At just 28 years old, Ashraf Moawad – better known as Ash – has become a global music force, with a string of chart-topping singles, a worldwide fanbase, and a sold-out world tour.
With both French and Egyptian roots, Ash is renowned for his genre-defying style, fusing the rich musical traditions of his heritage with electronic sounds that push boundaries and redefine what it means to be a global artist.
In an interview with The New Arab, Ash reflected on his musical beginnings, key moments that have shaped his career, and his latest track, On My Mind.
Humble beginnings
“It all started with my brother,” Ash recalled, thinking back to when he first began playing the piano at just six years old.
“I know this might sound bad, but during the five or six years I spent taking lessons, I didn’t want to follow the traditional approach of learning the basics and classical pieces. I just wanted to play whatever I heard in my head,” he added.
[Photo courtesy of Nice Marmot PR]
As Ash got older, his musical tastes changed. By his early teens, he discovered trance music on YouTube, drawn to its mix of electronic sounds, piano, and guitar.
“I loved the energy and emotion in it,” he says, explaining that this sparked his interest in DJing and music production to create his unique sound.
By the time Ash turned 15, he admitted that trance music felt too intense for him. He then discovered deep house, a genre that felt more atmospheric and introspective.
This shift, Ash says, made him want to explore more organic sounds.
By this point, Ash had taught himself guitar through YouTube tutorials, and as his skills improved, he began incorporating the instrument into his productions alongside the piano, which he had learned from a young age, as well as the violin and saxophone.
Despite this impressive musical evolution, Ash shared that he felt a key element was still missing from his music: the integration of his cultural heritage.
Growing up, Ash listened to a mix of Egyptian and French artists, from Abdel Halim Hafez and Omar Khairat to Charles Aznavour, and although he was exposed to Arabic classical music and the region’s musical icons, he was always more influenced by Western music.
Yet, as time went by, Ash realised that his Arabic heritage had already influenced his musical instincts in ways he hadn’t noticed before.
“Whenever I played the piano, for example, my fingers would naturally play something that sounded very Middle Eastern,” Ash explained.
This realisation, Ash says, marked a turning point in his career, leading him to embrace his roots and incorporate those sounds into his music.
Embracing vulnerability
Ash’s embrace of his heritage is evident in some of his breakthrough tracks, starting with Mosaïque, which combines Middle Eastern melodies with deep house.
Resonating with listeners, the track gained worldwide attention in 2019 when his video performance went viral, surprising Ash, who had no expectations for its success after spontaneously uploading it to SoundCloud.
Although Ash was grateful for the success of Mosaïque, it also brought unexpected pressure, making him question what kind of artist he was meant to be and whether every song he created needed to follow the same formula.
“I got put in this box — the kind of music that I have to make. Now, does every track I make have to sound exactly like that?” he reflected.
[Photo courtesy of Nice Marmot PR]
In making this point, Ash explained that instead of letting the pressure affect him, his dedication to staying true to himself and his creativity led to more musical breakthroughs, including the release of Homes in 2022.
Like Mosaïque, the track resonated with Ash’s global audience, but this time, it stood out for its raw, authentic depiction of Egypt, reflected in the music video’s visuals.
For instance, while working on the video, Ash and his team adopted a documentary-style approach, filming in his Cairo neighbourhood of Maadi to showcase the “real Egypt” and highlight everyday life, away from the Pyramids and other typical tourist sites.
“I wanted to dive deeper into what my life looked like in Egypt — just the real representation of it,” he shared.
Fast forward to 2024, after a period of self-reflection following the COVID-19 pandemic, Ash not only went on to performing live at the Pyramids but also found himself in yet another musical breakthrough releasing his debut album Self Discovery.
As the title suggests, Self Discovery is a tool for Ash to better understand the elements that shape who he is.
Reflecting on his early career, Ash shared that he often doubted himself, overthinking every decision and fearing his music wasn’t good enough.
“I was always scared to release my music, thinking, ‘Is it good enough?'” he said.
Ash added that instead of letting imposter syndrome take over, he stopped worrying about expectations and, with this album, embraced his emotions, telling stories inspired by the people and moments that shaped him, showing both his struggles and moments of acceptance as he grew as an artist and person.
Celebrating heritage
Till this day, Ash continues to make waves in the music world, drawing in an increasingly larger global audience.
Building on his past successes, Ash’s latest track, On My Mind, features Egyptian singer and poet Felukah, and instead of deep house, this time round, he blends tropical house elements with timeless Middle Eastern influences.
As seen in the music video, On My Mind is defined by its detailed instrumentation, with clear musical transitions that shape the track’s sound from start to finish.
Recalling the track’s evolution, Ash said he initially built the foundation with a synthesised Spanish guitar sound, gradually adding percussion and a rhythmic bassline.
As the track developed and Ash realised it was missing a certain “groove,” he added a more punchy bassline, playing on the SPD, resampling the sound, and performing it freely until it became rhythmic.
True to his style, and not surprisingly, Ash continued to develop the track by incorporating Middle Eastern sounds.
An addition he hadn’t originally planned, Ash reflected on his decision to include these elements towards the end of the track, saying, “I told Felukah, ‘What if we completely change the vibe here? What if we include Arabic melodies as well?’
“I played it on the synthesiser, and it actually sounded cool,” he said. “The Middle Eastern melodies, which are heard around 1 minute and 55 seconds into the music video, are meant to surprise listeners — you don’t expect the track to take that turn.”
As Ash recalled, by the time On My Mind was complete, it had become a true reflection of both his and Felukah’s musical worlds, with the fusion of cultures at the heart of the track’s identity.
“On My Mind is not only a celebration of our Egyptian roots, made even more powerful when Felukah sings ‘We will rise’, but it also demonstrates that Middle Eastern sounds can coexist with electronic and pop influences in today’s music,” Ash said.
“I’m proud to be part of this, and if I can represent Egypt and showcase my culture to the world, it means a great deal to me,” he added.
You can listen to all of Ash’s music on Spotify here.
[Cover photo courtesy of Nice Marmot PR]
Zainab Mehdi is The New Arab’s Associate Editor and researcher specialising in governance, development, and conflict in the Middle East and North Africa region
Follow her on X: @zaiamehdi
