Egyptian Singer Bayou on Love, His Historic Coachella Performance, And What’s Next

In conversation with the Egyptian R&B singer

Amidst a sea of rappers and trappers, one artist stands out with a unique sound that blends 2000s Middle Eastern melodies, laced with a touch of nostalgia, R&B, and soulful rhythms. Meet Egyptian artist Bayou. Born Adham Bayoumi, the 22-year-old started his musical journey in 2019 with his debut single Moonlight. Since then, he has created numerous Arabic-infused tracks that celebrate love, capturing the heart of R&B. In an exclusive conversation with MILLE, Bayou opens up about his experiences as a third culture kid, growing up between Saudi Arabia, Dubai, and Barcelona. He reveals how his music came to be, his latest release Haifa Wehbe, and his historic performance at Coachella, where he proudly became the first Egyptian to grace the Californian stage.

Who is Bayou? 

A music connoisseur with a tendency to change identities often. 

Can you tell us more about your upbringing, and your experience as a third culture kid? 

I was raised by Egyptian parents. I lived and moved all over from Saudi Arabia and Dubai to Barcelona and the US. So my personality is a cocktail of all the places and people I’ve come across. I used to see it as an identity crisis but as I’ve matured I see it more as something that sets me apart and makes my perspective richer and more diverse. Musically, it shows. I’ve made R&B, soul, Egyptian pop and fused it all together.

How did your upbringing influence your music and sound?

I am blessed to be from a hard working family who demand excellence of themselves and one another. There’s a go big or go home feel at home and that’s why I’m never at home. On a journey to make the best music I can make and be the best artist I can be. 

Why do you think you chose music as your way of expressing your thoughts and emotions to the world? How would you describe your music?

Music chose me. As a child if a melody or song struck me emotionally I wouldn’t be able to stop singing. I was a shy and reserved kid growing up, but whenever I sang I really felt like I could let out how I truly felt inside and as I grew confidence in my ability to express those emotions it grew from a passion to my life. 

I make immersive music that represents me, my tastes, and my experiences. Music you can feel, touch, see and that you the listener can take as your own. I pull from a lot of different places internally and externally and I let the creative process lead. It’s my intention to make music that feels like it’s made by a high fashion house, but in my case, music house.

What inspired the track Haifa Wehbe, and what was the creative process like?

Haifa Wehbe was inspired by my love for the 2000s both in the Middle East and in the States. I saw the similarities in the production and singing at the time between Craig David, Neptunes, Timbaland, and Amr Diab. Also I missed that super lovey-dovey and somewhat cheesy lyrics from that time. I figured it could be a cool experiment to put the two together.

I loved the pre-internet stardom era too and wanted to also juxtapose that with the modern era of internet fame. 

We started with the Haifa Wehbe hook, Motif (Alumni) played the muted guitar rhythm, Hady (Moamer) wrote the arabic chorus, and then the rest of the song flew from there.

How would you describe the sonic landscape of your sound? If you were a visual artist, what colors would you use or what subjects would you depict?

Sonically it’s embedded in the present with the sound design and production, but the musical foundations of my music are designed to be timeless as I love pulling from the legends that came before me. 

My name Adham means the black Arabian horse. It’s a symbol of the character I am to build in its power and beauty.

Also the other side, stray dogs all across Maadi—charming, imperfect, rough, and never at home.

Bayou’s World is blue, black, violet, and white. Inside it there’s a never ending sunset. 

How would you describe the current music scene in the Middle East?

It’s very rich with so many different talents and vibes. Each country has so many genres and sub-genres. Egypt especially. It’s time the world recognizes the depth of talent out here.

Are there any individuals or artists who played a crucial role in your musical career and approach?

I learnt a lot from many peers and friends along the journey. There’s my childhood friends who made me believe I could even do this in the first place. My boy Joshua Medford was my first collaborator and he showed me the ropes in music production and songwriting. Hady Moamer and Motif Alumni helped me craft new sounds and experiment with music with no bounds. My singing coach Paola Munda at the Berklee College of music taught me so much about the power of the voice and how to use it as an instrument. My great friend and collaborator Saint Levant taught me a lot about having a vision and actualizing it. My team at Abu Recordings have been very supportive in helping me chart this vision of mine and reach it step by step. So I’m very grateful to everyone who’s played a part. 

Who are some of your favorite Arab musicians?

TUL8TE, Zeyne, Dystinct, Essam Sasa, Lella Fadda, Abyusif, and Hady Moamer.

What is your first memory of Arabic music?

My mom used to play Omar Khairat a lot when I was a baby and it used to make me happy and calm. 

What are you most optimistic about currently, and what should we expect from you in the near future?

I’m very optimistic about my first project, Never At Home. I’ve put a lot of love into this project and I pray it does what I believe it can do. 

Let’s talk about your historic Coachella performance. Can you tell us more about your experience there and how it impacted you?

It was a dream come true. To be the first Egyptian to perform there is also crazy. Shoutout to Saint Levant for having me a part of his vision for the show and giving me the stage. 

I really saw what is to be at the top and the professionalism at these stages. With that it was just as great to see that shit goes wrong just like in the indie game. My mic went off for half the song. Thank God Marwan (Saint Levant) caught me in time to not perform on mute the whole time. I was really inspired and now I’m working so I can do my show there one day.

 

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In a world where music is increasingly digitized and fast-paced, how do you feel about that trend, and how does it impact the way you make music?

Trends keep you up to date with the culture and how people are thinking, feeling, and speaking collectively. I like being in tune with it. That can inform the music at times as you see how you can fit in the culture at that time in your own unique way specifically in pop music. 

That being said, the music process is best done with no interference on what you SHOULD do. As I got deeper into making music, I started to just focus purely on my intuition regardless if it fits in with culture now or not. 

Love seems to be a central theme in your music. Can you tell us more about why that is? Would you describe yourself as someone who is intune with their emotions?

Love is a big part of my music. Love of the self, family, a place, or a woman. Love is my favorite emotion to express. 

What do you hope your listeners take away from listening to a Bayou track?

Their own interpretation and unique experience. 

Without music, who is Bayou?

It’s hard to answer that question. Music is my life and a large part of my identity. Outside of music I’m a chill dude who likes to learn, be with good company, and live good.

What’s next for Bayou?

More music and more shows. We’re gonna be outside, so you’ll see me soon.

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