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Adel Setta
Youniss Ahamad mixes post-punk, hip-hop and noise in experimental, musical storytelling. Shaped by his Arab origins and his upbringing as a black person in the suburbs of Antwerp, he has taken a unique path through the Belgian underground, which started with the exploration of abstract club music and which in 2023 was expressed through a new post-punk sound on the album White Space.
On the 2024 EP Do We Try Beyond The Edge? Youniss continues to break with the expectations of him. Here he explores the frontiers of music with biting lyrics about colonial structures, roaring guitar surfaces and clean-shaven breakbeats.
On November 18, Youniss shared the stage with post metal giants Amenra. As a prelude to the concert, the team from Vega met the Belgian musician to talk about touring the musical, European road.
You are currently on a European tour. What does it mean to you to have the opportunity to perform at so many different venues?
It's a great opportunity and I'm very grateful to have been invited to go with Amenra on tour. Our music is different, but it springs from a similar sense of intensity and intention. It's a great feeling to be able to share my music with such diverse audiences in new countries every night.
What's it like to meet fans from other countries? Is there a difference compared to Belgian fans?
It's interesting – the Belgian audience is rarely very energetic. So it's exciting to be able to compare that experience with other audiences around Europe.
What are you most looking forward to about touring around Europe and playing music?
Meeting new people, eating different food and fully immersing myself in the music.
Do you think audiences from different countries experience your music differently?
I think it's a bit like the energy. Some cultures have a different way of engaging with music. I think it depends a lot on how people are culturally brought up to relate to and respect music. Is it a passive listening experience? Or are you willing to channel your energy on the same level with the artist to get more energy back? For me, the good audience arises in exchange between the two.
How would you describe the importance of being able to tour around Europe, present your music live and meet new audiences?
It's great to be able to get out of your bubble and get a sense of how your music is experienced in different places. It is both a humbling and enriching experience to be able to do this months before my new album is released. These are experiences I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
Do you have any expectations to perform in Denmark?
I'm just very curious. I've only been to Denmark once before, and back then I didn't really get the opportunity to get involved musically. So being able to come back and play is a great opportunity.
Find more about his, and many more concerts at Vega on their website.
