SABRI:Artist Spotlight

 

Amsterdam-raised singer-songwriter SABRI grew up in a Moroccan-Algerian household where R&B, soul and hip-hop shaped her earliest musical language. Influenced by icons like Lauryn Hill, Aaliyah and Mary J. Blige, she began writing songs to understand her emotions and create her own voice — one that moves between vulnerability, strength and deep self-reflection.

‎Over the years, she has explored a wide range of sounds through collaborations with Full Crate, Yung Bleu and Olamide, while developing a songwriting style grounded in honesty and emotional clarity. Following her debut EP Actually, I Can and her powerful COLORS performance of Sold Myself For Love, SABRI now continues her journey with a new project, What I Feel Now.

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‎Q: You grew up in a Moroccan-Algerian household surrounded by R&B, soul and hip-hop. How did that shape your music and identity as an artist?

‎SABRI:

‎Growing up in that environment gave me a very rich emotional and musical foundation. Artists like Lauryn Hill, Aaliyah and Mary J. Blige showed me how powerful vulnerability could be. I started writing songs as a way to understand myself and express what I was feeling, and that’s still at the core of my music today.

‎Q: Over the years you’ve collaborated with artists like Full Crate, Yung Bleu and Olamide. What have those collaborations added to your sound?

‎SABRI:

‎Each collaboration pushed me into new creative spaces. They helped me explore different textures and rhythms while staying true to my emotional honesty. Those experiences helped me grow and become more confident in my own sound.

‎Q: What is the story behind your new EP What I Feel Now?

‎SABRI:

‎What I Feel Now is really about owning your emotions and being fully present. The EP is rooted in honesty, feminine strength and clarity. It’s not about over-explaining or justifying anything — it’s about feeling something, naming it, and letting it move through the music. Each track represents a different part of that emotional journey, from desire and release to anger, clarity and self-worth. It’s me being unapologetically myself in real time.

‎Q: Your COLORS performance of Sold Myself For Love was very raw and powerful. How was that experience for you?

‎SABRI:

‎Performing on COLORS was intense in the best way. There’s nowhere to hide — it’s just you and the song. I loved how exposed it felt because it made me focus deeply on the emotion behind the lyrics. It reminded me why I make music in the first place: to feel and to connect.

‎If you’d like, I can also turn this into a blog-ready feature, press interview, or Instagram carousel format for your media platform.

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‎For artists trying to build sustainable careers, what is one misconception about growth or visibility you had to unlearn yourself?

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‎I used to believe that growth meant constant numbers and constant attention — always being seen and always being talked about. But over time, I learned that real growth often happens quietly. It’s in sharpening your craft, understanding the business, and protecting your energy. You can’t just show up and hope things happen; you have to build from the inside out before the outside reflects it.

‎Networking is often discussed in abstract terms. In practical terms, what has actually helped you build meaningful professional relationships?

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‎For me, it’s about being genuine and showing up consistently. The strongest connections happen naturally — in the studio, at shows, or through simple conversations — not through forced “networking moments.” Listening, following through, and truly caring about people goes much further than trying to impress them.

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‎What part of the music-making process do you find most essential to protect, and which part challenges you the most?

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‎The writing stage is the part I protect the most, because that’s where the heart of the song lives. It’s where emotion, honesty and instinct come together before anything else gets in the way. The most challenging part for me is the business side — timing releases, building strategies, and deciding what to share and when. Balancing the raw feeling of a song with the practical realities of the industry can be difficult, but it’s necessary.

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‎When you feel creatively stuck, what do you do first to move forward in a practical way?

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‎When I hit a creative block, the first thing I do is change my environment. I might go outside, take a walk, cook, or simply shift my surroundings to reset my energy. Sometimes I’ll record rough voice notes or move to a different task just to keep momentum going. And when nothing seems to work, I step away completely — that space almost always brings clarity and new ideas.

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‎What is one behind-the-scenes decision that had a bigger impact on your career than any release or performance?

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‎In 2019, I made the decision to take full control of my music and release it on my own terms. I stopped waiting for validation or direction from others and started trusting my own voice. Putting out music independently that felt true to me gave me confidence and focus, and that mindset eventually led to getting signed in 2024.

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‎What are you listening to right now?

‎Lately I’ve been drawn to rock classics like Led Zeppelin and The Cranberries, along with a lot of blues. On the more contemporary side, BLK ODYSSY and Leon Thomas are artists I listen to almost daily — they keep me inspired and grounded in modern soul and alternative R&B.

‎ Connect With Sabri on IG 

https://www.instagram.com/sabrimusic?igsh=MW02d2prZzd4eDV1Zg==