Abdullah Miniawy is an Egyptian writer, singer, and composer blending poetry, jazz, and political reflection. Based in Paris, he’s performed at venues like the Louvre, ICA London, and Festival d’Avignon. His award-winning album Le Cri du Caire earned France’s 2023 Victoires du Jazz. Now, Miniawy joins forces with trombonists Robinson Khoury and Jules Boittin to create a theatrical, transcendent trio blending Sufism, Egyptian soundscapes, and jazz. Catch them live at Zwingli-Kirche, Berlin, on June 6 as part of Paradise Must Be Nice Festival.
FACTS
1. Art is the foundation of society.
2. Anti internet revolution is approaching.
3. Language is a prison.
1. What is the biggest inspiration for your music?
My biggest inspiration comes from the classical Arabic language, spirituality, and the emotional weight of memory. I draw deeply from my roots, my inner world, and the spaces in between silence and sound.
2. How and when did you get into making music?
I started writing poetry at the age of 8. By the time I was 12, I began recording my voice, a practice that kept evolving, taking on many forms over the years.
3. What are 5 of your favourite albums of all time?
Malak by Dhafer Youssef
Mozart in Egypt by Hughes De
Courson
Chiaroscuro by Arve Henriksen
Blue Nile by Jon Hassell
Organum by Peter Michael Hamel
4. What do you associate with Berlin?
Alfred Döblin and Alexanderplatz.
5. What’s your favourite place in your town?
In my hometown of Al Kyman Fares, Fayoum (Egypt), I loved the fields, a place where I used to sit and meditate. Now, in Paris where I live, I find peace in the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont.
6. If there was no music in the world, what would you do instead?
I’d be a full time writer, still trying to shape emotions into form.
7. What was the last record/music you bought or listen?
Spectral Evolution by Rafael Toral. I’ve listened to it at least 200 times. It’s more than music, it’s a curse.. haunting and beautiful.
8. Who would you most like to collaborate with?
I’ve been fortunate to collaborate with artists across genres, from jazz to electronic, including Erik Truffaz, Nino de Elche, HVAD, and Simo Cell. At the moment, I would love to collaborate with Tigran Hamasyan.
9. What was your best gig (as performer or spectator)?
As a performer: Final Descent in Copenhagen with my former project Le Cri du Caire.
As a spectator: Dijan Gasparyan, last concert in Paris before retirement.
10. How important is technology to your creative process?
Technology is essential. It’s part of how I compose, process, and share music. I use it to bridge distances between people and ideas. In my solo shows, I work with loopers, pedals, and machines to create layered soundscapes.
11. What can we expect from your show at the Paradise Must Be Nice Fest in Berlin?
If you truly listen to every note, expect to enter a dream.
