Meet Mounya Abou Rahal, a dynamic music business specialist from Lebanon with a focus on the MENA region. As Anghami's Senior Production Executive, Mounya collaborates with some of the most prominent Arab artists, spearheading branded content projects and gigs across MENA. With a strong background in A&R, she is dedicated to promoting emerging talent from the region, supporting artists from a variety of genres, and driving the advancement of the music industry in MENA. Mounya is ambitious, attentive and a hard worker. She’s also a binge watcher and a fan of sarcasm, bringing a unique blend of dedication and personality to her professional endeavors.
How is a day like at work with you?
At work I spend my days collaborating with artists, their managers and teams on various projects. My main role at Anghami is to manage different projects with artists and stakeholders, aiming to support Arab artists in advancing their careers as much as possible. Basically, I spend my day experiencing high levels of stress while trying to maintain my cool and a decent face!
What did you study and what pushed you to choose this career path? If you studied something that isn’t related to music, could you explain how you managed to link it to your current career?
I got my master's degree in Music Business from Berklee College of Music in Valencia, Spain. Music has always been my passion since I was a kid. I started playing the piano at the age of five and later delved into studying classical music. Growing up in Lebanon, my home was always filled with a mix of Arabic and international tunes, becoming a big part of my daily life. I have witnessed many up-and-coming artists in the Lebanese music scene but only a few managed to stay in the game for the long run. This made me feel frustrated and pushed me to strive for ways to support artists in growing and maintaining their musical careers.
Why did you choose to work in the music industry?
I wanted to help Arab artists as much as possible to gain access to tools and knowledge that could help them grow and evolve as artists, and hopefully one day dominate the international scene. In Lebanon and in the MENA region society pushes you towards a career in finance, medicine and engineering. Pursuing music and arts is something that requires lots of work and effort and not taking no’s for an answer. I was always comparing our music scene to the international one and this motivated me to be part of the change in the MENA music industry. I wanted to be part of the younger generation that is taking charge of the music business in this region and that is working hard to shed light on Arab talents on a regional and international level by elevating the industry’s infrastructure.
What is your favorite thing about your job?
I never get bored! The projects I work on are extremely varied, and there’s always something to learn from at the end of the day. I love talking to people and communicating with artists and managers and clients all over the MENA region. I have great colleagues, and a manager who has taught us how to work together as a team. We’ve grown to become friends and not just coworkers.
Have you ever noticed inequalities as a woman?
I have noticed the opposite actually, with women more involved in the music industry and breaking barriers. It makes me proud as an Arab woman to watch my fellow female peers thrive!
Who are your favorite artists who influenced you to work in the music industry?
It's difficult for me to choose just one favorite artist because I enjoy listening to a variety of music genres from both Arabic and international music scenes. I try as much as possible to explore as many genres and records that were released over the years. At the moment, I’m listening to Cairokee a lot, as well as Dana Hourani and Marwan Moussa.
How would you describe the music industry in Lebanon? Is it influenced by external markets?
A big part of the music industry in Lebanon is influenced by external markets such as the west. I would say this part is mostly dominated by electronic and EDM artists, followed by indie rock and pop bands and artists. The other part of the industry in Lebanon refers to Arabic Pop music. Lebanon used to be one of hubs in the region. However, due to the economic crisis, COVID and the port explosion that happened in 2020, Lebanon sort of shifted from this role. The industry in Lebanon is a scene that has its ups and downs periodically, but I hope and believe that it is on the rise today.
Has being from Lebanon influenced your career in terms of opportunities?
Definitely. Lebanon is a difficult country to live in, but I am in love with it. It’s a country that forces you to break boundaries and push yourself to the limit. One thing I’ve learnt over the years is that no one is going to hand me opportunities by hand. I need to fight for them and make them happen by myself. This is what I have been doing for a while, working on my career and making the most of it.
What is the biggest challenge that you have encountered in the music industry so far?
I've learned a ton about how the music industry operates in the west and other growing markets thanks to Berklee but diving into the music scene in the MENA region has been a whole new ball game: things are changing rapidly and all at once. The real challenge for me is adapting to the music industry in the MENA region, as it's a whole different beast compared to the rest of the world.
What are your future projects?
Right now I’m working with my current company on a music festival - Byblos International Festival. I’m pretty excited about this one! The biggest flex is getting one of my favorite Arab bands, Cairokee, to perform in Lebanon.
Do you have any suggestions for all those who want to work in this industry?
It’s a tough industry but it’s such a fun job to have! An important thing is to start anywhere, whether at a local venue or managing an artist and see where this takes you. Be kind and respectful to everyone and grow your network as much as you can.
Do you have a song in your native language to suggest?
Yay by Dana Hourani!
You can follow Mounya here and listen to the song she suggested here: