Sama’ Abdulhadi

Review by Genaro Aguilera-Reza

The short: 

Sama’ Abdulhadi (Arabic: سما عبد الهادي) is an innovative Palestinian DJ and producer. She has gained global popularity due to her dynamic performances. 

The long: 

Sama’ was born in Jordan to Palestinian parents. She eventually moved to Ramallah, Palestine, grew up during the Second Intifada, and endured several lockdowns. Abdulhadi had the opportunity to study Music Production and Audio Engineering at SAE Institute London and started developing her musical career. She started her DJ career in Beirut but was always keen on bringing shows back to her hometown in the West Bank. In 2018, she played a live set in Ramallah for Boiler Room which went viral and has now more than seven million views on YouTube.  This performance not only introduced her music to the world, but also placed the Palestinian techno scene on the radar. One of her stated goals is to continue supporting a growing number of artists in Palestine.  

To listen or not to listen:

Must listen! Abdulhadi has been described as Palestine's 'queen of techno'. Thanks to various music and media platforms, her music career has just began to be recognized internationally. Her tour was interrupted due to the pandemic, but this has allowed her to focus on creating new music. Sama’ will continue to be a noteworthy DJ in the years to come.