Zaid Hilal
“I began my musical journey at the age of ten when I learned to play the oud at the Edward Said Conservatory in Bethlehem/Palestine for five years. After the Second Intifada, I taught myself to play the bouzouki, which became one of the main instruments I specialize in and have been playing for over 15 years.
In 2016, I founded a music band and released my first song titled "Fu’adi," which allowed me to participate in many local and international festivals. In September 2019, I opened the film "It Must Be Heaven" by the Palestinian director Elia Suleiman at the Katara Festival in Doha, Qatar.”
”I currently have 17 original songs recorded in Palestine in collaboration with local and international artists. These songs address a range of social issues in addition to folk songs. In 2019, I went on a music tour as the "lead singer" with a British band called "Tea for All." The performance combined storytelling and singing, focusing on the history of Palestine after World War I and the tragedy of the Palestinian people.
On April 1, 2022, I released the first song from my album "Folklore Promise," which is an ongoing project I will continue to work on throughout my musical career. The album relies on field research and documentation of disappearing folk songs, as well as studying historical backgrounds and gathering as much information as possible. The album contains both folk and original songs, which have been rearranged in a contemporary and alternative style, with the aim of raising awareness among the youth about the Palestinian struggle and Palestinian music heritage.”
”In September 2024, I went on a tour in the UK and Greece, where the performance revolved around traditional songs from the First Intifada, starting with the events of the Balfour Declaration in 1917, moving through the Great Palestinian Revolt in 1939, and continuing to the Nakba in 1948, concluding with songs I composed. Before performing each song, I provided historical context and a brief introduction to the audience. I earned a bachelor's degree in "Arabic Singing" from Birzeit University in 2020, and a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Bethlehem University in 2013. In 2022, I created my own home studio and have been working as a music arranger and composer. Over the past two years, I have recorded and arranged more than 10 songs for various artists.”
