‘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.”


Theater and film experts Fatima Al-Banawi, Lana Komsany lends expertise to Saudi summer camp

Updated 43 sec ago
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Theater and film experts Fatima Al-Banawi, Lana Komsany lends expertise to Saudi summer camp

DUBAI: Saudi filmmaker Fatima Al-Banawi is set to take part in a two week summer program for children in Jeddah hosted by Alf Wad Productions.

The two programs aimed at children are titled “Little Theater Stars Camp” and “Camp Journey to the World of Cinema.” The programs run for two weeks.

The schedule focuses on teaching theatrical experiences by allowing children to write a play inspired by their ideas. In addition to writing a script, the participants will design the costumes and help in building the set for the production.

From lighting to sound and storytelling, the program will offer a holistic understanding of what it takes to bring a theater production to life.

Led by instructor Lana Komsany and supervised by Al-Banawi, the programs will conclude with a performance in front of a live audience.

 

Al-Banawi is recognized for her roles in “Barakah Meets Barakah” and the Saudi thriller “Route 10.”

She made her directorial debut with “Basma,” in which she also plays the titular role of a young Saudi woman who returns to her hometown of Jeddah after studying in the US. Back home, she is confronted with her father’s mental illness, strained family ties, and the challenge of reconnecting with a past life that no longer feels familiar.

“I really went into cinema — in 2015 with my first feature as an actress — with one intention: to bridge the gap between the arts and social impact and psychology,” she previously told Arab News. “And I was able to come closer to this union when I positioned myself as a writer-director, more so than as an actor.”

The film debuted on Netflix in 2024.

Meanwhile, Qamsani specializes in film and theater, with extensive experience in directing, acting, and writing, and is known for her work in creative training.

Alfwad Productions is a Saudi Arabia-based creative arts organization focused on nurturing young talent through performance, storytelling, and cultural education. The organization runs year-round programs that blend theater, music, and visual arts.


Bella Hadid’s Orabella launches new collaboration

Updated 23 June 2025
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Bella Hadid’s Orabella launches new collaboration

DUBAI: American Dutch Palestinian supermodel Bella Hadid is expanding her beauty brand, Orebella, into the world of accessories — and she’s doing it with a little help from her close friends.

Hadid has teamed up with Wildflower Cases co-founders Sydney and Devon Lee Carlson to launch a limited-edition collaboration featuring two dreamy new products: an iPhone case and a “Scentable Wristlet.”

Bella Hadid has teamed up with Wildflower Cases co-founders Sydney and Devon Lee Carlson to launch a limited-edition collaboration featuring two dreamy new products: an iPhone case and a “Scentable Wristlet.” (Instagram)

Hadid took to Instagram to announce the launch, writing, “Feeling like the luckiest girl in the world to be able to be creative with my beauty boss sisters. Life is beautiful when we have the opportunity to watch our friends winning. So proud of you two. So proud of our teams. So proud of us. Love you all — thank you for bringing this vision to life.

“Cases ANDDDD our most special scented wristlets to keep the orebella scent of your choice on you at all times! Been wanting to make this accessory for a while, had the idea for scented bracelets and wristlets, and my sisters pulled it all together for us. Love you guys so much,” she added.

Teased earlier on Instagram through behind-the-scenes campaign shots, the collaboration blends Orebella’s fragrance-forward ethos with Wildflower’s unique phone accessory style.

The iPhone case is designed with a celestial sky motif and a delicate crescent moon, channeling Hadid’s signature mystical aesthetic — part of what the trio call a “girl gang collection,” celebrating the friendship between Bella, Devon, and Sydney.

Meanwhile, the Scentable Wristlet introduces a functional — and fragrant — twist. Designed to hold a small vial of Orebella’s signature scent, the wristlet allows users to carry their favorite fragrance with them wherever they go, seamlessly merging style with sensory self-expression.

Orebella, which launched in May last year with a sell-out line of clean fragrance mists, is rooted in Hadid’s love of scent layering, spirituality, and beauty rituals.

Hadid wrote on her website at the time: “For me, fragrance has always been at the center of my life — helping me feel in charge of who I am and my surroundings. From my home to nostalgic memories, to my own energy and connection with others, scent has been an outlet for me. It made me feel safe in my own world.”


Co-founder of digital platform The Open Crate shares Art Basel top picks

Updated 21 June 2025
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Co-founder of digital platform The Open Crate shares Art Basel top picks

BASEL: Tunisian art expert Amina Debbiche, who co-founded digital art platform The Open Crate alongside Nora Mansour, shares her top artworks from Switzerland’s Art Basel contemporary art fair, which wraps up on Sunday.

Amina Debbiche. (Supplied)

The Open Crate allows clients to digitalize their entire collection, whether it be artwork, design objects or luxury items.

Yto Barrada at Sfeir-Semler Gallery

“I first discovered Yto Barrada’s work at the Arsenale during the 2011 Venice Biennale and was instantly captivated by her poetic and political approach. Since then, I’ve followed her brilliant trajectory across film, photography, textiles, and installation. Born in Paris and raised in Tangier, her practice explores themes of memory, displacement, and resistance. We’ve now come full circle - she will represent France at the upcoming Venice Biennale, curated by Myriam Ben Salah.”

Yto Barrada’s work at Art Basel. (Supplied)

 Alia Farid’s ‘Elsewhere’ at Art Basel Unlimited

Alia Farid’s ‘Elsewhere’ at Art Basel Unlimited. (Supplied)

“Alia Farid’s ‘Elsewhere’ deeply moved me with its layered storytelling and political tenderness. The work maps Arab and South Asian migration to Latin America and the Caribbean through handwoven rugs made with Iraqi weavers. It documents hybrid identities, memory, and solidarity across geographies. I’ve long admired how Alia reclaims overlooked narratives with such poetic clarity. Her voice feels both urgent and timeless.”

Eunnam Hong’s ‘Safeway’ at Mendes Wood DM booth

“Eunnam Hong’s painting … stopped me in my tracks — cinematic, hyper-stylized, and effortlessly cool. With nods to Cindy Sherman and K-drama aesthetics, the Korean artist explores identity and performance through staged, uncanny tableaus. Her figures- drenched in soft light, wrapped in curlers and headscarves, clutching vitamin D and Safeway bags - feel both retro and unmistakably now. It’s suburban surrealism meets generational moodboard, complete with Converse and quiet rebellion. Hong is one of the most compelling contemporary voices out there - sharp, relatable, and iconic in the making.

Eunnam Hong’s ‘Safeway’ at Mendes Wood DM booth. (Supplied)
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Simone Fattal’s ‘Music On My Mind’ (2024)

“Simone Fattal is a Syrian Lebanese artist whose sculptural practice draws from archaeology, poetry, and mythology to explore themes of memory, exile, and resilience. Born in Damascus and raised in Beirut, she has created only a few large-scale sculptures, making each one rare and significant. Her works are held in major collections including MoMA, Centre Pompidou, and the Sharjah Art Foundation … I was drawn to “Music On My Mind” for its quiet power — the naive, totemic form and subtle reference to sound felt deeply poetic.”

Simone Fattal’s ‘Music On My Mind’ (2024). (Supplied)

M'barek Bouhchichi’s ‘Terr

M'barek Bouhchichi’s ‘Terra’ series (2024)


Noah Davis’s ‘The Goat from Grayson’ (2008) at David Zwirner

“I love this work for its quiet intensity and material poetry and Selma Feriani, who presents it, is one of the few truly independent voices from the region to make it to Art Basel with a consistently bold program. M’barek Bouhchichi, born in southeastern Morocco, lives and works in Tahanaout, Morocco. The artist collaborates with women artisans to create henna-dyed wool works that evoke both landscape and memory. His ‘Terra’ series explores cultural links between Morocco and Mali through ancestral weaving techniques. These minimal, earthy compositions blur the line between textile and painting. A major solo show in Tunis is coming this September.”

Noah Davis’s ‘The Goat from Grayson’ (2008) at David Zwirner

“I’ve always been drawn to Noah Davis’s ability to create scenes that feel both dreamlike and grounded in Black lived experience. “The Goat from Grayson” (2008), shown here at David Zwirner, captures his signature blend of poetic realism, rich symbolism and painterly tenderness. The glowing tree, the quiet tension, and the spiritual undertone pull you in. Davis, who passed away tragically young at 32, was not only a brilliant painter but also the founder of The Underground Museum in Los Angeles, a vital space for Black art and community. His work was the subject of a major retrospective at the Hammer Museum in 2020, cementing his legacy as one of the most influential artists of his generation.”

Eric Fischl’s ‘After the Funeral’ (2017)

“Eric Fischl’s paintings often feel like paused movie scenes, loaded with tension, memory, and unspoken drama. I was instantly drawn to these two women, something about the cigarette, the ice cube, the gaze, it felt like I’d stumbled into a Woody Allen film mid-conversation. Fischl captures that strange mix of intimacy and detachment with uncanny precision. A key figure of American figurative painting since the 1980s, his work explores suburban psychology and social dynamics. He is represented by Skarstedt, a gallery known for championing major contemporary artists like David Salle, Cindy Sherman, and George Condo.”

Eric Fischl’s ‘After the Funeral’ (2017)

Sheila Hicks’s ‘Lianes Etoiles’ (2020)

“Sheila Hicks’s ‘Lianes Etoiles’ is pure visual rhythm. Its vibrant threads, soft textures, and sculptural layering instantly drew me in. There is something meditative and sensual about the way the colors pulse across the surface. Hicks, a pioneer of textile art, has redefined fiber as a sculptural and painterly medium for over six decades. This piece feels both contemporary and ancestral, like a coded language of color and craft. It is shown by Alison Jacques, a gallery that consistently champions strong, visionary practices.”

Wael Shawky’s ‘I Am Hymns of The New Temples: Pompeii glass amphora (#06)’ (2023) at the booth of Lia Rumma

“Wael Shawky’s amphora sculptures are a masterclass in historical layering and contemporary wit. Representing the Egyptian Pavilion at the last Venice Biennale, his work was among the most celebrated and nearly won the Golden Lion. The video “Drama 1882” retelling of the ’Urabi revolution that was co‑funded through support from Mai Eldib, who organised key patronage, was later acquired by a major institution in the Middle East. These Murano glass forms, draped in ornate textiles, are as subtle as they are rich in reference. Shawky continues to expand the visual language of Arab myth, ritual, and storytelling with quiet force.”

Wael Shawky’s ‘I Am Hymns of The New Temples: Pompeii glass amphora (#06)’ (2023) at the booth of Lia Rumma

Amoako Boafo’s ‘Floral One Piece’ (2025) at Gagosian Gallery’s booth

“This striking portrait by Amoako Boafo was exhibited at the Gagosian booth, where the brilliant Rola Wazni, director of Gagosian Paris, walked me through a presentation curated by Francesco Bonami. Boafo, originally from Ghana and based in Vienna, is known for his lush finger-painted figures and bold exploration of Black identity and presence. His textured brushwork and floral detailing here are both tender and defiant. The composition radiates quiet power, dignity, and individuality. Rolla’s sharp eye and grace made the experience even more memorable.”

Amoako Boafo’s ‘Floral One Piece’ (2025) at Gagosian Gallery’s booth

Maurizio Cattelan and Rudofl Stingel at Gagosian Gallery’s booth

“Gagosian’s booth at Art Basel 2025, curated by Francesco Bonami, offered a brilliantly irreverent pairing of Maurizio Cattelan’s ‘No’ (2021) and Rudolf Stingel’s ‘Untitled’ (2012). Cattelan’s kneeling figure in a suit, head covered by a paper bag, delivers a biting satire of modern-day capitalism and mental health collapse — a man caught between denial and trauma, refusing to face symbolic castration or mortality. Stingel’s silvery abstraction provided a haunting, meditative counterpoint, echoing themes of absence and ego. Together, the works reflected on visibility, repression, and the absurd rituals of the art world. The result was a sharp, minimalist statement that lingered long after.”


Gigi Hadid’s latest cashmere launch inspired by New York

Updated 21 June 2025
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Gigi Hadid’s latest cashmere launch inspired by New York

DUBAI: US Palestinian Dutch supermodel and brand founder Gigi Hadid has released her latest collection — and a new summer campaign — under her cashmere label Guest in Residence.

The new line was inspired by New York, according to Hadid, who founded her brand in 2022.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Gigi Hadid (@gigihadid)

“I’m endlessly inspired by New York City — a place I’ve called home for many years — and the notion that we’re all guests here. For our collection, we embrace the great duality every New Yorker faces in Summer: the thrill of a busy day in the city, paired with the urge to hop in a car with friends and escape to somewhere quiet and laid-back. No matter where you find yourself, our cashmere pieces embrace a spirit of timelessness that always works,” Hadid is quoted as saying on the Guest in Residence Instagram page.

The launch was complemented by a video campaign shared on social media, in which Hadid is joined by fellow models as they explore New York in the summer.

Paolo Santosuosso acted as the campaign’s art director, while the looks were styled by Elizabeth Fraser-Bell.

Hadid launched her clothing label, which features soft, colorful knitwear, in September 2022.

“Over the last handful of years, I didn’t want to be backed into starting my own line just because there was an offer on the table or a deal to be made,” she wrote to her followers on Instagram at the time.

“The earliest days of Guest in Residence came about when I started to question the cashmere market, and those answers gave me a path,” she added.

“I believe that because of its sustainable qualities — natural and made to cherish and to pass down — cashmere is a luxury that should be more accessible.”

Celebrities including Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, Taylor Swift and Bradley Cooper have been spotted wearing the label’s designs.

In June, Hadid also unveiled a new campaign with Brazilian footwear brand Havaianas.

The model, who launched a line with the flip flop label, starred in a vintage-inspired series of photographs. In the shots, she shows off slippers from her collection with the brand and is seen wearing retro outfits on a beach.


Post Malone to headline 2025 Esports World Cup opening ceremony in Riyadh

Updated 20 June 2025
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Post Malone to headline 2025 Esports World Cup opening ceremony in Riyadh

DUBAI: US rapper Post Malone – known for tracks like “Rockstar,” “I Had Some Help” and “Sunflower” – will perform will headline the opening ceremony of the 2025 Esports World Cup in Saudi Arabia.

The rap and country music artist will hit the stage in Riyadh on July 10.

In August 2020, the singer became part of Envy Gaming‘s ownership group, taking an undisclosed stake in the company, Esports Insider reporter of the North American organization that has since merged with Native Gaming.

The singer will return to the region to perform at the 2025 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Friday Dec. 5.

Malone previously performed at the 2018 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. He then returned in 2022, taking to the stage at Etihad Park.