From fan to a rebelious fan

Interview by: Mariam Touzani, latest writer of Muslimsinengland.com

Last Saturday (26th of September) I met with Outlandish in the backstage area at Troxy in East London, where Isam, Lenny and Waqas were sitting on a couch, waiting for their MIE interview. Not knowing that the one who will interview them is their biggest fan in London. It was exciting meeting them and talking to them. I hope my interview allows you to understand Outlandish more and in Waqas words continue to enjoy their “unique or bizarre” music...

In what way do you feel your latest Album Sound of a Rebel is different from your previous two?

Isam: 'I think our latest album is different than the previous two, because as human beings we go through different phases, we never stay in the same place, we have been travelling since our album Closer than veins and we have learn’t a lot as artists . Also, times have changed. I got married, it made me reflect on how important it is being in a serious relationship and being a father which also is very exciting.' The way Isam feels is that as humans our life changes and shapes through time, same thing goes for music.

Lenny: 'As a group we have been together for 10 years, it’s been a long time. It’s more about three individuals who change and develop which is the main topic in our album. In our latest album we needed to remind ourselves that it’s not all about work or business. It’s more about having fun, enjoying music and being able to do our own thing.'

Is there a particular message which you hoped to portray in this album?

Lenny: 'In all our songs the main message is about understanding that we as humans are capable of good and sadly bad actions. By using this method we hope to reach out and make a positive universal change to our fans and audiences.' The group feel as though music is a strong tool or medium which could be used to reach the hearts of people around the world.

Isam: 'It’s all about expressing yourself and writing about it. We are mainly trying to reflect on our experiences and talk about our lives .It’s not about trying to glamorise, but express the beautiful things we observe and making it sound good in a melody.'

How did the album name Sound of a Rebel develop?

Waqas: 'For us, the album name Sound of a Rebel is a rebellion against ourselves, routines, and the image people have of us. Obviously, people tend to place us in various boxes. Either, it’s a religious box, a pro Palestinian box, or the "Aisha" band. For us music is a feeling and inspiration.' When outlandish make songs there doesn’t necessarily have to be a particular event, but is rather an idea which they feel creative about.

Your idea of Hip Hop is very different from American Hip-Hop, what would you classify yourselves as and in which genre?

Isam: 'We started off with hip-hop, but our music has developed with time. We have different backgrounds such as Latin, Asian and African Arabic. As a group we use our roots to express ourselves in our music. It’s important for us to keep our music close to ourselves. There are also other influences in our music, such as folk or rock music. We try not to limit ourselves to a specific genre, which is why our songs are unique. They consist of a variation of cultures.'

Do you think the youth in Europe can relate to your music?

Isam: 'Our music is very diverse, so it can reach out to anyone. It definitely reaches out to a minority, but also a universal audience. A song like “I only ask of God“ reaches out to almost everyone. People may have different interpretations, but the feeling is the same.' People of all religions or backgrounds can relate to certain songs as the meaning remains the same.

How hard is it to be Muslim in the music industry?

Isam: 'It’s all about how good you are as a lyricist, producer, and artist. You have to be creative. Religion is important, because it’s a part of our lives. That is the beauty of being an artist, you are able to express yourself through words. Music is a medium of understanding between people .The way you use your deen is part of your life, so it’s natural for you to reflect that in our music'.

Who plays what role in the group?

Waqas: 'We write the lyrics ourselves, but work with different producers so it’s a collaboration between us and them .The good thing about it is when an Outlandish track is played, it’s either unique or bizar.'

Family life and work. How do you differentiate or balance between them?

Waqas: 'We are privileged to live lives were we can manage to make everything work. Obviously, there are obstacles such as travelling, but all can be solved with good time management and prioritising your time. Ofcourse nothing comes easy. In this album, the song “I will always remember reflects how hard it is being away from loved ones. Most of the times we lead normal lives and are able to spend quality time with family, we are grateful for that.'

How hard have you worked to reach were you stand today? And who would you say was your strongest support in this growing process?

Isam: 'In the beginning of our carrier we had a vision and inspiration. We have always worked hard to reach our goals, but we owe gratitude to everyone who believed in us and supported us in our carrier. This includes family, friends and producers. With Outlandish it’s a team effort. There are a lot of people involved in our success.' A very humble response from Isam nice to know people like him still exist.

What would be your message to your fans or audience of England?

Waqas: 'We would like to show our appreciation for our fans. We have a Facebook page which we update daily and we are interested in hearing people’s feedback. We make sure we read everyone’s message and take certain messages into consideration. We have a lot of love and support from London and the UK. Hopefully, we will try and come back for future shows and album releases.' We will all be looking forward to welcoming Outlandish back in the UK.

What would be your message to MIE readers?

Isam: I would like to say Eid Mubarak to MIE and all its readers. It has been pleasure answering your questions and I hope this interview gives readers an insight into our lives and allows them to understand outlandish music.


By: Mariam Touzani. Date: Saturday, 26th September @ the troxy in east London.