‘Live the life you have’: The rise, fall and rebirth of part-Muslim, hip-hop group Outlandish

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Updated 25 August 2022
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‘Live the life you have’: The rise, fall and rebirth of part-Muslim, hip-hop group Outlandish

  • In an exclusive interview with Arab News, the Danish musicians talk about their upcoming album and reflect on disbanding, reforming, growing up, and changes in the music industry
  • ‘The media always focused on (the fact) we are Muslim and Christian, and we didn’t really think about that (but) as you grow up you know that these things are important’

LONDON: Five years after their decision to disband so that they could focus on finding the “right sound,” multi-platinum- and gold-selling hip-hop group Outlandish are back with a new single and an album due for release in the fall.

Having made a big impact on international charts over the past two decades, the Denmark-based group “love to take a stand on social and political problems that exist and affect us as human beings,” and try to reflect this in their songs, Lenny Martinez told Arab News during an exclusive interview with him and bandmate Waqas Qadri.

A case in point is “Paperchase,” which was released on June 24 and is the first single from upcoming album “The Cornershop Carnival.” Martinez explained that it is about a materialistic mentality — going to work to get paid to buy the things we want — that controls many people in an “unhealthy way,” including the way they think, act and treat other people, as opposed to doing something because they love it and being content with what they have.




Hip-hop group Outlandish released ‘Paperchase’ on June 24 as the first single from their upcoming album ‘The Cornershop Carnival.’ (Supplied/Outlandish) 

“‘Paperchase’ is about changing this mentality … and not making material things the principal thing in your life, and not waking up just to make money; waking up to live life,” said Martinez, who moved to Denmark from Cuba at the age of 14.

The video for the single, which was written and produced by the band and filmed in Pakistan, depicts the struggles of a young boy who wakes up to go to work to provide for his family. He is seen dancing while listening to music on headphones as he tries to turn the negative aspects of his daily life into positives.

Outlandish was formed in Denmark in 1997 by Martinez, who was born in Honduras, Danish-born Qadri, who is of Pakistani descent, and Isam Bachiri, who was born in Denmark and is of Moroccan descent. They disbanded in 2017 and when they reformed two years later, Bachiri opted not to return and instead focus on his solo career.

They have sold more than a million singles and more than 300,000 albums worldwide. Their best-known hits include an English-language version of Algerian singer Cheb Khaled’s “Aicha,” “Guantanamo,” “Callin’ U,” and “Walou.”

“Our music is about our daily lifestyle and everything that comes with it; our roots, our friends, where we grew up, which was a very cultural place where we have friends from everywhere,” said 45-year-old Martinez, who has a 6-month-old daughter.

He added that the group, which is on a five-month summer tour that includes gigs in Denmark, Romania, Turkey, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, draw their musical inspiration from many sources, including the Middle East.




Outlandish member Lenny Martinez was born in Honduras and moved to Denmark from Cuba when he was 14-years-old. (Outlandish)

Highlighting in particular the single “Look Into My Eyes,” which explores the Palestinian conflict, Martinez said that the group often incorporate Arab music and sounds, and even “the social issues that’s going on in the Middle East, which affect Europe too, in a way.”

Outlandish is known for the multi-faith nature of its members; Martinez is Roman Catholic while the other two founding members are Muslim. Martinez said that religion connects them and their different faiths are their strength.

“In the beginning, the media always focused on (the fact) we are Muslim and Christian, and we didn’t really think about that — we were just kidding around and doing some music,” he said.




Outlandish disbanded in 2017 and when they reformed two years later, band member Isam Bachiri opted not to return and instead focus on his solo career. (Getty Images)

“But of course, as you grow up you know that these things are important, because I think that when you meet each other is when the magic happens when you’re different. If everybody was the same, there (would) be no magic.”

The three founding members lived in the same neighborhood when they were teenagers. They used to meet up at a local youth club after school, which was where they began to play around with music and dancing. Bachiri’s decision not to return when the band reformed three years ago forced the others to readjust.

“If you take away one member and there’s two left, the body has to adapt,” said Qadri. “We spent a lot of time trying to find the core of how the dynamics between me and Lenny will work and still be Outlandish.”

He said the pair have reached a good position where they are “thriving” but have managed to retain their “essence,” and that it was “a beautiful feeling” to be able to continue their legacy by once again creating songs and performing together.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by OUTLANDISH (@outlandish)

 

“We were childhood friends, so you can never replace one person with another … but first things first, no one can take Isam’s place for what he did, and second of all, it’s not Outlandish if we have a (new) third member,” added Qadri, a 46-year-old father of two whose children appear in some of the band’s music videos.

Turning his attention to the upcoming new album, he said it reflects where he and Martinez are in their lives now, as adults, fathers and citizens of a changing world, while still remaining deeply rooted in the “Outlandish DNA” their fans are familiar with.

“It’s very colorful, it’s very warm, it takes elements from a lot of different cultures and mixes it beautifully with music,” said Qadri.

The bandmates said that when they started out in the music business they were 17 years old and their main priorities were to “make their first album” and “conquer the world.” As they have grown older, however, they say they have changed and developed and now see things rather differently.




Outlandish member Waqas Qadri, a 46-year-old father of two, was born in Denmark and is of Pakistani origin. (Outlandish)

“We are happy that people can still relate to our songs, and the youngsters can, but we also know we’re not 16 or 17 anymore,” said Qadri. “We are just acting our age and talking about things that are dear to us.”

The music industry has changed drastically in the past two decades, he added, and the process of making an album now is more “open and vibrant,” with no set format. Even after an album is released, extra tracks can easily be added, which was not the case with CDs or vinyl in days gone by.

“‘The Cornershop Carnival’ is set for release in the fall and then we’ll probably keep adding tracks to it because we have such a good flow with songs right now,” Qadri said. “And that’s a really cool thing, that you can keep adding tracks to an album as long as you want, basically.”




The Denmark-based group has greatly impacted the international charts over the past two decades. (Outlandish)

He added that the band intends to be very productive and active in terms of releasing new music in the next two years.

“I think we were (originally) just a product of our time and we will be the product of this time as well, because we don’t follow the music, the music follows us,” said Qadri.

“We are citizens of this world and we see what’s going on and how it’s changing, so the music just adapts to that.”


Emirati artists perform in showcase at London’s Kensington Palace

Updated 07 June 2025
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Emirati artists perform in showcase at London’s Kensington Palace

LONDON: “If we do not tell our story, someone else will. And they will get it wrong,” said Huda Alkhamis-Kanoo, founder of the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation, following a performance in London on Friday that brought Emirati talent to a major international platform.

Emirati artists took to the stage at Kensington Palace to present a night of operatic performances. Fatima Al-Hashimi, Ahmed Al-Housani, and Ihab Darwish performed in multiple languages including Arabic, Italian and English. The performance was part of the Abu Dhabi Festival’s Abroad program in collaboration with the Peace and Prosperity Trust. The event was intended to promote Emirati cultural expression through classical music and cross-cultural collaboration.

Fatima Al-Hashimi, Ahmed Al-Housani, and Ihab Darwish performed in multiple languages including Arabic, Italian and English. (Supplied)

Alkhamis-Kanoo said an event like this is vital for cultural diplomacy and is not a one-off, but a commitment to placing Emirati talent on the world stage. 

“It’s about creating understanding, building dialogue, and showing the world the strength of our cultural identity through music,” she explained. “We invest in the young, we partner with the world, and we build cultural legacies that last.” 

The evening also included the premiere of Darwish’s latest composition “Ruins of Time,” which blended orchestral arrangements with traditional Arabic elements.

“Music is the fastest way to reach people. It creates peace, it creates understanding,” Darwish told Arab News. “Music removes boundaries. It creates a shared language, a dialogue of coexistence, peace, and tolerance. When people from different cultures come together to create music, it naturally fosters mutual understanding.”

Al-Hashimi explained the intention behind adapting a classical repertoire to reflect Arab identity. “Even while singing in Italian, I included Arabic lyrics to keep our signature present,” she said.

Al-Housani described the event as a “professional milestone,” adding: “Performing here is more than a concert, it’s a message. We’re here to show the world the strength and beauty of our culture.”


As goats get pricier, Pakistan’s capital turns to falooda dessert to keep Eid Al-Adha spirit alive

Updated 07 June 2025
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As goats get pricier, Pakistan’s capital turns to falooda dessert to keep Eid Al-Adha spirit alive

  • Falooda is made with vermicelli in cold milk, softened basil seeds and generous scoops of vanilla or kulfi ice cream
  • Final touch is a fragrant pour of rose syrup, turning concoction into a pink-hued celebration of summer and Eid

ISLAMABAD: With sacrificial goats commanding million-rupee price tags this Eid Al-Adha, many in Pakistan’s capital are seeking solace not in the livestock markets, but in a humbler tradition: a chilled bowl of falooda — a silky, rose-scented dessert layered with ice cream, nostalgia, and just enough sweetness to lift a heat- and inflation-weary soul.

A dessert with Persian roots, falooda made its way to South Asia during the Mughal era, evolving from a frozen, rose-infused noodle pudding in Iran to the vibrant, multi-textured treat beloved across Pakistan today.

At its best, falooda is an edible symphony, a tangle of thin vermicelli swimming in cold milk, softened basil seeds (tukhmalanga) floating like miniature pearls, and a generous scoop of vanilla or kulfi ice cream crowning the glass. The final touch is a fragrant pour of rose syrup, turning the whole concoction into a pink-hued celebration of summer — and now Eid.

Nowhere is this more evident than at Bata Kulfi Falooda, a small, family-run dessert shop in Islamabad’s bustling I-8 Markaz marketplace.

There, amid the clatter of spoons and the hum of Eid shoppers, customers line up for what’s become a seasonal staple, the shop’s signature Matka Falooda, served in traditional clay bowls that keep the dessert ice-cold, even under the blazing June sun.

“We first opened in Peshawar [northwestern city] in 1962,” said Shah Faisal, the shop’s manager, as he rushed between customers to take orders. “In 2015, we brought the same taste to Islamabad. Nothing has changed. The ingredients, the method, even the feel of it, it all comes from Peshawar.”

During Eid week, Bata Kulfi Falooda’s signature Matka Falooda becomes more than a dessert. It’s a celebration in a bowl.

“It’s a memory in every bite,” said Muhammad Kamil, a 27-year-old student who had just returned from a livestock market, saying he was stunned by the jaw-dropping prices.

“Right at the entrance, we saw a goat priced at Rs1.5 million [$5,350]. A little further in, there was a sheep for Rs2 million [$7,140],” Kamil said as he waited for his bowl of falooda.

“After seeing a goat worth Rs1.5 million, only ice cream could cool us down, otherwise it would’ve been hard to keep the spirit of sacrifice alive.”

Determined to celebrate in his own way, Kamil turned to falooda, at a far more palatable Rs450 ($1.60) per bowl.

What drew him in, he said, was the comforting presentation: the cold earthen bowl, the soft noodles slicked with syrup, and the melting scoop of ice cream sinking slowly into the milky depths. He’s even considering gifting bowls of it to friends this Eid.

Indeed, with families across Islamabad and beyond rethinking how to celebrate Eid this year, it may not be the size of the goat that sets the mood but rather the shared sweetness of something simple, familiar, and deeply rooted in tradition.

So, while this Eid may see fewer families walking home from markets with goats in tow, many are still finding ways to savor the spirit of the season with a humble bowl of falooda, which is doing more than just cooling people down — it’s lifting spirits, one spoonful at a time.

According to shop manager Faisal, falooda easily outpaces even their famous kulfi in popularity during the Eid holidays.

“In this heat and with everything getting so expensive, people still want something festive,” he said. “And falooda brings joy that doesn’t cost a fortune.”


Andria Tayeh nominated at Austrian Film Award

Updated 07 June 2025
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Andria Tayeh nominated at Austrian Film Award

DUBAI: Lebanese Jordanian actress Andria Tayeh has been nominated for best supporting actress at the Austrian Film Award for her role in “Mond.” 

The ceremony is scheduled to take place from June 12 to June 15.

Tayeh shared the news with her followers on Instagram, thanking her supporters and the awards organization for the recognition.

She is nominated alongside Italian actress Gerti Drassl and Austrian actress Maria Hofstatter.

“Mond” is directed by Austrian filmmaker Kurdwin Ayub. The film follows former martial artist Sarah, who leaves Austria to train three sisters from a wealthy family in the Middle East. 

What initially appears to be a dream job soon takes a darker turn: The young women are isolated from the outside world and placed under constant surveillance. They show little interest in sports — raising the question of why Sarah was hired in the first place.

Tayeh plays the role of Nour, one of the three sisters. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Andria Tayeh (@andria_tayeh)

The actress, who is also known for her roles in Netflix’s hit series “Al-Rawabi School for Girls,” has had a busy year collaborating with multiple brands and fronting their campaigns.

In February, Giorgio Armani announced her appointment as its new Middle East beauty ambassador.

She took to Instagram to express her excitement: “I am thrilled and honored to embark on this new journey with Armani beauty. This marks a real milestone for me, as the brand embodies values I have always cherished: timeless elegance, dramatic simplicity, and women empowerment.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Andria Tayeh (@andria_tayeh)

That same month, she was named the first Middle Eastern ambassador for French haircare brand Kerastase.

In a promotional clip, she appeared in an all-white studio, answering questions about why she is the ideal Kerastase ambassador. Tayeh spoke in a mix of English, Arabic and French, playfully flipping her hair for the camera as she discussed her dedication to maintaining healthy hair.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Andria Tayeh (@andria_tayeh)

In March, she also fronted Armani’s Ramadan campaign, set against the backdrop of a desert landscape.

Draped in a flowing emerald-green abaya, Tayeh was seen in the video applying the Vert Malachite perfume from Armani Prive as the camera captured the details of the fragrance and her attire. The setting featured sand dunes stretching into the horizon.


Labubu mania sweeps the UAE, CEO of The Little Things says

Updated 07 June 2025
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Labubu mania sweeps the UAE, CEO of The Little Things says

DUBAI: Once just a niche collectible from Asia, Labubus have now become the must-have accessory among youth, influencers and collectors of all ages.

Seen clutched in the hands of BLACKPINK’s Lisa and Rosé, flaunted by Rihanna, and even making cameos in Kim Kardashian’s social media posts, Labubu has found its way into the UAE’s trend-savvy culture.

According to Hassan Tamimi, CEO of The Little Things, the UAE’s official POP MART retailer, the demand for Labubu has reached unprecedented levels.

“Labubu has become more than a collectible here,” Tamimi told Arab News Japan. “It’s a lifestyle statement. We’re seeing people pair them with luxury handbags, sports cars, even use them in wedding shoots.”

But in a region known for its love of luxury and limited-edition goods, the blind box collectible has struck a chord, especially among Gen Z and millennial buyers seeking aesthetic, niche fandom items with resale value.

However, the spike in popularity has brought an unfortunate side effect: a flood of fake Labubu figures infiltrating the UAE market. Counterfeit toys, often dubbed “Lafufu” by collectors, have been circulating online via scam websites and unverified sellers.

“We’ve had several customers walk into our stores with fake Labubus thinking they were real,” Tamimi said. “It’s heartbreaking, especially for those who paid high prices for something inauthentic.”

Tamimi warned buyers to look out for telltale signs: typos on packaging, incorrect paint colors, poor stitching on plushies, or even the wrong number of teeth, authentic Labubu figures always have exactly nine.

To meet the overwhelming demand while keeping things fair, The Little Things has implemented a strict one-piece-per-customer policy. The company has also increased restocking efforts and trained in-store staff to help collectors verify authenticity.

Tamimi also pointed out that Labubu’s appeal lies in the thrill of the hunt.

“The blind box format taps into that collector instinct, there’s excitement, suspense, and FOMO. You never know which figure you’ll get, especially with rarer editions, and that makes each purchase feel like an event,” he told Arab News Japan.

While Labubu has long been a cult favorite in Japan, Tamimi noted that the UAE is quickly becoming a hotspot in its own right. In Dubai and Abu Dhabi especially, Labubu fans are forming communities, trading figures and sharing unboxings and display setups online.

“What’s happening here mirrors what we’ve seen in Tokyo,” he added. “The only difference is access, Japan often gets first dibs on regional exclusives. But that scarcity is part of what makes collecting in the UAE so exciting.”

As for those looking to join the Labubu craze, Tamimi has one piece of advice: stick to official sellers.

“If it’s too cheap or too easy to find online, it’s probably fake. Trust verified stores. The magic of Labubu is in the real thing.”

- This article was first published on Arab News Japan. 


‘The Pakistani Vibe’: Inside the imagined worlds of renowned art director Hashim Ali

Updated 07 June 2025
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‘The Pakistani Vibe’: Inside the imagined worlds of renowned art director Hashim Ali

  • One of Pakistan’s most renowned Pakistani visual artists and art directors, Ali is known for creating visually stunning and intricate sets
  • Ali has worked on some of Pakistan’s biggest music videos and fashion shows, bringing centuries-old aesthetics to modern storytelling

LAHORE: Tucked away in a quiet lane in Pakistan’s cultural capital of Lahore, Hashim Ali’s studio feels less like a workspace and more like a time capsule from the Mughal era.

Large Persian rugs are spread out on the floors and ornate jharokhas overlook walls painted in beige and maroon and covered in wood panels and miniature paintings, creating a world suffused with nostalgia and opulence. Every corner of the studio reflects the vision of an art director who doesn’t just design sets but builds atmosphere. The space is both sanctuary and stage, where centuries-old aesthetics come vividly to life in the service of modern, visual storytelling.

One of Pakistan’s most renowned Pakistani visual artists and art directors, Ali is a Visual Communication Design graduate from the prestigious National College of Arts (NCA) institute in Lahore. Over the years, he has come to be known for his work in fashion, film, and music and is celebrated for his creative vision and attention to detail, particularly in creating visually stunning and intricate sets. His ability to blend historic grandeur with modern maximalism has won him several accolades over the years, including the Fashion Art Director award at the 2024 Hum Style Awards and the Pride of Performance Award in 2021.

In an interview with Arab News at his studio in Lahore’s posh Gulberg neighborhood, Ali, 34, said his passion for visual storytelling came from a history of childhood bullying.

This photo shows a generic view of Pakistani art director Hashim Ali’s studio in a quiet lane in Lahore. (AN Photo)

“When you are bullied, you have to make [up] stories, you have to read stories, so I would get lost in fairytales,” he said.

“I would just start imagining what this world is, what these people are, what is this fantasy that exists out of this world? It started from there.”

The stories he read, full of mythology and folklore, led him to start thinking about his identity as a Pakistani and a South Asian.

“Then I was like, ‘Why can’t we rebuild these memories and these spaces and these places?’”

Pakistani art director Hashim Ali speaks during an interview with Arab News at his studio in Lahore on May 27, 2025. (AN Photo)

Ali’s own studio is a recreation of spaces of the past, a Mughal court in miniature — crafted not from marble and sandstone, but from cardboard, fabric, and imagination. With hand-painted arches, makeshift jalis, and richly colored drapes, the space evokes the grandeur of a bygone empire while laying bare its theatrical artifice. The illusion is deliberate: a paper palace blurring the line between history and performance and reflecting South Asia’s enduring nostalgia for lost splendor and the way identity in the region is often reconstructed through fragments — of memory, of myth, of art.

What one then sees is not just a recreation of the past but a reinterpretation, inviting a dialogue between heritage and reinvention:

“If Hollywood can create all of this [set design] and we think as Pakistanis that we can’t do any of this, then we’re at fault. Because we did create the Taj Mahal. We did create the Lahore Fort … If we could do it then, we can do it now.”

“COMBINED MEMORY”

One of Ali’s most cherished creations was the set for the song “Pasoori,” the first Coke Studio number to hit one billion views on YouTube Music and the most searched song globally on Google in 2022, the year of its release.

Ali, the production designer and art director of the set, crafted it as a communal space, with the bohemian aesthetic of the set, characterized by vibrant colors and eclectic elements, complementing the song’s fusion of reggaeton beats with classical South Asian instruments like the rubab.

This photo shows a generic view of Pakistani art director Hashim Ali’s studio in Lahore. (AN Photo)

Ali describes the aesthetic as “the Pakistani vibe,” exemplified by a new generation that had grown up in the era of globalization and social media and was reclaiming public spaces and dressing up and conducting themselves in ways that merged their cultural heritage with contemporary elements.

“It’s so interesting that now when I’m sitting and I’m scrolling on Instagram or TikTok and I see these reels of girls wearing either ‘saris’ and ‘ghagras’ and they’re dancing in Lahore, in old Lahore,” Ali said.

But the project closest to Ali’s heart is hidden away in the winding, narrow streets of Lahore’s historic Gali Surjan Singh near Delhi Gate. It is a concept store, Iqbal Begum, imagined as a tribute to his late dadi or grandmother, a mathematics teacher who passed away in 2014.

The store has been built in a centuries-old home that Ali rented from a woman who has lived there before the partition of India in 1947 and the creation of Pakistan. The walls are adorned with framed pictures of Iqbal Begum and the shop strewn with things that belonged to her, including old table clocks and dial phones and a tub of Nivea cream, a bottle of Oil of Olay lotion, and a coin purse framed together.

Photo frames of Pakistani art director Hashim Ali’s grandmother hang on one of the walls of his studio in Lahore. (AN Photo)

Ali remembered growing up surrounded by the stories his grandmother told him, including about the violence of the partition.

“She told me a story about how she lost her favorite pen and our house was burned down in front of her eyes and the sense of belonging started happening,” Ali said.

“From that story, this thing of holding on to objects, holding on to people, holding on to stories became very important.”

The concept store is thus not only a way to tell the story of Iqbal Begum but also to create shared memories.

“So, for me, every time I tell a story, I’m passing on my memory to someone else, and when they go and tell someone, in a way, it’s almost like my dadi is still alive,” Ali added.

Pakistani art director Hashim Ali gestures during an interview with Arab News at his studio in Lahore on May 27, 2025. (AN Photo)

And the process is two-way, because people show up with their stories also and can connect with the items they see in the store: “Then it becomes like a combined memory.”

Ultimately, it all connects back to the idea of Pakistan for Ali and to preserving its national, personal and collective histories into tangible, emotionally resonant experience.

“I kind of equated it to the bigger grandparent or the larger mother, which is Pakistan, that slowly, slowly all these amazing things that Pakistanis and Pakistan has done, we’re slowly letting them fade away,” he said.

“The idea from this dadi telling stories to a child has become about this child telling those stories or trying to tell those stories to the world and saying, ‘Hey, we’re Pakistan and we’re a beautiful country and we do all these things apart from what you’re used to hearing about.’.”