In a world where musical identity often intertwines with cultural roots, Tamara Qaddoumi stands out as a unique voice navigating the complexities of her Kuwaiti, Palestinian, Lebanese, and Scottish heritage. Known for her ethereal blend of trip-hop and electronic sounds, Tamara’s music is a journey through personal discovery and emotional exploration. In an interview with Kuwait Times, she opens up about the influence of her multicultural background on her art, her creative partnership with her husband, and the lessons learned from the challenges and triumphs of her musical career.
Kuwait Times: How did your parents react when you decided to pursue music? Were they supportive from the start?
Qaddoumi: At first, there was some hesitation, but ultimately, their condition was that I could only audition for the most competitive schools in the world. If I was good enough to get in, then I could pursue my dream. And I did. I got in.
KT: What initially drew you to trip-hop as a genre, and how do you make it your own?
Qaddoumi: It’s an innate influence from the bands I listened to in the ’90s. That music shaped my foundation, so naturally, that nostalgia and energy come through in my writing.
KT: Your music is a collaboration with your husband—what is your creative process like when writing and producing together?
Qaddoumi: It’s really special to share a different language with your loved one beyond the words we speak daily. A different side of you emerges. Most of the time, I come to him with lyrics and melody, and he weaves the instruments around the melody to build the track. It’s incredible when someone can hear what’s in your head and sync with it. And sometimes, he takes it in a completely different direction, which is fascinating because I get to experience his perspective. Sometimes our ideas meet in the middle, and other times, we’re on different planets—but that’s what makes it amazing! Nothing beats the feeling of creating something together.
KT: How does your diverse cultural background (Palestinian, Lebanese, Kuwaiti, Scottish) influence your songwriting and sound?
Qaddoumi: Questions of identity and curiosity help me discover myself through music every day. I have an insatiable hunger to learn about and listen to music from all over the world.
KT: Do you incorporate any elements from traditional Middle Eastern music into your work?
Qaddoumi: I have! I released an Arabic track, Atr El Nada, in my first EP, which was inspired by Kuwait.
KT: Are there any artists—past or present—who have significantly shaped your artistic identity?
Qaddoumi: Radiohead was huge for me growing up, but unfortunately, their political stance has been disappointing. I also love Beach House and Angel Olsen, among many others.
KT: Outside of music, what other creative or professional passions do you pursue?
Qaddoumi: I am a passionate Lagree trainer, and I co-run KCamp with my incredible partners. I’m also currently working on a new business that will be launching soon—also related to sound.
KT: Have you ever faced challenges in the Kuwaiti music scene as a trip-hop artist, considering it’s a niche genre?
Qaddoumi: I think things are much easier now, and there are more platforms emerging that support musical genres outside of mainstream radio. We’re excited to explore Kuwait’s stages this year, and we’re most looking forward to the sense of community that will come with it.
KT: How do you and your husband navigate the balance between being life partners and creative partners? What’s the most rewarding part of performing and making music together?
Qaddoumi: We make it a point to schedule our music sessions a few times a week so that music doesn’t dominate our daily lives. We keep discussions about music within the studio, and we never take creative differences personally. Work is work. We’ve developed a strong creative fluency together. We both have our own dreams to pursue, and we support each other fully, always making sure we take care of ourselves individually so we can be the best versions of ourselves. That’s the ultimate foundation for succeeding as life partners, which, in turn, helps us succeed as creative partners.
KT: What can you tell us about your upcoming (or latest) album and single?
Qaddoumi: I’m incredibly excited to be releasing my album The Murmur in April. Our second single from the album, also called The Murmur, which serves as the heartbeat of the project, will be out in March. We also have a beautiful music video for The Murmur single, which was a fantastic collaboration with talented Kuwaiti creatives, and it will be released in March as well.
KT: What message or feeling do you hope listeners take away from your music?
Qaddoumi: Familiarity is what keeps us grounded. I hope my music brings listeners a sense of comfort and helps them keep moving forward through life’s challenges and beautiful obstacles.