THE REBELLIOUS ARTIST
Nariman El Bakry was born in Abu Dhabi, UAE, to a Lebanese mother and Egyptian father. She moved to Egypt at the age of 16 and completed her bachelors in advertising and public relations at MSA University. She works as a marketing and PR executive for the Cairo Jazz Club, an iconic venue for live music that is also a platform for art, music, and culture. With Cairo Jazz Club, she helps to organize festivals outside the venue and partners with many cultural organizations and embassies. Since the revolution, she has been witness to Egypt’s flourishing underground music scene. Being a part of it has been very rewarding, but she’s also come to know first hand the struggles the artist face is seeking to be heard.
Nariman believes that art and expression play a vital role in bridging cultural gaps, particularly in turbulent countries like her own. In her own words: “A friend of mine once told me that artists are the nerve endings of the world. We feel and perceive things through art and, because art is expression, I find it instrumental in bringing about social change. It creates a bridge that transcends superficial differences and taps into people’s emotions, which is why it has such a massive impact on people from all walks of life.”
Nariman was present during the first Egyptian revolution of the Arab Spring. She went to some of the demonstrations and posed as a medical student in a hospital in order to aid wounded demonstrators, but remained somewhat skeptical of what lay ahead. Still, she says, “I was also impressed by the people’s determination and I witnessed the birth of a new found unity, strength, perseverance and hope for a better Egypt.” She is featured in the Rebel Music Egypt episode as a passionate supporter of the rebel campaign that helped bring down the government of President Morsi during the 2013 Revolution. To those out side of Egypt, she says: “Start questioning things, beginning with yourselves. Look for inspiration in unity and do not be blinded by skepticism. Revolt! Don’t let fear cripple your ambition and don’t let ambition limit your vision. This does not start nor end with one nation’s outcry, this is a global movement. A righteous, long overdue rebellion that has finally risen. Find the rebel in you and make a stand, now!
