Nouri - Defying Odds From Syrian Refugee to Pop Stardom

Nouri is a New Zealand-based Kurdish singer-songwriter who is currently one of the most promising regional talents, having catapulted to global stardom since her breakthrough debut single, ‘Where Do We Go From Here’. With her signature upbeat emotional pop, smooth hooks and gospel-like vocals, the track was quickly picked up by radio stations across the globe, topping pop charts worldwide.

Born in a Syrian refugee camp following the bombing of her family’s home in Kurdistan, Nouri’s story is one of resilience and inspiration; a living proof for young aspiring talents that anything is possible once you set your mind to it, regardless of the situation you were born into. She first began singing at the age of nine after performing in a talent contest at her school. Since then, her passion for music and relentless aspiration to celebrate her Kurdish roots propelled her to carve a space for herself in the global music scene, manipulating the challenges she faced in her favour.

For Nouri, music is all about personal reflection and endurance. Her songs are mostly written in her car – a sacred space where she is all alone with her thoughts and feelings, with no interruptions whatsoever. Her music is an amalgamation of influences from various genres, from worship, country and folk to afrobeat and amapiano, all of which she morphs into a sound of her own. In her words, she creates “songs that you can dance and cry to at the same time.”

In this episode of Artist Spotlight, we sat down with Nouri, where she opened up about her musical journey from a Syrian refugee camp, her hopes of opening more doors for aspiring MENA artists, and her strange music habits in the recording booth.