ZEID HAMDAN |

Zeid Hamdan – A Pioneering Visionary of the Arab Music Scene

Zeid Hamdan, often referred to as the "Godfather of Lebanese underground music," is a groundbreaking artist, composer, and producer whose career has reshaped independent music across the Middle East. As the co-founder of the legendary band Soapkills with Yasmine Hamdan, he blended trip-hop, dub, and oriental sounds to create what the French press dubbed “Oriental Trip-Hop.” Their albums Cheftak (2002) and Enta Fen (2005) defined a generation and left a mark on cinema, contributing to films like Elia Suleiman’s Divine Intervention.

Following Soapkills, Zeid launched a series of innovative projects. His collaboration with Egyptian artist Maryam Saleh on the album Halawella tackled political and social themes through a bold fusion of traditional Arabic songs and trip-hop.

With Maii Waleed in Maii and Zeid, he reinvented Arabic indie pop while also composing film scores, including the soundtrack for the acclaimed Saudi romantic comedy Barakah Meets Barakah.

As a film composer, Zeid created music for Nadine Labaki’s Capernaum—an Oscar-nominated film—and scored the powerful dramas Costa Brava, Lebanon and Dirty, Difficult, Dangerous by Wissam Charaf, which delves into the complex realities of migration.

Most recently, through Bedouin Burger, his collaboration with Lynn Adib, Zeid continues to break boundaries by blending electronic music, jazz, and Bedouin influences—highlighting his relentless innovation and deep connection to his cultural roots.

A visionary and multidimensional artist, Zeid Hamdan remains at the forefront of reinventing the Arab music scene and inspiring new generations

Discographie