NOURI is a Kurdish singer and songwriter whose journey began in a Syrian refugee camp, where she was born and lived until the age of three. Her career in the global music scene started in 2018 with her debut single, "Where Do We Go From Here," which gained international attention, hitting #1 on multiple charts and marking her as an artist to watch.
Her latest single, "Change In Your Name," is a gospel ballad that reached #4 on Billboard’s Gospel Digital Chart and amassed millions of streams. In the newly released music video, NOURI’s performance captures the emotional weight of the song’s message about faith and transformation.
In this short Q&A for shesaid.so, NOURI speaks about her connection to her roots and how music continues to be her form of expression and healing.
How have those early experiences at the Syrian refugee camp shaped your approach to songwriting and music?
I would say, more so now than ever. It's definitely shaped it in a way where it's a lot more honest and vulnerable. If you don't hear it in the lyrics, you definitely hear it in my voice. I feel like you can hear the experiences in my voice and the feeling that I'm able to give these songs. I'm very grateful to God. I wouldn't be here without God. Looking back at where I've come from, to the positions that God has put me in, I'm very, very grateful, and my songs definitely reflect that more now.
What’s the story behind your single“Change In Your Name”?
I wrote the song in December of 2023 at a very low point in my life. I felt very lost and alone, and it was me simply having a conversation with God, more like a prayer, if anything. And the song just simply happened. I wrote the song in two hours and it's definitely my favorite.
What's your favorite/least favorite thing about making music?
My least favorite is writer's block, because there's nothing worse than going to the studio or setting up to write a song and then nothing comes to you. There's got to be the worst. And then the best thing, I would say, is being able to be so creatively free. As musicians, as artists, as writers, you can go into the studio and literally write about anything, and I think that's pretty cool.
What's your favorite way to unwind when you're not making music?
I would say is to be out in nature. I love being at the beach. I love going for hikes. You know? I love going to the gym. But there's just something about being in nature that really helps me feel at peace and just to kind of forget everything and reset. So definitely nature.
If you had to describe your music using three words, what would they be?
Vulnerable. Honest. Meaningful.
3 things you can't live without in your bag.
My lip liner, my lip balm, and also my blush - I seriously, I can't leave the house without it. If you look at my bag, it's just kind of “On the Go” makeup. That's my that's my thing.
What are you listening to at the moment?
At the moment, I listen to a lot of worship music. I love listening to instrumentals, jazz music in the morning. As a musician, you would think I listened to different types of music, but I'm not. I think it gets a bit much for me, so I just try to keep it simple at the moment. Billie Eilish for sure!