fairuz.
I also loved listening to occidental music, and since I was 12 years old, I would sit in my room, playing songs by Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, and Christina Aguilera, and trying to focus on the way they sing to understand how they control their vocals, their runs, and the flexibility in the notes. It was this knowledge of both oriental and occidental music that influenced my music style, and I think it shows in my song ‘Keef Bensa’, since the music and production have a modern/occidental style, but the way I am singing has an oriental feel. I love to always have a fusion in my songs and hopefully, I’ll be able to bring it out more in my upcoming tracks.
Helou as a child
Who would you say are your musical influences now?
Internationally, today, I am mostly influenced by Dua Lipa. I love her sound, and the image she has created for herself. She puts on a show with style and dancers, and she really worked on herself and her stage presence to become the performer she is today. I can relate to her in a way, as I see myself having these kinds of shows with my own songs, but in Arabic, hoping I would be able to bring something new to the Arab music scene. Locally, I am a huge fan of Nancy Ajram and Samira Said, and how they choose songs that fit their voice and personality best. Having this happy and romantic blend in their lyrics and music is amazing and I love doing mashup covers using their songs.
Can you walk us through your process of writing a song?
‘Keef Bensa’ is the first song that I ever wrote, and it wasn’t easy, because it is a very personal one. The process of writing a song is different for every artist, as each one has their way of processing their feelings, putting them into words, and into a melody. Some artists come up with the music first and then the lyrics, while others have it the other way around. For me, and with ‘Keef Bensa’, I was feeling very nostalgic then, and I found myself humming a tune that felt like it represented my emotions exactly. Once I had the melody, I needed to write the lyrics. It was easy and hard at the same time. Hard, because I was putting all my feelings out there, singing about something very personal, and knowing me, I am not very expressive about how I feel. Easy, because it is true. Everything I wrote is real. I wrote from my heart, not only about what I was personally feeling but about what a lot of us are feeling too.
Helou performing at a gig
Since ‘Keef Bensa’ is about losing someone close to you, how do you wish to make the listeners feel through this song?
Each person listening to ‘Keef Bensa’ can relate to it in different ways, since each one is going through, or has gone through something that left a mark in their lives. We all have lost a loved one, a home, or a place at some point in our lives, and we all feel nostalgic. We all have someone or something that we can’t forget, or if I can put it that way, don’t want to forget. If the song made them feel any kind of emotion, I would be satisfied. I want the song to be able to speak to them as it spoke to me.
How has your day-to-day life changed from when you used to make covers to now, after releasing your first song?
After releasing my first song, I feel like I have more responsibility now, especially after receiving so much positive feedback. People are waiting to see and hear what’s next, and I am working more and more on my content, my new songs, and my sound, to always be active and have things to share with everyone.
What are you currently working on? Can you give us a hint?
I am working on a lot of exciting stuff, my second song is in the making, and I am preparing a new mashup cover that I am sure people will love because it includes two of my favorite hits by Samira Said and Dua Lipa.
What are some of the career goals that you are hoping to achieve?
Everyone dreams to do what they love. While I love what I’m doing now with an amazing team in production that has supported my passion and my career, I aspire to become a full-time recording artist and musician, making songs that resonate with people. I can’t wait for that stage moment and that selfie with all my fans!
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