Sole DXB is just days away and we can’t contain our excitement. We’ve barely gotten over the MDLBEAST SOUNDSTORM hype, so ofc, Sole DXB is here to fulfill the rest of our music festival needs. After a two-year hiatus, the highly anticipated culture-leading festival is back and their line-up includes none other than Egyptian songstress, Felukah.

This year’s lineup is the perfect mixture of regional and international talent from different backgrounds, whether it’s music, visual art, fashion, or sports. Jorja Smith (currently freaking out,) Marwan Pablo, Amine, ~the~ Felukah, and so *much* more.

Ahead of her very first performance at this Dubai-based festival, Cosmo ME spoke to Felukah about her plans for 2023, her major achievements for the year, and how she keeps her mental health in check.

Scroll down to read our exclusive interview with Felukah…

@cosmopolitanme لما @felukah تكون قدامكم وما تعرفون كيف تتصرفون… 😍😍 #M#MDLBeastم#مدل_بيستX#XPMusicFuturesR#RiyadhFelukah ♬ original sound – Cosmopolitan ME

Cosmo ME: How does it feel to be performing at Sole DXB for the first time? 

Felukah: I feel incredibly honored to be sharing the same stage with some of my favorite artists. Jorja Smith, Rapsody, Marwan Pablo, Ari Lennox. I’m definitely still in shock and just super excited to perform. Gotta welcome people into the Felukah Universe.  

C: What do you have in store for 2023? 

Felukah: 2023 is glittered with surprises. My sophomore record “The Love Serum” is out on the 8th of December and I can’t wait to flesh out all the songs, ideas, and visual language associated with the album. I’m diving deeper into my craft than ever before, even though I’ve always been honest in my music. I feel like you can sense the momentum building; I just performed at the FIFA Fan Fest for the World Cup and I felt the gravity of that moment in my body. Arab women are forever on the rise. And I’m launching into outer space in 2023. Inner space, too. 

Via Instagram @Felukah

C: What drives you? 

Felukah: As an Aquarius, I’m generally driven by my curiosity, love, futurism, and the beauty of art. Everything about this world and how it works, my place in it, and how I can elevate the space around me drives me. My Egyptian culture drives me, it makes me want to build on what my ancestors began. Divine explorations of the self, our relationships to each other, and to nature. I feel like the possibilities are endless for a creative mind. That drives me.  

C: What inspires your music and your writing process? 

Felukah: Beyond the factors I mentioned above, I would be lying if I didn’t mention other musicians. I’m eternally grateful that the world gave us Erykah Badu, Tyler the Creator, Solange, Fairuz, and Abdel Halim Hafez. My writing process involves channeling different energies and letting my feelings flow freely. It’s hard to put a cap on it. 

C: You’re one of the most successful female Egyptian rappers on the scene right now, how do you keep your mental health in check? 

Felukah: Agh, thank you for asking me this question. Growing up in the Middle East, there has always been neglect towards mental health issues. It’s always been downplayed, stigmatized, and dismissed. I’m learning now that this is the case all around the world—I can’t stress enough how important mental health is for everyone. How can we expect to care for each other when we can’t care for ourselves?  

For me, mental health means staying grounded through open communication with my loved ones, sufficient and meditative time alone, exercising regularly, and seeking help when I need it. I’ve been in and out of therapy and learned a lot from various people. Listening to my intuition has also helped me tap into my inner voice, which then helped me keep my mental state in check.   

C: Any words of advice for women who would like to go down the same path as you? 

Felukah: Trust your gut and do what makes you happy. If you want your work to resonate with people, focus on it resonating deeply with you first. When people try to hate on your game, block them and move on sis. Baddies have no time for trolls. I would also recommend focusing on your community, and the people around you in real time or online. Keep in touch with the people you care about and share your art with your friends constantly. They will be your Day Ones.  

C: Do you feel like Arab female artists are misrepresented in the music industry? How do you think this could change? 

Felukah: Yes, but I also feel that female artists everywhere are misrepresented in the music industry. Women have been objectified and hypersexualized in pop culture for years, especially in music. That said, I definitely have hope for the future. I love Dounia and I’m so happy with our collaboration on “Say Hi to My Demons.” Abir, Zeina, Lella Fadda, Tamtam, and so many others are paving the way for a new understanding of what it means to be an Arab female artist. I’m honoured to be creating amongst them.  

C: Your most significant concerts and achievements? 

Felukah: I’m still on a high from last week! Playing for 20,000 people at the FIFA Fan Festival was one for the books. I feel honored to represent Egyptian women and women everywhere who dare to dream and color outside the lines. Beyond the scale of a show is the feeling it evokes in people. That matters a lot to me; one of my favorite shows was also one of my first shows at Kotob Khan Bookstore in Maadi. Everyone from the neighborhood and around Cairo filled up the whole store, sitting on the stairs, and floors and standing against the bookshelves. I remember reading some of my poetry and playing 6 songs on a backing track.

I knew what was coming for me and I was just starting to tap in, being met with open arms by my people. To this day these 2 iconic moments in my career shifted something beautiful inside of me.  

Via @Felukah on Instagram

C: What song do you enjoy singing the best and why? 

Felukah: Hmmm, I genuinely love singing all my songs! But if I had to choose one for right now, it would probably be “Fruitseller.” We sampled a Tamer Hosny song and I channeled my inner Destiny’s Child on the hook, with the verses repping straight ‘Lukah. “Sterlini” is also incredibly fun to perform live. People get downnnn for both of these songs. I really can’t wait to see how Sole DXB makes friends with the magic. I know it’s about to be something special.