Stage names are a funny thing. For example, in the 1960s a man called Arnold Dorsey thought the name Engelbert Humperdinck would be better for his career, and then subsequently went on to sell hundreds of millions of records. These days rockstars, rappers, jazz drummers—everyone puts a spin on their identity for the sake of theatrics. And then
there’s electronic music. Avicii. Skrillex. Deadmau5. Does anyone even know Deadmau5’s real name? There is no shortage of linguistic creativity in the world of night-club-banger makers. And for Moroccan-Dutch DJ and producer, Fadil El Ghoul (better known as R3HAB), selecting an obscure moniker was simply inevitable.
With more than 20 million monthly listeners, 7 billion streams on Spotify, and a new collab with Jason Derulo currently going gangbusters, the multifaceted musician is clearly doing something right. Stage name or not.
ESQUIRE: Your latest track ‘Animal’ is a collab with Jason Derulo. How did that come about?
R3HAB: I’ve known Jason for a while. I helped him on his previous album with some production, and we were always texting, and he’s just so easy to work with. We’re both direct people, so it makes things more comfortable. Like, if I were to text him right now and ask to rerecord the bridge, he would be like ‘cool’. Sometimes when you collaborate with people, afterwards you’ve immediately had enough. But he’s great. I’d love to do more with him.
ESQ: Does that happen often? When you’re excited to work with someone and then it doesn’t pan out the way you anticipated?
R3HAB: Of course. Creative people always want things their way, and that’s understandable. But it also makes things very difficult. You need to be firm but polite when it comes to differences. I always try to explore both options, as you never know which one might work.
ESQ: What separates dance and electronic music from every other genre?
R3HAB: Since dance music often doesn’t have lyrics and tends to be upbeat, when you go to a rave or a dance club, it’s almost always a positive atmosphere. Punk music, rap music, they’re all great, but it can invite more aggression, especially at live shows. With dance music, there’s no interpretation of lyrics. No political message. It’s just vibes. Everyone feels welcome. They’ve just come to dance. At least that’s how I feel.
ESQ: You recently moved to Dubai. How so?
R3HAB: The European winters are rough, man! Middle Eastern winters are beautiful. Warm, chill. In the summer though, I do head back to Europe.
ESQ: Throughout history, many artists from all over the world have found inspiration in Morocco. As a Moroccan, what is it about the place that sparks such creativity?
R3HAB:That’s a good question. I really can’t say. I guess, back in the day, going to a place like Marrakesh from Europe or the US must’ve felt like a complete fairytale. The colours, the flavours, the pace of life—it must have just hit people in a certain way.
ESQ: You recently shot a music video in AlUla. That place is something else…
R3HAB: Oh, man. It’s literally like Dune! It’s like a movie. It’s so pretty, and Saudi Arabia is so diverse. I would love to go back just for vacation but also to work more.
ESQ: So as an established artist, how do you find the creative scene in your new home of Dubai?
R3HAB: It’s certainly growing. There are a lot of writers, musicians and artists I know all who want to come here and work because Dubai is very comfortable. Jason Derulo was here just last week. And let’s face it…from a financial perspective, the tax rates are amazing!
