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Omar Al Fil

What Your Favorite Lebanese Artist Says About You

They say “you are what you eat.” You know what I say? You are what you listen to.

Very rarely will two people have identical musical tastes, and whether you do it consciously or not, you do judge people according to what they listen to. Here now are ten Lebanese artists, and what they say about you.


(Photo via Dubsahara.com)

Fairuz: You’re a simple person, but you have some refined taste. You appreciate the little things in life, starting your day with a morning cup of coffee, skimming through the paper, maybe feeding some birds in preparation to go up to the mountains to see the cedars, again. You take great pride in your roots and are quite nostalgic for “the good old days.”


(Photo via Flickr)

Ziad Rahbani: You consider yourself an intellectual, a relentless critic of society and politics, all for their betterment of course . However, you’re still a man of the people, spending the majority of your days in a smoke-filled café, musing on the ridiculousness of everything going on around you, later moving to a smoke-filled pub for the evening, and ranting vigorously about the ridiculousness of everything going on around you. Despite your cynicism, you do have a romantic side.


(Photo via Melody4arab.com)

Elias Rahbani: There are two types of people who listen to Elias Rahbani, and they are classified according to which period of his career they prefer:

Early work: You’re the definition of Lebanese cool (or at least you define what it should be like). You casually strut around the streets of Beirut in full badass mode, with a beer in hand and THIS pumping in your head. Also, you purchase albums that have covers like THIS (Warning: NSFW due to nudity). To sum it all up in one word: groovy.

Later work: You’re the definition of Lebanese uncool (and I’m pretty sure this is it). You aimlessly wander through traffic in full dumbass mode, weeping with a single rose in hand and THIS rattling around in your skull. Also, you purchase albums that have covers like THIS (Warning: NSFW language). To sum it all up in one word: cheese.


(Photo via Munirkhauli.net)

Munir Khauli: You are a rocker, a genuine rocker, but you stay true to your roots. You appreciate a killer guitar solo just as much as a masterfully crafted work of Arabic poetry. You were into what’s cool today, way before it was cool, but not in a hipster kinda way; you just were. You’ve got an impeccable sense of humor, often the joker, but always making valid points.


(Photo via Hotarabicmusic.blogspot.com)

Haifa Wehbe: You just wanna have fun, plain and simple. Sure, you may not be an audio-connoisseur with sharp wit and a wicked sense of humor, but you’re loved by all, you’re the life of the party. Whenever you show up, everybody cheers. Some may criticize you for your overly outgoing attitude, but you can’t please everyone, so just do your thing and enjoy yourself.


(Photo via Facebook)

Myriam Klink: On the surface, you may come off a bit silly, but you’ve got something to say. Whenever a socio-political discussion is taking place, you make an effort to chime in and express your views, usually with laughable results. Often the butt of many jokes, all you want is for others to hear you out and take you seriously. Also, you may suffer from a slight ego problem.


(Photo via Wikimedia.org)

Rayess Bek: You’re a true Lebanese hip hop head, relishing in the best of both worlds: the beats and rhymes that define hip hop culture, fused with Arabic lyrics and Oriental instrumentation. You feel strongly about political and social issues, and you’re not afraid to open up about how they affect your own life on an emotional level. But then again, you do have a fun side to you, never one to take yourself too seriously.


(Photo via Dock-des-suds.org)

Mashrou’ Leila: You’re not one to let social norms or obsolete traditions govern your life. You’ve got a strong urge to openly express yourself, and you’re vocal about your beliefs, regardless of who takes offense. But you’re not too preachy either. Though you tend to be moody, you know how to have a good time and you get along just fine with most people.


(Photo via Rupturedonline.com)

The Incompetents: You’re kooky, you’re weird, and constantly surprising those around you (with varying reactions). Most people just don’t understand you, relegating you to outcast status. But you’ll always have your friends, they get you, and you’re perfectly content with that. Though you come off as a loveable oddball most of the time, you do have a dark side lurking within.


(Photo via Now.mmedia.me)

The Wanton Bishops: You see the world as this gritty place full of struggle and hardship, where the Devil runs off with your woman and you have to challenge him to a showdown at the crossroads. You’re armed with nothing but your granddaddy’s guitar, a pack of cigarettes, and a half-empty bottle of whiskey; you’ve got the blues, brother.