One To Watch: How Abir Is Bringing Arab Pop Into The Mainstream

billboard.com:

“There’s a fiery desire in my heart to challenge the one image people have of what an Arab woman is,” rising star ABIR tells Billboard.

Born Abir Haronni in Fez, Morocco, ABIR moved to Arlington, Virginia when she was six. Even though she grew up surrounded by different cultures, the singer recalls that she “struggled with accepting my own.” But today (Aug.

7), she’s releasing her second EP Heat, a collection of seven songs she proudly describes as “Arab pop" and follows her 2018 EP Mint.

The EP is accompanied by visuals for singles “Inferno” and “Yallah,” with the latter premiering today. Last winter, both music videos were shot on location in the Moroccan desert just outside of Marrakech and brought to life by a team of all Arab