|
|
BAHJAT ‘US AGAINST THE WORLD’
Bahjat, the rising Prince of A-Pop, returns with another perfectly crafted slice of pop magic with “Us Against the World” – his first release since signing with distribution giants The Orchard.
Seamlessly blending soaring ‘80s synth melodies with a relentless pop beat infused with dual English-Arabic lyrics written by himself, Bahjat’s honeyed vocals deliver a comforting sense of self-acceptance and living life as one’s true self. The uplifting message of “Us Against the World” is inspired by Bahjat’s personal journey in the music industry and the difficulties he has faced with being himself as a result of endless critiques as to who he should be, what he should do, as well as what he can and can’t say.
In a moment of unity and gratitude to those who continue to believe in him simply as he is, “Us Against the World” is the multi-faceted artist’s way of letting his supporters (who affectionately dub themselves ‘Bahjatroops’) know that having them allows him to feel stronger, serving as a way to let go of doubts and live life with pure freedom.
Bahjat shared the following about “Us Against the World”: There’s such a special and powerful bond that ties two people who have their guards down, and that’s the connection I feel with my fans. This song is sort of our “anthem” celebrating that bond. I wrote the song on my guitar in Malta and worked on the production with my producer Von Arbin, who’s in Stockholm, through Zoom sessions. I recorded and produced the vocals in my brother’s bedroom, which I thought was a really cool experience! I didn’t think we’d end up using them on the final version, but we did. Writing the song was a very therapeutic experience - it helped me heal during a difficult time this year. So, the fact that I’m putting it out into the world makes it all come full circle.
Born and raised in Libya, Bahjat grew up in Tripoli (the capital of Libya) before fleeing to Malta during the beginning of the Arab Spring in 2011 - an event that changed the course of the young artist's life forever. Proud of his Arabic roots, Bahjat continues to weave his heritage into his artistry where possible, such as 2020’s “Yjeek Youm”, and has worked with some of the region’s biggest and best producers, including the award-winning Hassan El Shafei for their hit “Galbek Ween”.
Possessing a diverse wealth of musical knowledge, from US genre-spanning legends to underground indie-pop bands to Arab and Turkish pop icons, Bahjat’s catalogue of music is as diverse as his own influences. With each release, Bahjat continues injecting a newfound sense of modernity and artistic credibility into the A-Pop (Arabic pop music) scene; writing and co-producing all of his songs, 2020’s “Halba” (2.2M+ streams) confesses feelings of desire over glossy dance-pop sounds in a slick music video, whereas 2019’s “Istanbul” (7.1M+ streams) blends dark trap production with escapist one-liners in Disney-esque illustrated visuals.
However, it’s Bahjat’s standout smash “Hometown Smile” which catapulted him into the eyes and ears of global audiences; the calming tropical beat lays the foundation for a gripping and enchanting tale of relearning the meaning of 'home' and finding it in the smile of someone you love, rather than the physical place you're in. “Hometown Smile” proved Bahjat’s innate ability to develop a connection with listeners via music, racking up over 10M on-demand streams whereas the music video achieved viral success across YouTube with over 50M views and a ginormous reach of 630M views on Tik Tok - all organically.
With a refreshing take on the genre, blending English lyrics with subtle Arabic flourishes, Bahjat has seen himself rise as the region’s first great hope at achieving worldwide mainstream success. Forging his own path as an independent artist, Bahjat has had an active hand in everything from lyrics to videos to production – building a loyal fanbase who have helped the pop whiz-kid rack up over 30M streams for his music and 100M+ YouTube views alone.
Crafting most of his pop gems at state-of-the-art studios in Stockholm, Sweden, it was here that Bahjat met and received co-signs from the God of pop production that is Max Martin (Britney Spears, Ariana Grande, The Weeknd) as well as Johan Shellback (Taylor Swift, Kesha, Carly Rae Jepsen); an incredible act of recognition for the emerging artist, proving Bahjat’s budding potential as a serious contender for international greatness.
Demonstrating himself over the years to be A-Pop’s first crossover star and now working with The Orchard (BTS, CL), it seems all the pieces are in place for Bahjat to become a global pop staple – “Us Against the World” marks a significant new chapter in this flourishing act’s career, who is primed for a defining 2022 which will see him release his debut album.
Seamlessly blending soaring ‘80s synth melodies with a relentless pop beat infused with dual English-Arabic lyrics written by himself, Bahjat’s honeyed vocals deliver a comforting sense of self-acceptance and living life as one’s true self. The uplifting message of “Us Against the World” is inspired by Bahjat’s personal journey in the music industry and the difficulties he has faced with being himself as a result of endless critiques as to who he should be, what he should do, as well as what he can and can’t say.
In a moment of unity and gratitude to those who continue to believe in him simply as he is, “Us Against the World” is the multi-faceted artist’s way of letting his supporters (who affectionately dub themselves ‘Bahjatroops’) know that having them allows him to feel stronger, serving as a way to let go of doubts and live life with pure freedom.
Bahjat shared the following about “Us Against the World”: There’s such a special and powerful bond that ties two people who have their guards down, and that’s the connection I feel with my fans. This song is sort of our “anthem” celebrating that bond. I wrote the song on my guitar in Malta and worked on the production with my producer Von Arbin, who’s in Stockholm, through Zoom sessions. I recorded and produced the vocals in my brother’s bedroom, which I thought was a really cool experience! I didn’t think we’d end up using them on the final version, but we did. Writing the song was a very therapeutic experience - it helped me heal during a difficult time this year. So, the fact that I’m putting it out into the world makes it all come full circle.
Born and raised in Libya, Bahjat grew up in Tripoli (the capital of Libya) before fleeing to Malta during the beginning of the Arab Spring in 2011 - an event that changed the course of the young artist's life forever. Proud of his Arabic roots, Bahjat continues to weave his heritage into his artistry where possible, such as 2020’s “Yjeek Youm”, and has worked with some of the region’s biggest and best producers, including the award-winning Hassan El Shafei for their hit “Galbek Ween”.
Possessing a diverse wealth of musical knowledge, from US genre-spanning legends to underground indie-pop bands to Arab and Turkish pop icons, Bahjat’s catalogue of music is as diverse as his own influences. With each release, Bahjat continues injecting a newfound sense of modernity and artistic credibility into the A-Pop (Arabic pop music) scene; writing and co-producing all of his songs, 2020’s “Halba” (2.2M+ streams) confesses feelings of desire over glossy dance-pop sounds in a slick music video, whereas 2019’s “Istanbul” (7.1M+ streams) blends dark trap production with escapist one-liners in Disney-esque illustrated visuals.
However, it’s Bahjat’s standout smash “Hometown Smile” which catapulted him into the eyes and ears of global audiences; the calming tropical beat lays the foundation for a gripping and enchanting tale of relearning the meaning of 'home' and finding it in the smile of someone you love, rather than the physical place you're in. “Hometown Smile” proved Bahjat’s innate ability to develop a connection with listeners via music, racking up over 10M on-demand streams whereas the music video achieved viral success across YouTube with over 50M views and a ginormous reach of 630M views on Tik Tok - all organically.
With a refreshing take on the genre, blending English lyrics with subtle Arabic flourishes, Bahjat has seen himself rise as the region’s first great hope at achieving worldwide mainstream success. Forging his own path as an independent artist, Bahjat has had an active hand in everything from lyrics to videos to production – building a loyal fanbase who have helped the pop whiz-kid rack up over 30M streams for his music and 100M+ YouTube views alone.
Crafting most of his pop gems at state-of-the-art studios in Stockholm, Sweden, it was here that Bahjat met and received co-signs from the God of pop production that is Max Martin (Britney Spears, Ariana Grande, The Weeknd) as well as Johan Shellback (Taylor Swift, Kesha, Carly Rae Jepsen); an incredible act of recognition for the emerging artist, proving Bahjat’s budding potential as a serious contender for international greatness.
Demonstrating himself over the years to be A-Pop’s first crossover star and now working with The Orchard (BTS, CL), it seems all the pieces are in place for Bahjat to become a global pop staple – “Us Against the World” marks a significant new chapter in this flourishing act’s career, who is primed for a defining 2022 which will see him release his debut album.