How heartbreak and hope shaped Norhan's most powerful music yet

By day, she studied structural engineering; by night, she poured her soul into songwriting.

For 26-year-old Egyptian American singer-songwriter Norhan, these two lives ran side by side for years — until she finally decided to take the leap and pursue music full-time.

"I never thought music was possible for me as an Arab Muslim girl," she tells The New Arab.

"I had always told myself earlier that if music were an option, I probably wouldn't have got this degree."

But the truth is, music had been calling Norhan from the very start of her childhood.

Looking back with a smile at her very first songs, Norhan recalls how she and her siblings would write "meaningless" little songs in kindergarten and perform them at home as if they were famous.

"It was in fourth grade that I decided to join the school band," Norhan shares.

"A lot of people don't know this, but before I ever joined a choir or any singing group, I played the clarinet for eight years. Being in the band taught me about music theory and the more 'nerdy' side of music, and that's when I realised I wanted to do more."

Norhan adds that throughout middle school, high school, and college, she continued to explore her love for music — but she always felt drawn to take it further.

"During my sophomore year of college, I sang the national anthem at the State Farm Center in Illinois — it was my first time performing in a stadium," she recalls.

"After that moment, I knew I had to make music my career. I loved it so much that I couldn't imagine doing anything else. So the next step was to start writing my own songs, and that's really where it all began."

Bridging cultures through music

To this day, Norhan approaches music by experimenting across genres, drawing inspiration from artists like Drake, Nicki Minaj, Ariana Grande, and Lil Wayne.

"But it's not just Western music that has shaped me," she notes. "I spent a year living in Egypt, and during that time, we listened almost exclusively to Arabic music — a lot of Nancy Ajram, Haifa Wehbe, Ruby, Tamer Hosny, and Amr Diab. That year had a huge influence on the music I'm creating today."

It wasn't until she faced the complexities of her dual identity that Norhan truly recognised the mark of her formative experiences.

"I was really confused about my identity," Norhan says. "After moving back to the US, I didn't really listen to Arabic music again for a long time. I was kind of ashamed of that part of me. But eventually, I started embracing both sides again."

Norhan continues, "Now, I think it's pretty cool — growing up in America gave me that culture, but you can still hear a bit of my Arabic roots in my music, whether it's in the lyrics, the scales I sing, or even some of the beats and instrumentation. That seed from my childhood is finally showing itself in my music."

In sharing this, Norhan explains how her dual identity has shaped a style of music she proudly embraces, which outlets like Rolling Stone call 'Arabizi' — a blend of Arabic and English that bridges cultures.

While she isn't the first artist to experiment with this hybrid style — Bayou and Saint Levant, for example, are also known for blending English and Arabic in their music — Norhan sees it as a way to connect with her roots while simultaneously engaging with the global pop scene.

"Seeing artists like Bayou and Saint Levant embrace this style really encouraged me to do the same," she reflects. "Before that, I was hesitant — I thought maybe I shouldn't mix Arabic into my music. But hearing them made me think, why not? There are people like me who live between both cultures, so why not bring that into my music?"

With a playful grin, she adds, "Have you ever heard of the Halal-Haram ratio? Well, there's an Arab-American version too. Some people embrace it fully, while others keep it more hidden. I grew up in America, so I know what it's like to try to fit in. But now, I want my music to show that Arabic culture can be just as mainstream as American pop — and maybe, one day, even non-Arabs will hear Arabic music and think, 'That's pretty cool!'"

Love, loss, and activism

Reflecting on her music tracks released to date, Norhan says that, just as the artists she grew up listening to were never limited to one box, she also doesn't limit herself to one box when it comes to the themes explored in her music.

"It's all about coping with life," she shares. "It could be heartbreak, or relationships, or just getting through tough times. Whether I'm singing about love or letting go, it's about finding a way to keep going."

One song that embodies this exploration is I'd Rather Love, which delves into the pain of lost love and the bittersweet memories that linger after a relationship ends.

"People kept telling me that to forget someone, you have to hate them, but I just couldn't do it," Norhan explains.

"I wanted to cherish what we had, even though it was over. I'd rather love and hold on to that than erase it from my heart."

As for the remix of I'd Rather Love with Los Angeles-based artist Michael Hakim, Norhan says the collaboration offers insight into the male perspective on heartbreak. 

"Michael was such a perfect fit because, like me in the song, he's also an Arab American experiencing love and heartbreak," Norhan says. "He brings a different but important perspective. There's not just one story in love or a relationship."

Elaborating further, she explains that in the song, she sings about being left, while Michael sings about having no choice but to leave.

"He tried everything, and the love still didn't work out," she says. "I wanted to show that heartbreak isn't just one-sided. Both sides deserve to be heard. Relationships are complicated, and there are two sides to every story."

Moving on to Yakasara, a collaboration with Egyptian-Canadian singer-songwriter Malayka, Norhan explains that the title comes from an Arabic phrase meaning 'what a shame' or 'what a loss'.

"It’s funny," she says. "I actually started writing it while I was still talking to someone, and things weren't over yet. I remember thinking, 'Imagine what our friends would say if this relationship ended.' We were the couple that gave everyone hope. If we broke up, they'd all say, 'Wow, what a shame.' That's where the title comes from."

Norhan adds that she couldn't finish the song until after the breakup, saying, "When it was really over, I went back to the song and thought, now I can release everything. All the real emotions."

Ultimately, Yakasara explores the depth of a relationship ending — the kind that hurts, but also teaches important lessons.

Beyond love and heartbreak, Norhan has also used her platform to address more serious issues, including the injustices faced by Palestinians under Israeli occupation.

Taking inspiration from Camila Cabello's I Have Questions, Norhan collaborated with Palestinian-Lebanese artist Hasan Hussein (aka Wizduhm) to create a cover and bring Green Bird to life, rewriting the lyrics to, as she puts it, "speak from the perspective of children who have been martyred in Palestine."

She adds, "It's about asking humanity questions like, 'Why did you watch?' and 'Why did you do nothing?'"

Her other track, Don't Cry Love, a collaboration with Jordanian-American artist Eddy Mack, takes a more hopeful stance.

"At the time, everyone was sharing sad, devastating videos on social media," Norhan reflects. "I wanted to give people something hopeful — to remind them that one day, Palestine will be free. I wrote the song to remind people that they can hold on to hope, even in the darkest times."

The next chapter

Looking ahead, Norhan is preparing to release her upcoming album, Rusted Gold, a project centred on grieving heartbreak and finding yourself again.

"People sometimes say, 'Wait, gold can't rust,'" she laughs about the album title. "And that's exactly the point. I'm comparing my love with this person to gold — it was so precious, something that shouldn't have 'rusted', and yet it did."

And while she's excited about Rusted Gold, Norhan is already looking ahead to her next project.

"I'm already working on my second album," she tells The New Arab. 

"With this one, I want to take my music in a more experimental direction. I want to keep the Arabic influences, but use them in ways that feel fresh and unexpected. Maybe add a touch of hip-hop or some Tate McRae–style beats with heavy drums and bass, while still keeping those floaty, Ariana Grande-style vocals," she explains.

"I just want to explore sounds in ways I haven't really heard being done before."

Zainab Mehdi is The New Arab's Associate Editor and researcher specialising in governance, development, and conflict in the Middle East and North Africa region 

Follow her on Instagram: @zaiamehdi_/@zainabmehdiwrites_