Nina Boutchakjian
Dubai
"Passionate about the acoustic oud, although in recent years i bonded equally with my electric oud. I came to music relatively late in life, only to discover that the music had always been there somewhere hidden, waiting to be heard.
Although she i am Lebanese, at 11 years old i moved to Sweden with my mother, escaping the war like so many others. I don't come from a musical family.
At the age of 24, I visited Egypt to see the Pyramids. Also saw the Arabic Music Institute in Cairo, which is housed in the most beautiful building. Inspired by the architecture and feeling of the place, i enquired as to the possibility of studying there. I ended up enrolling almost immediately and did not go back to Sweden for 3 years, returning with an oud on my back and a diploma in my hand!
From this moment on, music has been my life and has led me from Egypt, to Spain, Greece and eventually Dubai. Music has never been a major decision in my life, but something that has always just 'happened'.
While i love listening to jazz and Fairouz, My favourite style of playing are the simple, traditional songs, like Sayed Darwish. Beautiful music and gorgeous words.
At present i can be heard playing regularly on saturdays nights at Dubai Festival City and also teaches at an Arabic music school.
Taken from Dubai Jazz Fest
" Not content to stick to the norm, Nina brings a funky edge to both traditional and popular Arabic music with her electric Oud. Her gentle, soothing voice greatly compliments her out-of-the-box style and its this unique combination of classic and eclectic that has an uncanny ability to mesmerise audiences."