Thoom is a Lebanese singer-songwriter. Her unexpected melodies set to edgy, electronic dissonance fuse with minimal, age-old arrangements like a guitar and a voice. Sometimes screaming, sometimes whispering, Thoom is a storyteller, often singing about fantasies of love, morality, and human nature. Following two years of live performance and experimentation, Thoom just released her 9-track debut album, ‘Pork’.
Thoom is one of the September mentees at Amplify Berlin, a residency program designed to support emerging Berlin-based musicians through mentorships with more established artists in order to facilitate creative development through guidance, a focused work environment and access to resources. Initiated by ACUD Macht Neu, the program takes place at Kunsthaus ACUD in Berlin-Mitte which houses a club/concert space, a multidisciplinary discursive/performative space, a gallery, a cinema, a theather, Reboot.FM radio station and the headquarters of the CTM Festival, amongst others. Thoom’s mentor is Iraqi multi-instrumentalist Khyam Allami.
FACTS:
Be honest with yourself
No ones aesthetic opinion is better than your own
Scam with confidence
QUESTIONS:
1. What is the biggest inspiration for your music?
Making a good song.
2. How and when did you get into making music?
I started making music a while ago, but I started writing songs two years ago.
3. What are 5 of your favourite albums of all time?
Nirvana – Nevermind
Harry Smith Anthology of Traditional American Folk Music – Ballads
Malouma – Desert of Eden
Burzum – Daudi Balders
Leadbelly – The Last Sessions
4. What do you associate with Berlin?
Basic people that dress cool.
5. What’s your favourite place in your town?
Underneath a bridge by the airport.
6. If there was no music in the world, what would you do instead?
Arranged marriage.
7. What was the last record/music you bought?
Oxhy – Storing Meat in the Belly of My Brother
8. Who would you most like to collaborate with?
I like collaborating with Oxhy.
9. What was your best gig (as performer or spectator)?
Last gig before we moved from Chicago. We played really hard.
10. How important is technology to your creative process?
Not that important.
11. Do you have siblings and how do they feel about your career/art?
Yea I have siblings but I don’t know what they think.
Photo © Mohamad Abdouni
