How Sahera Shapes Her Distinctive Sound Through Everyday Inspiration 

In MENA’s evolving music scene, genre is becoming a playground rather than a boundary, as artists blend Arabic elements with global influences to create fresh٠, resonant sounds.

Among them is Qatari artist Sahera, whose sonic world spans indie pop, alternative, lo-fi and R&B music, sung in both English and touches of Arabic. Her approach is instinctive and dreamy, with each song offering a fresh take on who she is and where she’s heading. While her early tracks like “Khaleeji” and “Bedouin Baddie” gained traction for their bilingual, high-energy style, Sahera is now in a more introspective, alternative chapter—one shaped by nostalgia, self-expression, and the beauty of not having to choose just one sound.

Gaining inspiration from the femininity and Khaleeji textures found in Waed and Balqees music, Sahera channels that same softness and strength into her own work—infusing her songs with a sense of emotional depth and womanhood. Another source of inspiration for Sahera is the everyday energy of life in Qatar, as she puts it, “My music taste here has grown so much from just being around my friends and family who play the dopest Khaleeji music in the car or around the house.” 

Sahera’s Dual Sonic Identity: From Soft Reflections to Khaleeji Baddie  

While Sahera’s identity shows off a Khaleeji “baddie,” some of her songs tend to be reflective and vulnerable, anchored in her own emotional stories. Her first YouTube release, “Daydream,” set the tone for this approach, as she mentions “Daydream has a very special place in my heart. I wrote that song by the beach in Malibu one day and recorded it the next. It was inspired by someone I had once loved and lost.”

In this song, Sahera didn’t just share an intimate memory with the world, she had also chose to shoot the music video in a secret spot, located in Topanga, California, to give an even more personal touch to it; “The skateboard swing under the tree, the river, and all the beautiful leaves that surrounded me in that video felt like a dream.”

Still, Sahera drives the “Khaleeji Baddie” energy in other songs, like her release “Khaleeji”, which gained great traction on TikTok. The track is a bold, high-glam anthem where Gulf pride meets global swagger—delivered with a playful mix of Arabic and English. 

DIY Aesthetics: Crafting Creativity Through Life’s Constant Changes

Sahera’s approach to visual storytelling is raw, instinctive, and fully her own. As an independent artist, she shoots and edits all her music videos herself—often using nothing more than her phone and CapCut. Her video for “Bedouin Baddie”, for example, was filmed with one of her friends in the middle of summer in Qatar. 

To Sahera, the DIY aesthetic isn’t just a budget decision—it’s part of her creative language. Having grown up in Los Angeles, her perspective and creative process is shaped by constant shifts, as she says “The way I see life is always evolving into a different mood and energy, especially since moving to Qatar this year. I’ve realized a lot of my perceptions towards self expression have changed and things can be a bit confusing sometimes .. But honestly, this experience so far has been a cool journey.” 

Sahera in XChange Doha 

On May 1st, 2025, the MDLBEAST Foundation, in collaboration with XP Music Futures and ONE DAY AT A TIME (ODAAT), hosted XCHANGE Doha. The one-day event aimed to bring together members of Doha’s music community for honest conversations, creative connections, and a closer look at the city’s growing scene.

The day opened with a panel titled “Shaping Doha’s Music Narrative,” moderated by Saad Al Suwaidi, Qatari rapper and producer, and featured key figures and rising voices from the region— including Sahera. Speaking about the experience, she shared:“I met so many talented people and we had a blast. It was especially important to me because it was my first time singing live in Qatar.”

For Sahera, the event was both a personal first and a glimpse into a music community that’s still taking shape—but full of potential.

What’s Next for Sahera?

Sahera is now preparing to release her second full-length album, Angel, following her first album in 2024 titled Sahera, which included 12 songs. 

Angel started as an EP then grew into something bigger - it is set to drop this fall. Sahera considers this album a project born from a period of intense writing and creative flow - one that captures both her introspection and imaginative flair. Described as “real, reflective, and deeply grounded in the imaginative whimsy of feminine nature,” the album leans into uncertainty and softness, celebrating the feeling of not knowing where life is going and choosing to embrace it anyway, adding “It’s for the girls who put flowers in their hair and dance around their room at midnight.”