Artists You Should Know: Bashar Murad

An artist with an ever-growing global reach, Palestinian pop artist Bashar Murad has risen to become a defining voice for their country. One whose sound has entranced fans from the Middle East to the frozen terrain of Iceland — the latter a kind of second home, as evidenced by the decision to submit their song “Wild West / Vestrið villt” as their entry to represent the nation at Eurovision 2024 earlier this year. Coming in second, Murad remains devoted to illuminating the struggle of Palestine on the world stage.

From the moment Murad was delivered into this world he was surrounded by an abundance of talent that included their father — Said Murad, who helped found the pioneering Palestinian band Sabreen in 1980 — circumstances that signaled their eventual pursuits as an artist and performer. Both the music and growing up in East Jerusalem in the 1990s inevitably exposed him to the plight of Arabs living under Israeli occupation and oppression.

It was while studying abroad in the U.S. he had an epiphany about a lack of international knowledge regarding Palestine, resolving to use music to educate and advocate for the liberation of its people. He started by uploading covers to YouTube in 2009 and soon gained notoriety for interpreting them through the use of traditional Middle Eastern instruments. After returning to Jerusalem in 2014 he shared renditions of “Hallelujah” and “Happy Xmas (War Is Over),” as well as versions of songs by everyone from Adele, Sia, Lady Gaga, David Bowie, Robyn, and more.

If those stellar covers were all that he ever produced it would be proof enough of their immense artistry. Yet it wasn’t long before Murad — like their father — started to make historic strides of their own, becoming the first Palestinian from the West Bank to study at the Rimon School of Jazz and Contemporary Music. He then started releasing original singles like “Shillet Hamal (Bunch of Bums)” and “Ana Zalameh (I’m a Man),” the latter produced by the UN Women’s “Men and Women for Gender Equality Regional Programme,” with both songs touching on Murad’s attempts to challenge conservative expectations regarding gender.

By 2019 he had the opportunity to reach audiences around the world via a collaboration with Hatari, an Icelandic techno-punk band that spoke out in solidarity with Palestine at that year’s Eurovision Song Contest, releasing the song “Klefi / Samed” on the heels of the annual competition. At the time, Murad boycotted the event and chose to perform at Global Vision. Two years later he released his debut EP Maskhara which featured adrenaline-pumping and anthemic dance tracks like “Intifada on the Dance Floor.”

Murad’s follow-up came in 2024 with the release of the Nafas EP. Amongst its three songs was a cover of “Mawtini,” a song that dates back to 1934 and was composed by Palestinian poet Ibrahim Tuqan. A powerful song that vocalizes the pained perseverance of the country’s people, it has since become a rallying cry of hope. Before officially releasing the cover Murad had spent over a year performing the song at his concerts, its words revitalized with renewed meaning in light of the genocide unfolding in Gaza.

The single “Wild West / Vestrið villt,” recorded in both English and Icelandic, spoke to the personal journey and freedom of mobility that allowed them to build relationships across borders. The music video for the song, directed by Baldvin Vernharðsson, follows Murad as he journeys from the arid and sunny world of their home to the frigid landscape. At one point it even features the appearance of a handful of watermelons on the dashboard of a truck, a nod to the fruit’s status as a mighty symbol of Palestinian resistance. Ever one to dress the part — in the past donning a wedding dress to satirize restrictive gender roles — Murad appears as a cowboy, a trailblazer, a human being pushing the edges of what was never expected of them.

Words: Steven Ward

Visit Bashar Murad on their Instagram to stay updated on new releases and tour announcements.

Watch the music video for “Wild West” the new single from Bashar Murad below!