Meet Kamal

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kamal and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kamal, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I didn’t really choose to be involved in music, I was born and raised in Lebanon in a family of musicians. My mother is a singer, so is my sister, my aunts, my uncle’s a composer… It did not come to anyone’s surprise for me to join in on the fun. I’m very grateful to have grown up in an environment this artistic. I think it was the most fertile ground for me to grow and explore, while having someone to ask for help. I chose to pursue music because it’s the language I’m most fluent in. It sounds cliche, but I don’t know who I’d be without it. I’ve been singing as far back as I can remember, and songwriting came in as I grew older as a way of addressing the world around me and my perspective towards it. The entire ecosystem of the music business – as flawed as it may be – has always fascinated me on both creative and corporate sides, which is why I dove head first into it.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I wanna say I’m proud of the sonic identity I’m developing for myself. I pull inspiration from a bunch of different places, and marrying those influences into a cohesive project has been a great learning curve. So far, it’s been a lot of understanding what elements of the music I grew up surrounded with resonate with me the most, and implementing that in my topline and production. You can hear hints of 2000s Pop/RnB, classical, musical theater, and middle eastern music in the songs… The hardest thing to this day when you’re a musician is patience. So much of your success doesn’t depend on you alone. It’s very important to remember that when something doesn’t go as planned, there’s solutions and alternatives. I’ve learned to trust myself and my vision, and put trust in the creatives around me that help me bring it to life. Collaboration is key! I don’t wanna give too much away just yet, there’s so much more music to come. But I would want people to know that I intend on playing the long game, and succeeding on my own terms.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Ouuh I like that question. It’s great timing because my sister’s visiting me very soon. Ok, so definitely spending a day at the beach in Malibu. Probably Lechuza beach or Point Dume. Definitely Griffith Observatory. There’s a bunch of bars and clubs I’d take anyone who visits, some of my favs are The Hotel Cafe, No Vacancy, Good Times at Davie Wayne’s, The Burgundy Room, Tenants of the Trees… also, there’s this hole in the wall shawarma place on Hollywood Blvd that’s heaven sent. It’s called Sincerely, Syria, and I grab a chicken wrap everytime I’m in the area because it reminds me of home. The owner and I are homies now and I’ve turned many a friend into regulars.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’m gonna shoutout my mother. She’s truly at the center of music’s presence in my life in the first place. She was very adamant about my sisters and I getting a musical education, even if we didn’t want to professionally pursue it. I remember being a kid watching her perform on stage and bringing her flowers backstage afterwards. I think it was really formative having her as an example and support system as I grew into my own voice. So, definitely, without a doubt, my mother. Love you, mom.

Website: https://linktr.ee/kamal.info

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kamal_mp3/

Image Credits
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