Dozenz, also known as Saleh Hamed, is a songwriter, producer, and musician from the Abu Dhabi, UAE in the Arabian Peninsula. Having grown up in California, Northern England and the UAE, Dozenz blends a wide range of musical styles and genres that influenced him as a travelling 3rd Culture kid. The song of a military man based in the UAE desert, Dozenz had to travel over 50km to reach the nearest school, which usually took around 40 minutes. During those daily trips, his mother would liven up the atmosphere by playing her favorite songs from the motown era - Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, The Supremes Simon and Garfunkle and Carly Simon were just a few names she would have him and his four siblings singing along to. When it was Dozenz turn to choose what they listened to he switched up the genre a bit; Radiohead, Coldplay, The Prodigy, The Chemical Brothers, Bloc Party, Arctic Monkeys and Oasis were some of his favorite bands.
Formerly the principal songwriter and keyboardist of the Middle East's most successful rock band, Dozenz attempts a fresh, dynamic, and modern approach to creating a captivating sound without shying away from pushing boundaries and challenging the status quo. After swearing off guitars and experimenting with synths, the 80s, hip-hop and RnB on his last album, Dozenz has rediscovered his Alternative Rock muse describing each of his songs as a tribute to a rock band or an era of rock.
Dozenz draws on inspiration from "Life, love and “the struggle”. "It all starts with some kind of feeling that I don’t know how to process or express; It will linger and dwell inside of me. Songwriting is my catharsis."
Dozenz mostly identifies with artists and bands who defied pigeon-holing and "sticking to a lane" and he embraces exploration in his songwriting and production approach, influenced by later day The Beatles and Radiohead. Dozenz envisions each song to have its own sonic identity and personality. He counts amongst his current inspiration: Depeche Mode, Gnarls Barkly, Aerosmith, Coldplay, James Brown, Parliament, John Mayer, Tears For Fears, Jeff Buckley, Ed Sheeran
He is currently focusing now on getting his album "Daylight" released and heard. Following that he plans to put together a band and begin performing the material live.
As a musician, Dozenz's music exemplifies his versatility and style, and "Chasing Tigers" featuring J Fitz is one of his best tracks.