Bahjat Announces New EP & Shares 'I'M HERE' Single

Today, Libyan electronic pop artist Bahjat shares his "comeback" single, "I'M HERE." Continuing to carve out a globally appealing aesthetic with an Arabic soul and a touch of vintage nostalgia, the striking music video for "I'M HERE" sees Bahjat taking a major risk with his image, incorporating harsher environments, full choreography and bold fashion looks to bring to life the track's theme of risk-taking.

Speaking on his brand new track, Bahjat wrote:

"I wrote 'I'M HERE' during quarantine in 2020. Not only was it such an uncertain time in our lives in general, but I was also getting a lot of pushback from people in the industry who were questioning my vision and my decision to mix Arabic & English lyrics. It's kind of my 'comeback' song in a way, because it captures the moment I got fed up with all the criticism and decided to carve my path on my own terms. Sonically, I wanted to pay tribute to the K-Pop community and the sound of the artists' debut songs, because I feel like I'm debuting all over again with my new take on global Arabic music, which I've been calling 'A-pop.'"

Continuing on its accompanying music video, he wrote:

"I wanted the music video for 'I'M HERE' to bring to life what the song means to me. I wrote the song as a response to the pushback I got for mixing Arabic & English in my music. With the video, I wanted to symbolize all of this in a story set in a heist, where a group of young Arabs and I plan to take over a building. This building is a metaphor for the music industry, and the mission is called A-POP, which is the name of the music style I've been cultivating. It pays tribute to the K-pop community and their phenomenal global achievements.

To me, A-POP is the fusion of global and Arabic culture, so in the video, I wanted to highlight and include Arabic symbolism in the sets, outfits, and accessories. I also went out of my comfort zone and experimented with outfits I'd never worn before, and danced in a music video for the first time ever! I hope the video empowers people to be their authentic selves no matter what anyone else says."

Attempts to sonically align the Middle East and the West have often faltered, but Bahjat is driven to prove it's possible to create relatable, emotionally-driven songs that connect with listeners around the world. With major life experiences shaping his personal songwriting, Bahjat's success puts him in a position where he may just become the Arab world's first global superstar, and a shining crossover hope to fly the flag for his region.

Growing up in Tripoli, Libya, Bahjat was fascinated by Disney animated movies, particularly The Little Mermaid. He was enraptured by the songs, but also found a connection in the escapist stories about misfit protagonists trying to find their place in the world. He taught himself to play keyboards by imitating songs at seven and fell in love with writing his own after he started taking guitar lessons at twelve. The young musician was inspired by artists like Taylor Swift and Lorde, and discovered that songwriting was a way to put wordless emotions into words. Throughout the ups and downs of his youth, particularly as he was bullied for being obese, songs were Bahjat's constant companion.

"Music was a friend for me, where I could just be myself," he remembers. "It didn't judge me or my situation. Growing up, I never felt that I truly belonged, so I started writing songs to make sense of the world and my feelings. I didn't have the courage to speak up or say things to people, so I looked for other ways to get that closure. It amazed me how writing the last word of every song gave me such a sense of closure on whatever I was writing about."

By fifteen, Bahjat became convinced he wanted music to be his life and began uploading cover songs to YouTube. A few months later, in 2011, war broke out in Libya and Bahjat and his family were forced to flee his home country for Malta. They lost everything and became refugees. The musician's father disappeared from his life, leaving Bahjat as the head of his family. It was a dramatic change from his life in Tripoli, but still, Bahjat clung to music, knowing that writing songs was a way to cope with everything he felt.

Over the next few years, Bahjat began releasing original songs. An avid networker, he sought out hundreds of producers on Facebook, packed a backpack, and travelled to Stockholm to knock on doors - in hopes of finding opportunities to make the music he wanted to make. His determination led him to getting a slot in Musikmakarna - a pop music academy in the north of Sweden, where he built a strong network of songwriters and producers. By combining English and Arabic lyrics with Western and Middle Eastern stylistic influences, the musician and producer has created his own unique style: A-POP. His breakout 2019 single, "Istanbul," set him on his current path, and he's built a loyal fanbase who have helped him rack up over 35M streams and 150M+ YouTube UGC views. These achievements not only make Bahjat one of the Arab world's most promising international acts, but already cement him one of the most successful Libyan artists of all time.

Bahjat's seamless way of mixing Arabic and English stems from growing up with Western music while also listening to Arabic music on the radio. Despite resistance from music industry executives and naysayers, who claimed he should only sing in Arabic, due to the fact that mixing languages had never worked before in the Arab world, Bahjat has stayed true to his vision and artfully intertwined English and Arabic in his music. Doing so has connected him with an engaged, global audience he didn't see coming. Songs like "Istanbul" and "Hometown Smile" have resonated with people who have also been refugees or who are young Arabs who don't feel like they only belong to their physical place. For Bahjat, A-POP has the potential to be the voice of the youth who are misunderstood by the world.

A-POP, Bahjat's debut seven-song EP, recounts the story of Bahjat's life so far. The Libyan singer-songwriter, is releasing it independently via The Orchard, and he wrote and recorded over several years, with the bulk crafted between 2020 and 2022. It opens with pulsating, anthemic single "Welcome to the Modern Day Hunger Games," which reflects on Bahjat's entrance to the music industry so far and sets the stage for the songs that follow. Tracks like cathartic pop number "War" and hook-laden song "Journey of a Thousand Miles" draw on the musician's experiences of war and his desire not to give up, despite hurdles and challenges. It closes with "Us Against the World," an emotive ballad Bahjat wrote for his fans. Together, the vibrant songs herald Bahjat's high-anticipated debut album and hint at big things to come from the artist.

"Growing up, I couldn't find anyone who represented me on the media I consumed," the musician says. "I want young people to turn on the radio or turn on their TV and be able to say, 'He went through the same thing as me and still made it.'"

Watch the new music video here:

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