Quartertones is a music podcast which hosts current Arab musicians from different geographies who play contemporary and modern music, including pop, rock, hip-hop, electronic, classical, among other genres. The guests are invited to talk about their work and play their music – whether live or recorded – in three segments. The audience gets a chance to listen to work from across the region and genres that is defining the scene in the region, and understand the music that these musicians and musicologists perform or study.
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Beirut, Music & Fourteen Years of Unbreakable Friendship | Adonis Band
Episode 95
Wednesday, October 21, 2026 • Duration 59:23
Balancing architecture, shifting geography, and over a decade of music-making, Lebanese band Adonis reflects on their complex relationship with Beirut's persistent instability. Anthony and Joey discuss their lyric-first songwriting approach and the vulnerability their tracks evoke in fans. They break down their musical influences, from classic Arabic pop and Melhem Barakat to Western rock. Rejecting globalization, they advocate for local cultural exportation and staying grounded in native Arabic dialects.
00:00 Introduction 06:02 Architectural Mindsets in Songwriting 08:08 Subverting Environment in Early Track Writing 12:47 Prioritizing Lyrics in the Composition Process 16:20 Pop Heritage and Lebanese Musical Influences 23:39 Live Performances and Vulnerability 28:44 Visual Evolution and Expression Post-2020 33:53 Songwriting Mechanics and Homesickness 42:05 Balancing Personal Life and Band Identity 46:54 Cross-Cultural Collaborations 54:00 Resisting Globalization Through Native Arabic Dialects
Adonis (Arabic: أدونيس) is a Lebanese indie rock band formed in 2011 in Beirut by Anthony Khoury (vocals, keyboards) and Joey Abou Jawdeh (guitar), who met studying architecture together at university. The band is named after the town of Adonis in Mount Lebanon, near the Adonis River. Later joined by Nicola Hakim (drums) and Gio Fikany (bass), the quartet has released seven studio albums — Daw El Baladiyyi (2011), Men Shou Bteshki Beirut (2013), Nour (2017), 12 Sa'a (2019), A'da (2021), Hadis El Layl (2022), and Wedyan (2025) — and is recognized as a pioneer of Arabic indie-rock alongside Mashrou' Leila, Autostrad, and Aziz Maraka. Written in the Lebanese dialect and drawing on themes of belonging, identity, and longing, songs like Yeb'a Enna and Al Khafif have become anthems across the Arabic-speaking world. The band has headlined the Baalbeck International Festival, the Carthage International Festival, and the Amman Roman Amphitheatre, and has collaborated with UNICEF, Netflix, and Brazil's Globo TV. Anthony Khoury also writes and produces for Lebanese artists including Hiba Tawaji and Dana Hourani.
Connect with Adonis Band 👉 https://www.instagram.com/adonisband/
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Oud & Pushing Back Against Conventions in Arabic Music | Huda Asfour
Episode 94
Wednesday, September 2, 2026 • Duration 58:00
Breaking conventional boxes is at the core of Palestinian musician, composer, and singer-songwriter Huda Asfour’s artistic identity. This conversation delves into her rich heritage and a multifaceted career that spans from biomedical engineering to intimate live performances with her electro-acoustic oud and a looper pedal. She shares her perspective on transforming classical Arabic music repertoire to reflect raw, contemporary experiences while processing the deep emotional impacts of conflict. From discussing the complexities of cultural representation to her latest solo tour project, Naqous, she highlights the ultimate importance of fighting built-in music industry structures through community connection.
00:00 Introduction
01:04 Navigating Identity
08:12 Contrasting Dynamics of a Musical Upbringing
10:25 Pedagogical Pivots
13:10 Interdisciplinary Curiosity & Creative Problem Solving
15:20 Borderless Spaces
22:01 Seeking Social Connection
26:47 The Traps of Iconic Cultural Symbolism
31:12 Injecting Raw Textures into Traditional Frameworks
35:33 Cultural Metaphors & Breaking Preserved Formats
54:02 Alternative Spaces & Fighting Industry Limits
Huda Asfour is a Palestinian musician, composer, improviser, and singer-songwriter based in New York City. She comes from a musical family and began formal training in music in Tunis at the age of 13. In 1996, she joined the National Conservatory of Music in Gaza. She was mentored by Khaled Jubran at the Edward Said Music Conservatory and by qanoun player Said Rajab in Cairo. In 2004, she co-founded Jehar band with Tamer Abu Ghazaleh, a musical experiment which molded Arabic folk and Levantine classical repertoire for young Palestinians emerging from the siege of the Second Intifada. She is also a biomedical engineer and social entrepreneur. Her active projects include CounterImprov, Ballando il Vento (a collaboration with Italian classical musicians), and the Huda & Kamyar project with Iranian setar player Kamyar Arsani. She has performed at the Library of Congress and the Kennedy Center, and has been profiled in Al-Ahram Online and DCist.
Palestinian Jazz: Taking Music Out of the Museum | Wanees Zarour
Episode 93
Wednesday, August 19, 2026 • Duration 55:39
Starting at the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music at age seven, Palestinian composer and multi-instrumentalist Wanees Zarour discusses his musical journey, he details how he fell in love with string instruments like the violin and the buzuq. The conversation explores his original music group, East Loop, and how he blends microtonal music and Arabic tradition into a jazz framework. Additionally, he shares insights on serving as the director for the Middle East Music Ensemble at the University of Chicago and the experience of Arab musicians in the diaspora.
00:00 Introduction
01:41 The Early Days at the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music
05:41 Cultural History & Musical Underground in Palestine
08:19 Childhood Musical Influences and Repertoire
09:47 Discovering the Buzuq
13:49 Introducing East Loop & the Evolution of Silwan
21:40 Exploring Arabic Musical Structures & Form Variations
26:16 Chicago’s Arabic Music Scene
28:25 Breaking Down the Iraqi Georgina Rhythm in Festival
33:02 Challenging Jazz Boundaries with Microtonal Instruments
37:18 The Middle East Music Ensemble
40:23 The Tribute to Ziad Rahbani
42:37 Music as Expression vs. Entertainment
50:24 Connection & Separation within the Arab Diaspora Scene
Wanees Zarour is an award-winning Palestinian-American composer, arranger, and multi-instrumentalist steeped in the traditions of maqam and jazz. Born in Ramallah, Palestine, he began his musical training at age seven at the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music, where he studied Western classical violin and buzuq. He moved to the United States at 16. He is a faculty member at the University of Chicago and has directed the University of Chicago's Middle East Music Ensemble since 2010, growing it into an 85-piece orchestra serving as a national cornerstone for MENA music in America. He also co-directs the Chicago Immigrant Orchestra, a 14-piece rotating ensemble of world music masters, with guitarist Fareed Haque. He leads East Loop, a jazz septet fusing Arabic maqam and jazz. His 2026 album Silwan (East Loop) was reviewed by DownBeat Magazine (March 2026), All About Jazz, and The Jazz Word. He received the 3Arts Award in 2024. He is a faculty member at the Arabic Music Retreat and GLOMUS, and holds masterclasses at universities across the US.
Refuge, Rebellion & Resonance | Hamed Sinno
Episode 92
Thursday, May 21, 2026 • Duration 01:02:36
A deep exploration of the shifting relationship between sound, politics, and the visceral search for home with Hamed Sinno. The discussion moves from their childhood in Beirut, where they internalize a sense of being an outsider, to their time at the American University of Beirut (AUB), where they began to understand the expectations of a generation raised for export. Reflecting on the intense collaborative magic of their era with the band Mashrou’ Leila, they share the unique challenges of a musical collective coming up against governments and their eventual transition toward solitary and experimental sound work. The conversation also tackles the limits of representational politics, with Sinno explaining why they have shifted their focus toward direct political organizing outside of the arts. They examine the power of the listener, describing how an audience's perspective can transform a song into a political symbol far beyond the artist's original intent. Finally, they reflect on the recurring experience of political heartbreak, the difficulty of maintaining hope and the enduring, complicated pull of returning home to Lebanon.
0:00 Introduction
2:05 Finding Refuge: Distance and Identity in Transit
6:52 The Limits of Representation and the Function of Art
9:00 Bullying and the Seattle Grunge Escape
11:23 The Classed Bubble of Beirut
13:06 The Search for an Authentic Voice
15:58 Injecting Politics into Popular Discourse
18:22 The Magic of Collaborative Music
20:42 The Radical Intimacy of a Collective
23:54 Negotiating Worst-Case Scenarios
26:15 The Political Act of the "We"
27:31 Coming Up Against Governments: When Sound Meets Power
30:24 Solo vs. Collective
32:12 Surviving Political and Personal Heartbreak
35:13 Political Reality in an Undemocratic Time
On Reclaiming Our Narrative & the Power of Dabke | Zeyne at XP Air
Episode 91
Tuesday, April 14, 2026 • Duration 22:58
Zeyne joins Quartertones after her performance at XP Air and discusses her journey from being too shy to share her voice to becoming an artist who finds empowerment in letting her art out. She reflects on the influences of her family who instilled in her a love for music, Arab culture, and the Palestinian cause. Growing up taking vocal and piano lessons Zeyne shares that she only recently started writing lyrics, having previously focused on composing. The conversation delves into the unique power and cultural significance of Dabke, which she considers underrated. She asserts that her generation of Arab artists is more daring and edgy in delivering messages, marking a new wave in Arabic music that is honest and empowering. She speaks about the importance of reclaiming the Arab narrative and using art as a form of social justice. Finally, she shares the story behind her song "Bali" from her album Awda, a track that was intensely personal and helped unlock a creative block.
This episode was recorded on December 4, 2025
Explore XP Air 👉 https://www.instagram.com/xpmusicfutures/
0:00 Introduction
1:35 Sharing Her Voice Pre-COVID
3:27 How An Early Producer Encouraged Her To Write Her Own Music
5:17 From Composer to Lyricist: Finding Her Voice in Writing
6:57 Why She Hid Her Singing Talent Growing Up
7:31 Vocal Lessons as a Holy Place
8:45 Parental Influences: Music, Culture, and the Palestinian Cause
11:22 Dabke: Underrated, Essential, and Rich in Culture
13:42 Reclaiming Our Narrative
14:39 Navigating the Music Industry's Reputation
16:56 Family Support
Harissa Pop and Tunisian Music | Soudeni at XP Air
Episode 90
Wednesday, April 8, 2026 • Duration 18:40
Tunisian artist Soudeni joins Quartertones recorded live at XP Air and talks about her musical journey and the influences that shaped her sound. She introduces the idea of Harissa Pop – her playful way of describing music rooted in Tunisian culture but open to contemporary sounds. The touches on nostalgia, identity, and the challenges Tunisian artists face when trying to be heard beyond their borders.
This episode was recorded on December 4, 2025
Explore XP Air 👉 https://www.instagram.com/xpmusicfutures/
00:00 Introduction
01:06 The Absence of Tunisia in the Music Scene
01:35 The Fairuz of Tunisia: Lotfi Bouchnak
02:30 Nostalgia as a Creative Tool in Music
03:00 Soudeni’s Musical Journey and Influences
09:30 Introducing Harissa Pop
10:56 The Feeling of Forgetting Tunisia
11:35 Breaking the Algorithm with Tunisian Music
16:00 Two Different Artists
17:30 The Story Behind the Name “Soudeni”
Soudeni is a Tunisian musical artist known for her unique musical style often described as "Harissa Pop". She is recognized for blending traditional Tunisian and Arabic music with contemporary genres like disco, funk, electronica, and new wave.
Connect with Soudeni 👉 https://instagram.com/soudenimusic
Hosted by Mikey Muhanna
Strolling Between Musical Worlds | Kazdoura at XP Air
Episode 89
Wednesday, April 1, 2026 • Duration 28:50
Duo Kazdoura, composed of Syrian vocalist Leen Hamo and Lebanese multi-instrumentalist John Abou Chacra, who have just won the JUNO Award for Global Music Album of the Year, join Quartertones at XP Air and discuss their award-winning music, which blends Arabic lyrics and maqam with psychedelic rock, jazz, funk, and soul. The conversation covers their beginnings at a Beirut explosion fundraiser, their creative process of fusing their diverse musical backgrounds, the evolution of their unique sound through their singles like "Wain" and "Tijara", how they navigate audience expectations about sounding "Arab", and the supportive environment they've experienced as Arab artists in Canada. They also touch upon the nuances of maintaining the integrity of maqam in fusion music, and their upcoming album and performance in Egypt.
This episode was recorded on December 6, 2025
Explore XP Air 👉 https://www.instagram.com/xpmusicfutures/
0:00 Introduction
1:17 The Kazdoura Duo, Their Music & Backgrounds
3:31 Meeting at a Beirut Explosion Fundraiser
5:53 Laying the Groundwork: Educating on Arabic Music
8:00 Finding the Kazdoura Sound With the First Song: "Wain"
12:21 The Evolution of Their Sound: Comparing "Wain" and "Tijara"
14:25 Artistic Inspirations and Musical Influences
16:04 Resisting Audience Pressure to Sound a Specific Way
17:21 On Recognition and Being an Arab Artist in Canada
19:22 The Duos Creative Disagreements and Navigating Maqam Integrity
23:38 Listening to the Song "Hiba"
25:57 Adapting Set Lists for Different Venues
TootArd's Journey From the Golan Heights | Quoz Arts Fest 2026
Episode 88
Thursday, March 5, 2026 • Duration 23:32
Music group TootArd discusses their unique blend of Arabic scales, reggae, hip-hop, metal, and synth music in this conversation at Quoz Arts Fest 2026. The artists explore their musical evolution, from growing up on Arabic classical music to experimenting with Western genres and instruments, and how their roots remain a constant influence. Band members Hasan and Rami Nakhleh, who come from Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights, also touch on the political undertones in their fun, danceable music that addresses serious situations while keeping the vibe uplifting. They share the story behind their recent track featuring Lynn Adib and her daughter Sara, a lullaby released during the war in Gaza.
07:37 The Unfinished Business of the Quartertone Guitar
09:30 The Magic Trick of Party Music and Political Subtext
12:00 The Korg PA600 and '90s Wedding Synth Sounds
17:39 The Greats of Arabic Synth Music
20:36 The Lullaby with Lynn Adib and Sara
TootArd is a genre-fluid duo comprising visionary brothers Hasan and Rami Nakhleh, celebrated for their boundless creativity, consistently reshaping their musical landscape with each new release. Their artistry is a fusion of global pop hooks and quarter-tone melodic lines, crafting a distinctive blend of disco and dance music that draws inspiration from the rich musical traditions of SWANA and beyond. The duo effortlessly melds retro funk elements with a contemporary, high-sheen sonic palette, resulting in a captivating and boundary-pushing musical journey. Their music transcends geographical borders, captivating audiences worldwide and solidifying their status as a dynamic force in the global music scene.
Connect with TootArd 👉
Visual Art, Beirut's Soundscape & the Struggle to Create | Nasri Sayegh Jr. at Quoz Arts Fest 2026
Episode 87
Tuesday, March 3, 2026 • Duration 18:52
Visual artist, performer, and DJ Nasri Sayegh Jr. discusses his practice and the profound influence of music on his work and life at Quoz Arts Fest 2026. He opens by sharing the urgent, improvised creation of his installation for the festival, "You Ain't Never Been Blue," which features 100 suns drawn in one night in Beirut. He speaks candidly about the two-year hiatus he took from producing art due to the painful situation in Gaza and Lebanon, exploring the existential question of what art means today. He describes the daily struggle of making the emotional journey from his kitchen to his studio—a distance that felt like "crossing hundreds of kilometers" since October 7. The conversation also delves into his deep connection with music, exemplified by his creation of the community platform radiokarantina during the 2020 pandemic. The platform, named after an area in Beirut, grew from a simple joke among friends to a large party with mixes contributed globally, serving as a vital space for connection during periods of violence and uncertainty in Lebanon and Palestine. Nasri shares the music that shapes his soul, featuring tracks from Nina Simone, Billie Holiday, and the Rahbani Brothers, and reflects on the enduring role of Fairuz in the Lebanese soundscape.
00:09 afikra's Collaboration With Quoz Arts Fest for a Second Year
01:19 Nasri's Improvisational Visual Art
02:23 The Struggle to Create Amidst Pain
04:36 His Mural "You Ain't Never Been Blue"
07:22 Music as Perpetual Presence and Addiction
08:21 radiokarantina: A Pandemic Party and Meeting Place
12:08 Nina Simone and the Power of Mood Indigo
14:23 Billie Holiday: Sublime Voice Over Pain
15:18 Fairuz and Adoration for the Rahbani Brothers
17:30 Yasmine Hamdan and the Birth of Soapkills
Nasri Sayegh approaches his practice as a way to reassemble what resists erasure. A Lebanese visual artist, writer, DJ, embroiderer, and performer, he works across photography, video, embroidery, text, and objects to interrogate the construction and deconstruction of memory. Excavating archives – family, official, and beyond – he composes visual constellations that evoke an atlas or cabinet of memory. Central to this process is embroidery, which Sayegh envisions as both a suture and a queer gesture of reparation, weaving delicately between absence and recollection, amnesia and resistance. His multidisciplinary works propose a fragile museum where text and image, stitch and pixel converge. He's also behind radiokarantina.
26 Years of Shaping Music & Culture in the Arab World | DAM at Quoz Arts Fest 2026
Episode 86
Thursday, February 19, 2026 • Duration 33:24
Palestinian hip-hop group DAM is often credited as the first rap group in the Arab world. Now 26 years into their career, the band members join us on the Quoz Arts Fest stage to discuss the group's evolution and how they navigate personal expression amidst political tragedy. The conversation covers the mixed emotions of performing while their people are suffering through a genocide, the honor and privilege of presenting Palestinian culture and music to the world, and the delicate balance of prioritizing their artistry versus their Palestinian identity. The artists also share their views on the evolution of Arabic hip-hop, the new generation of Palestinian rappers, and how AI and algorithms affect artists promoting messages of social justice.
0:00 Introduction to DAM: Pioneers of Arab Hip-Hop
1:33 The Unique Vibe of Performing as a Group
2:28 Processing Emotions and the Absence of Art During Tragedy
4:47 The Privilege and Mixed Emotions of Performing Amidst Genocide
6:03 The Evolution of the DAM Lineup and Sound
11:00 On the New Generation of Palestinian and Levantine Hip-Hop
13:17 Maysa Daw on Switching Personalities in Solo Work vs. DAM and Kallem
16:31 Navigating Identity: Palestinian First, Artist Second
18:54 Tamer Nafar's New Album and the Price of Spotlight on Palestinian Art
22:44 What to Expect From the Dubai Show
24:26 Future Plans: New Album and Continuing to Make Music
26:09 The Essence of Arabic Rap and Staying Loyal to Lyrics
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38:45 Organizing Outside the Window Dressing
41:40 Popular Culture as a Strategic Tool
43:18 No-Input Mixing: Feedback Loops as a Physical Experience
44:40 Student Organizing and the Rhetoric of Palestine
49:23 Taxpayer Complicity and the Pull of Home
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58:42 Becoming a Meme: Intention vs. Cultural Resonance
59:40 Current Musical Resonance
Hamed Sinno is a writer, musician and activist born and raised in Beirut, and currently living in New York. They have an MA in Digital Musics from Dartmouth College, and a BFA from the Department of Architecture and Design at the American University in Beirut, where they founded and fronted Lebanese indie band, Mashrou Leila, until the group disbanded in 2022. Their song-writing leverages rhetoric, poetry, and social justice to weaponize popular culture. With a fatwa and multiple bans under their belt, Sinno moved to the US, and is currently exploring narratives of estrangement, while centering their research on vocality, and voice synthesis as sites of political negotiation.
Connect with Hamed Sinno 👉 https://instagram.com/hamed.sinno
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17:55 Camaraderie and the New Wave of Arab Artists
19:49 The Story Behind "Bali" and the Awda Album
Zeyne first burst onto the music scene in early 2021 with her debut single "Minni Ana" and two years later, her body of work has garnered over 48 million streams. As an ambassador for Equal Arabia, her influence extends beyond music, lighting up Times Square and championing important causes through her artistry and public presence. Her groundbreaking debut on the renowned COLORS show with "Ma Bansak" marked her as the first female artist from the Levant to appear on this global platform. In 2025, she went on The Golden-Hour Run, which included a landmark performance at OffLimits Festival in the UAE, as well as two major stadium appearances as a special guest on Ed Sheeran’s Mathematics Tour in Qatar and Bahrain with a total number of attendees of 65,000.
Connect with Zeyne 👉 https://instagram.com/zeyne
Hosted by Mikey Muhanna
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27:06 Upcoming Album and Connecting With the Middle East
Kazdoura—meaning “to stroll” in Levantine Arabic—captures the spirit of movement, discovery, and joyful connection. Founded in Toronto by Syrian vocalist Leen Hamo and Lebanese multi-instrumentalist John Abou Chacra, the project began as a musical experiment and evolved into one of Canada’s most vibrant acts blending Arabic heritage with modern global sounds. Kazdoura’s debut album Ghoyoum, released in 2025, has surpassed one million streams, resonating with audiences across continents. The album’s success led to nominations for Best New Artist at the 2025 Canadian Folk Music Awards and Best Album of the Year at the Ontario Folk Music Awards, where they also took home Best Music Video of the Year.
Connect with Kazdoura 👉 https://instagram.com/kazdouramusic
Hosted by Mikey Muhanna
Connect directly with Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://instagram.com/mikey_mu
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28:32 Fighting Algorithm Bias and "Algo Tunnels"
31:30 Motivation vs. Discipline in the Creative Process
Tamer Nafar is a Palestinian rapper, actor, screenwriter and social activist, and the founding member of DAM, the first Palestinian hip-hop group. He grew up in Lyd, discovered hip-hop and became the world’s first Palestinian rapper. His lyrics and activities reflect the Palestinian struggle, women’s rights, and the promotion of alternative art within a conservative society. In addition to music, Nafar co-wrote and starred in the award-winning film Junction 48.
Mahmood Jrere is a Palestinian hip-hop artist and entrepreneur, and one of the founding members of DAM. He was born and raised in the impoverished city of Lyd, where he witnessed drug-abuse and violence on a daily basis. Along with the two other founding members of DAM, he began putting what they saw outside their window onto paper.
Maysa Daw is an indie musician, singer-songwriter, and the latest member of DAM and of the band Kallem. Influenced by rock, hip-hop, soul, neo-jazz and more, she fuses different genres, and explores personal, interpersonal and collective experiences, stemming from her own view of reality.
DJ Bruno Cruz is a Palestinian musician, electronic DJ and producer living in Haifa City in the north of Palestine. He started his career in music in 1998 and has become one of the most prominent names in the Palestinian underground scene. Bruno is the co-founder of Ministry of Dub-key and the official DJ of DAM, and has been playing his own music infused with his unique style all over the world in festivals such as Fusion Festival in Germany, Glastonbury in the UK and many more.
