Meet Summer Jam 5's Performer Hana Malhas With an Albawaba Interview
Al Bawaba, Alex Abumuhor, 2022
"..she creates her unique sound of alternative Arabic songs. Musically, she is influenced by many types of music and artists, but 'in the end it’s about saying what you need to say in your own voice'.
She started learning about the indie music industry while studying and working in the United States, joining a small band after meeting musicians at an open mic night. ''It was a great learning curve, I met local, regional and national musicians, I got a taste of what it takes to tour, release albums, etc - in general what a musician’s life is. Before that all I knew was how to write a song and play a couple of instruments'' The Mazar singer said.
Malhas went on to explain how life experiences led her to realizing she wanted to pursue music professionally in the Middle East. ''I found my music had a sense of purpose when I moved back to Jordan, and especially after I founded ‘BalaFeesh’, this concert series project that hosted indie Arab artists in an intimate listening space, the aim was for us to start doing collaborations and giving audiences something different, and it ended up being very successful.''
Hana Malhas continued: 'I felt the importance of being part of the growth of the indie Arabic music scene, because back then it was just starting,'' She added: ‘I was a part of its development - as a contributor and a witness - & my music grew with it.''
Alexandra asked Hana to share more about the concept behind her hit ''Ya Msafer Wahdak'' (Solo Traveller).
Malhas explained that her rendition of the original classic by the icon Mohammad Abdel Wahhab was her way of ''paying homage to legend, especially because he was the first to blend between Arabic and western music - which wasn’t the norm back then. He was criticized for it too, it felt like by producing a modern take on the classic, it was as if I was saying - I am trying to follow your pioneering experimental steps.''
Hana Malhas added that this song is sentimental to her as she was constantly traveling between what felt like different homes, but that 'over the years, the meaning of the song for me changed from love across distance or homesickness to talking to the different parts yourself.
''I used to play it all the time to myself, but I didn’t think of releasing it until this year, I teamed with Amr Shomali (producer ‘No One), I played my version of it to Amr on the piano, and he suggested combining darker EDM elements into the arrangement and production, and it just clicked.''
Abumuhor asked Hana Malhas about her next steps, music genres, and the language she prefers writing and signing in, to which the songwriter admitted that ‘There is something special about the messaging and emotions you can get across while singing/writing/performing in Arabic - some things are just more relatable, sometimes deeper, though I’ll continue writing in both English and Arabic - whatever feels right and authentic to the song itself and what I am writing or singing about."
The Jordanian artist went on to talk about experimenting with new genres. She credits all three producers she’s worked with so far (Khaled Nimry, Nasir AlBashir, Amr Shomali) and her manager Hana Gammoh for pushing her out of her comfort zone of acoustic songwriting, into experimenting with electronic elements, genre blending, adopting technology into songwriting and performance, and collaborating with co-writers, all things that she feels have expanded her range
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Hana Malhas: Jordanian Singer Who Records in English
Ramzi Salti's Arabology Podcast, Dr. Ramzi Salti, 2012
Hana Malhas likes to describe her music as borderless indie folk-pop. She chases summer every year from the US (her current residence) to Amman, Jordan (the hometown she hails from). She sings mostly in English (but sometimes in Arabic) and performs solo and/or with her band The Overthinkers (which varies from duo to full band) on stages in both the US and the Middle East. She is a storyteller with an expressive vocal delivery.
Her shows over the past year have included such venues as The Ark in Ann Arbor, Top of the Park at the Ann Arbor Summer Festival and the Citadel in Amman. Places performed include: Michigan (Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Detroit, Dearborn, Grand Rapids, Traverse City, Albion), New York City, Chicago, Boston, Milwaukee, Jordan (Amman), and Lebanon (Beirut).
In September 2011 Hana Malhas performed live with the Lebanese band Mashrou' Leila at the Citadel in Amman.
While Hana's 2010 debut LP Shapeshift featured 17 American and Jordanian artists recorded over two time zones, her new CD--titled Hana Malhas & The Overthinkers (released on June 5th)--is as cohesive as it is complex. It is more focused, elemental, and intimate. Hana describes this album as “full of subtle drama. To me, it’s about your subconscious love, your inner superhero, or your darkest quiet place.”
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A Romantic Journey In Time With Hana Malhas
Artmejo Review, Album Release Show, ‘Nasi’ Zaina Deeb, 2018
Walking towards center stage and surrounded by two keyboards, an iPad and an acoustic guitar, Hana stood there inside a frame of flashy squares. The decorated stage played its part in accentuating the mood depending on each song; the light’s changing colors and patterns followed the beat and mood of each performance throughout the night.
Before inviting everyone on an electro-acoustic pop journey, Hana explained that the songs on the album have a common theme of Time. The 11-track record consists of songs in both English and Arabic either written or co-written by Malhas.
At the end of every song, Hana narrated a personal story of her connections to each of the professional musicians who accompanied her on stage. Some of whom were there since the beginning of her career, while others have recently joined.
The band consisted of Maxim Al Adham on bass, Nasir Al Bashir on keyboard and backing vocals. On Guitar and Ukulele was Darem Aqrabawi, with drummer Omar Abbassi on his side and accordionist Qased Ihsan swaying the night away.
The night opened with the slow ballad Bigger Heart being played by Hana on the keyboard. In an attempt to connect with each one of her audience members, a vibration explodes from Malhas throughout the whole theater with her soft and powerful voice reciting ‘I’m not a thief’, instantly stealing everyone’s hearts and holding them captive, only to give them back when she was done.