Ibrahim Maalouf and Hiba Tawaji are preparing a new musical project as a duo, combining French-language covers with symphonic orchestration. (Credit: Arno Lam)
Ibrahim Maalouf's mind is overflowing with ideas. He possesses an energy that seems made for the stage alone. Projects multiply without pause. His music resonates around the world. His secret lies in a distinctive sound: the quarter-tone trumpet invented by his father, which gives his work the unmistakable Oriental note that has become his signature.
Maalouf moves effortlessly from one collaboration to another, drawing crowds wherever he performs. A natural showman, he thrives in live performances, where he can reveal the many dimensions of a personality too complex to fit into a single musical piece.
Endless collaborations
Keeping up with him can be difficult given the number of projects he manages simultaneously. His latest venture is a remix of Sexy for Me with Jason Derulo and Kevin Gates — three unlikely worlds brought together on one track.
"One of my friends is the producer, so it happened by chance when he played one of my tracks for Jason Derulo, who loved it," Maalouf said.
The song may be highly mainstream, but it features a trumpet sound unlike any other. Maalouf followed that project with the score for Fils de personne by Safy Nebbou, with whom he had already worked, notably on Dans les forêts de Sibérie, whose soundtrack earned him a César Award for best original score.
The soundtrack is already available, while the film is scheduled for release in June, only days before his next album, Trumpets of Michel Ange Vol. 2. Its first single, Las Trumpetas de Nael, named after his son, has already been released.
And the projects continue. His track Red & Black Light was recently remixed for the World Cup, featuring Daddy Yankee and Shenseea. Originally released 11 years ago, the song has become one of FIFA's official anthems and found a new audience.
"It's completely insane; I would never have imagined this," the artist said, emphasizing that music exists to connect people.
The biggest concert of his career
What Maalouf describes as the biggest event of his career still lies ahead: a concert before 40,000 people at the Accor Arena in April 2027 to mark his 20-year career.
"I try to stay grounded. I don't take anything for granted. What's happening to me is completely crazy — it's simply the biggest instrumental jazz concert in history, something never seen before," he said.
The concert is expected to be broadcast by numerous media outlets, including France Médias, particularly France 4, MTV Lebanon, 2M in Morocco and several radio stations, including TSF Jazz, Radio Orient and Jazz Radio. RFI could also broadcast the event live, along with the Grammy website.
"Between 10 and 30 million people will watch the concert live — it's just wild," Maalouf said.
He said the event would also celebrate 20 years of artistic independence and craftsmanship, a journey made possible by audiences who continued supporting his work and helped him achieve an uncommon level of recognition for an instrumental musician.
Twenty years of independence
Maalouf says he has never been part of a mainstream radio rotation and was never signed to a major record label.
"I've always done everything by piecing things together, and after enough effort, I've managed to build something significant because I'm very persistent," he said.
His albums each have their own identity, and he has now accumulated more than 300 collaborations spanning various genres of world music.
"It's my way of connecting with the world and building strong ties with audiences, who keep showing up," he said.
The stage as an outlet
Performing remains central to his identity.
"I actually started doing it with my father at the age of 8, and I've never stopped. I'm never more myself than when I'm on stage, and the audience senses that authenticity. The stage is my outlet," Maalouf said.
He said he never felt entirely comfortable or free while pursuing the path of a classical musician. Jazz allowed him to express himself more fully, even if he never fit the expectations of purists. He avoids labeling himself strictly as a jazz musician, though he acknowledges that jazz opened doors that classical music never did.
Lebanon always close to his heart
Though based in France, Maalouf remains deeply attached to Lebanon and frequently supports causes linked to the country.
Alongside his wife, Hiba Tawaji, he is overseeing the artistic direction of a concert scheduled for May 20 at the Arab World Institute in collaboration with UNESCO. Organized under the auspices of the Fondation de France, the event will feature multiple artists, raise funds for Lebanon, and be broadcast by France Inter.
As if that were not enough, Maalouf and Tawaji are also preparing a duet album of French and Francophone classics accompanied by the Republican Guard. Titled À la française, it is scheduled for release Sept. 18 to mark their sixth wedding anniversary.
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