Lebanon is a tiny country tucked between the contrasts of Asia, Europe, and North Africa. One of the many beautiful outcomes of this cultural cocktail is that the country continuously punches above its weight in the music world, producing iconic Arab artists of remarkable range and ambition. 

From the golden era of Sabah, Fairuz and Ziad Rahbani to today’s thriving indie, contemporary, underground, and electronic scenes, Lebanon’s musicians have always played a major role in the songs and sounds that define the Levantine voice.

As a Lebanese DJ myself, I always joke that if there are only two things my people know truly well, the answer is easy: music and of course, food (if you know, you know).

Here are four remarkable Lebanese musical talents to support and amplify during a time where they need it most.

Bonne Chose شي طيّب

The name translates to “something yummy,” which is exactly what Bonne Chose delivers, if you ask me. Made up of Charbel Sawma (bass and synths), his twin brother Abdo Sawma (drums and percussion), and their childhood friend Rami Abou Khalil (piano, keys, and synths), the trio plays with an incredible fluidity and fluency that only comes from racking years on top of years of entering a collective state of flow and creating music in synergy.

Not only are they big in the Lebanese jazz scene, their style also spans psychedelic rock, experimental indie, and synth-wave, all bound by a flavor that feels distinctly Lebanese. Their music honors the magic of improvisation in the present moment, as they’ve expressed in an interview with The Beiruter, “art loses its magic without the element of improvisation, as it strays from the instant. Too much rigidity and structure deprive music of its poetic essence and turn it into a cold science, leaving less room to capture the fleeting moment.”

Since I met Charbel and Abdo after one of their shows in 2017, we’ve become good friends and I’ve seen them perform numerous times. Honestly? These guys are some of the best musicians I’ve had the pleasure of seeing live. Their style, their groove, and their effortless cool tend to pull you into something close to a collective trance.

Check out one of their recent hits, “I know I hope” — blessing your ears and eyes with a music video that offers gorgeous choreography performed in the heart of Beirut.

Yasmine Hamdan

Yasmine Hamdan is no newbie to the scene. She’s been one of the most significant voices in contemporary Arabic music for well over two decades. However, her most recent solo album, I Remember, I Forget (2025), is as vital and alive as anything she’s ever made.

Beirut-born and now based in Paris, Hamdan first made her name in the scene in the late 1990s as co-founder of Soap Kills (discontinued), alongside the very talented Zeid Hamdan. Soap Kills was a duo whose minimalist electronic approach genuinely changed the possibilities of indie music in the region, however, they discontinued in 2005. Despite having the same last name, Yasmine and Zeid are not actually related.

Yasmine’s solo work — which blends pan-Arabic folk traditions, electronic production, and poetry across a various range of Arabic dialects — has earned her international praise far beyond Lebanon’s borders. Check out her cameo in Jim Jarmusch’s Only Lovers Left Alive (2013), and her very own NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert.

Check out one of my favorite songs by Yasmine, “Samar” and one of my favorite songs by Soap Kills, “Herzan”.

Taxi 404

If you’ve ever wondered what it sounds like when West Asia (Beirut) meets West Africa (Abidjan) meets West Europe (Paris), Taxi 404 is your answer. Since their formation in 2017, Amin Zorkot and Andy Rustom have spent nearly a decade creating art that blends the different cultures that made them, while carving out a devoted following across the Francophone world.

Their sound isn’t made to be pinned down: part alternative-pop, part rap/hip-hop stitched together with French vocals and melodies that will tug at the heartstrings of any indie music lover. Their 2021 single “Soleil” quickly became something of an anthem, with hundreds of thousands of streams from across Beirut, Abidjan, and beyond. 

I’ve seen Taxi 404 perform live in Beirut myself and their energy on stage is captivating! One thing that stood out to me the most was the way the crowd was constantly engaged from start to finish, singing every word to every one of their songs. Their sound is catchy and their charisma is enchanting, which easily explains how they have such a loyal fanbase.

Check out one of their more recent releases, “Hola Guapa”, which beautifully blends the Lebanese tablah with their signature French poetry.

Zeid Hamdan, Bedouin Burger (with Lynn Adib)

Zeid Hamdan is a creative genius that’s been at the center of Lebanon’s underground music scene for the better part of three decades, and he’s still going strong. As previously mentioned, he co-founded the iconic seminal trip-hop duo Soap Kills, but he absolutely didn’t stop there. As a solo artist and producer, Hamdan has worked with an extraordinary range of musicians; from Syrian bands to Palestinian rappers to Guinean folk guitarists.

His current collaboration is one of my personal favorite musical duos of all time: Bedouin Burger. In this duo, Zeid joins forces with the incredibly talented Syrian vocalist and composer Lynn Adib. Together, they marry Arabic poetry, traditional Bedouin rhythms, and electronic beats into something that beautifully alchemizes the ancient with the modern.

Their debut album Ma Li Beit (“I Don’t Have a Home”) is truly a no-skip musical journey that won them international praise and landed them an NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert, appearances at major European festivals, and a publishing deal with a US label.

Check out their popular hit “Nomad” which encapsulates themes many of us from this part of the world who have had to depart from our homeland can deeply relate to: memory, exile, and the costs of living between worlds.

Keep an eye out for more artist spotlights from around the East!

— Ghina Fahs

(All photo credit goes to respective owners, sourced from search engines)