JEDDAH: Adham Bayoumi, who goes by the artist name Bayou, is carving out a distinctive space in the music scene. Bayoumi is Egyptian, but was born in Jeddah. While he was still young his family relocated to the UAE, and although he still has family ties in 黑料社区 鈥斺痟is father currently works in Riyadh 鈥斺痟e has few memories of the Kingdom.听
鈥淚 don鈥檛 have much recollection of my time there,鈥 he tells Arab News. 鈥淢y connection to Saudi has been purely through music.鈥 He is currently signed to a Saudi label, MDLBEAST Records, and plans to perform in the Kingdom this year. He鈥檚 excited to explore his Saudi connections further.听
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听
His association with MDLBEAST began a little over a year ago. 鈥淭hey reached out to me, and it felt like a perfect match,鈥 he says, adding that the partnership has influenced his sound. Bayoumi鈥檚 music journey has been an eclectic one, ranging from the UAE to the US, where he attended university, and involving numerous collaborations. 鈥淢y main producer, Motif Alumni, was in New York but has recently moved to Massachusetts, which impacted our creative workflow,鈥 he says. As his music has evolved, Bayoumi has incorporated more Egyptian and Arabic influences.听
Bayoumi grew up in Dubai, where he absorbed a wide variety of musical influences. 鈥淚 listened to everything 鈥 especially pop hits on Virgin Radio,鈥 he recalls. His mother鈥檚 taste in music included artists like Muhammad Munir and Andrea Bocelli. This diversity shaped his own artistic sensibility. Creativity runs in Bayoumi鈥檚 family; his mother is an interior designer and his sister a visual artist, but his own artistic path was self-initiated, sparked in elementary school by a teacher鈥檚 guitar playing. 鈥淚 wanted to do that too,鈥 he says, recalling one of his first songs, about the changing of the seasons, written while he was still at school.听
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听
His first major release as Bayou 鈥 2019鈥檚 鈥淢oonlight鈥 鈥 quickly gained traction, garnering more than 100,000 streams and solidifying his confidence as an artist. 鈥淚 realized, 鈥楬ey! People actually like my music!鈥 he says. That seems a fair assessment; 鈥淢oonlight鈥 now has more than 3 million listens on Spotify, and his performance at the influential Coachella music festival as a guest of Palestinian rapper Saint Levant this summer was well-received by both audience and critics.听
He describes his music as 鈥渁 unique blend of influences,鈥 an international R&B sound that resonates personally.听听
鈥淓ven when the songs aren鈥檛 directly about my life, they often feel like the soundtrack to my experiences,鈥 he says. His upcoming EP,鈥淣ever at Home,鈥 is a deep exploration of his Egyptian identity that should resonate with anyone trying to find their place in the world 鈥斺痑 concise snapshot of Bayoumi鈥檚 quest for identity and belonging through music (which leads him to conclude 鈥淗ome is where my mom is鈥).听
Spending four months in Egypt in 2024 allowed him to immerse himself in the culture and complete his EP. 鈥淚 wanted to really dive into what it means to be Egyptian, especially as someone who didn鈥檛 grow up there,鈥 he says.听
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听
His latest singles,鈥淣eshar Belel鈥 and 鈥淢esh Haseebek鈥 have both proven popular with young Arab audiences, blending the rich tapestry of Egyptian musical heritage with contemporary sounds. By infusing traditional rhythms and melodies into modern R&B, Bayoumi honors his cultural identity while creating music with the potential to appeal to a global audience.听
Language has played a crucial role in his artistic journey. Initially, he wrote primarily in English, but his experiences in Egypt prompted a shift.听听
鈥淚 realized I was very far from my culture and wanted to reconnect with it,鈥 he explains. Writing in Arabic became essential, allowing him to navigate his identity as an Arab more authentically. 鈥淚 felt like I needed to speak to my culture in the language it deserves,鈥 he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about understanding my own character and expressing it through my songs.鈥 The exploration of love in Arabic has been particularly rewarding, he says, allowing him to connect with his heritage on a deeper level. But he also stresses that this doesn鈥檛 mean he鈥檚 stopped writing English-language songs.听听
And Bayoumi鈥檚 interests extend beyond music. He has a keen eye for fashion, often choosing outfits that help him express his identity. He鈥檚 also passionate about reading, especially philosophy and self-help literature. 鈥淚 want to understand how to be a good person and navigate life effectively,鈥 he says. Football also remains a significant passion, along with biking. Oh, and watching cartoons. 鈥淭hat brings me back to that state of freedom, my childhood, which is crucial for any artist,鈥 he explains.听
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听
Bayoumi鈥檚 goals are ambitious. 鈥淚t鈥檚 incredible to see how people from all backgrounds are drawn to my Arabic music,鈥 he says. 鈥淚 want to be a pop star worldwide, singing in both English and Arabic. I want to be the bridge between the East and the West.鈥澨
