What are you listening to? 
Béla Bartók’s Romanian Folk Dances and Porcupine Tree’s Anesthetize, as well as some unreleased recordings by Samy Bishai and Al Nather.

Your all-time favourite albums?
Paulo César Pinheiro’s Capoeira de Besouro, I love the use of berimbau with the microtonality it brings; Floating Underwater by Daisuke Tanabe and St Vincent’s Actor, I love the arrangements and songwriting.

Musician you most admire?
Lili Boulanger who, despite her illness and early departure from this life, managed to create masterpieces in different styles. And even when she was physically incapable and resting on her deathbed, she was able to hear, compose and dictate her most magnificent work to her sister Nadia.

Favourite new artist? 
Cheb (Moroccan singer Nabil El Amraoui).

Memorable musical encounter? 
It was with Mısırlı Ahmet, the Turkish virtuoso darbuka player. During one of his workshops in the beautiful Sinai desert, I was trying to follow this complex exercise where all students had to play in rounds. I don’t play darbuka and didn’t expect him to ask me to play, but he told me to play from the heart, and that music doesn’t have to be correct or mathematical.

First album you ever bought? 
Pál Esterházy’s Harmonia Caelestis. 

What’s your hidden talent?
Sometimes I can read people’s minds.  

Read the review of Nancy Mounir’s Nozhet El Nofous

This interview originally appeared in the October 2022 issue of Songlines. Never miss an issue – subscribe today