AMMAN — The
pandemic and subsequent lockdowns brought on by COVID-19 forced many to fill
their time and discover
new hobbies, such as baking bread or painting. But some
discovered new careers entirely: like Mohammad Alakhras, the singer also known
as A5rass.
اضافة اعلان
“My experience
in singing and songwriting began a few months ago, following the COVID-19
pandemic lockdown,” the local singer and songwriter said in an interview with Jordan
News.
The artist
launched his first single in September 2020 on his YouTube channel. The song,
called “Ya Reitek Hon,” or “Hey You, Here,” has reached more than 1.1 million
views. Recently, he launched another single called “Akher Kas” in June 2021.
The video has now garnered more than 2.5 million views.
“At first I
wasn't expecting my songs' views to reach such numbers,” he said.
He added
that during his stay in Jordan he met rappers and other creative artists.
“During one of our meetings, the rappers had advised my friend to learn more
about
alternative music, and I took the advice,” he said.
He also traveled
to Dubai to visit his parents. “There was 14 days of self-isolation in Dubai,
and during this time I started to write songs and sing.”
Alternative music, commonly known as alternative rock or simply alternative, is
a subgenre of rock music that grew in popularity in the nineties after emerging
from the independent music underground of the seventies. The term
"alternative" alludes to the difference between the genre and
mainstream or commercial rock or pop music.
Akhras said that
when he first started singing, he didn't receive much support. “People who know
me know that I am a practical person,” he said, “I was apprehensive about
singing and posting my first song on YouTube, but I knew I needed to give it a
try.”
The musician
added that he recorded his first single “Ya Reitek Hon,” with very simple
pieces of equipment. “I didn't have any professional recording equipment, so I
made do with what I had, then I uploaded it on my YouTube channel,” he said.
According to
Akhras, artists can reach a vast number of listeners through YouTube and other
social media platforms, and they have more control over how their music is
released than through older, more traditional methods of music distribution.
Akhras's
YouTube channel, with 12 songs released so far, has almost 111,000 subscribers
and millions of views. He has received many likes and positive comments on his
videos. “This support gives me a good feeling,” he said. “The artist must create
a unique work in order for people to like it.”
The singer and songwriter said that he draws from his own personal experiences
when drafting his songs. “I don't have a specific time to write songs, which is
why I don't release songs regularly.”
Though most
of his music falls into the alternative genre, he has also released one rap
song called “31 October,” which features musician Abudabaseh.
The artist
added that he has received support and compliments from many local artists,
such as the Palestinian singer and producer Aziz Maraka, which encouraged him
to continue. “It's good to have the support of an artist you love to listen to
and whose music you enjoy listening to, such as Aziz Maraka.”
Above all,
Akhras emphasized the importance of believing in your own talent — and
following your own path.
“I encourage talented people to
start spreading their talents to the world, to believe in themselves and their
talent, and not to wait for support from anyone.”
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