Founded by Nadin Al Khalidi and Gabriel Hermansson in 2008 in Malmö, Sweden, Tarabband combines the words tarab (Arabic for the feeling experienced when emotions and music mix) and band. Comprising six members, the group defines itself as a transcultural musical experiment between Arab and Western music. Nadin Al Khalidi, a refugee who arrived in Sweden from Iraq in 2001, uses the band's lyrics to tell her story and the social and political situations she has lived through. After presenting their music on stage, a blend of folk, traditional Middle Eastern music, flamenco and jazz, the group released their first album, Ya Sidi, in 2012. With concerts stretching from Morocco to Egypt, from Palestine to the United States, Tarabband stands out in the Swedish musical landscape for its strong cultural mix, confirmed by two further albums, Ashofak Baden (2016) and Yekhaf (2022). But it's above all the power of the band's messages - about exile, war and identity - that wins over and unites international audiences.
