HM, like all independent Arab artists of her generation, was part of building the regional music scene while also making music and developing artistically, releasing originals before, during and after the major shifts of the industry over the past ten years.

They relied on artist-led grassroots initiatives and localized underground networks to overcome the logistical, social/cultural, economic and political challenges of the industry’s fragmented infrastructure. Being resourceful and self-sufficient was a basic requirement for all areas of the profession from recording to promotion but especially with organizing regional tours.

HM was one of a handful of independent female artists in Jordan at the time – and a relatively small group regionally – a position that came with its own set of challenges, and a sense of responsibility to contribute to changing that reality. 

Unlike her peers though, a third factor also shaped HM’s perspective: living between two very different home bases (Jordan and US) during the first few years as an artist. Perhaps that’s what enabled her to capture the feeling of belonging to everything and nothing all at once through song, and also what encouraged her to carve her own path artistically.