A Conversation With – Amal Nemer
Hey Amal, welcome to Dance Rebels, how are you? Please also introduce yourself too; where are you from, and what is your role in the music industry? Hey Dance Rebels, nice to meet you! My name is Amal Nemer, I am a DJ, Music Producer, & Singer based in Miami, FL. I was born and raised in Venezuela, and I am proud of my Lebanese and Syrian heritage. My role in the music industry is to get everyone to vibe to the rhythm of my beats and just have a fun time.
What influenced you to pursue your chosen career in the music industry? Everyone always talks of the positive perks of their chosen career, but what sacrifices have you had to make to enable you to pursue your career? What started off as just playing songs at parties during Covid, to being encouraged to learn to mix music and educate myself with the concept, my career in a way, has unfolded organically. I always had a strong inclination towards the arts, especially music, and something just clicked one day. All my friends and family could see it, and I could sense something inside of me just changed. My passion for it is an exhilarating feeling – especially when you connect with something so deeply. I still remember when I purchased my first mixer it was a complete game changer for me. The biggest sacrifice I had to make has to do with establishing myself as a music producer to my family and friends. There was a lot of criticism and hesitation from my family because they did not feel this was a serious career. As time went on, they saw how passionate I was and once I started receiving recognition on multiple platforms, they accepted music as a part of my identity and here I am now!
Who or what has kept you motivated during your music career, to enable you to perfect your trade and release on multiple music labels and tour the world? What advice would you give to anyone wanting to work in the music industry full-time too? Me, myself, and I. It was always me and always will be me. I am my own biggest cheerleader and believe in myself wholeheartedly. I am extremely passionate about my music career and as I mentioned before, everything happened in an organic manner, primarily because I believed in myself. I believe in the power of manifestation and that is why I am extremely careful of my surroundings and the words I speak of. Words hold power and power stems from within. My advice consists of three things: Consistency, Discipline, and Believing in yourself. Regardless of what you do in life, you must always believe in yourself every day and be disciplined and consistent in your craft because it will bring you success.
To-date you’ve had releases on labels inc. Glasgow Underground, Nervous, Made in Miami, Farris Wheel etc., and from your perspective, what is the record which you feel gave you your ‘big break’ in the industry? Is it important an artist has their own recognizable sound too? It’s super important for artists to have their own sounds and for me it’s with the drops and percussion. My brand is defined through those two styles I use in my music and my fans can easily recognize it. I feel “Amal’s Dream” gave me my big break with Glasgow Underground… It’s a chill record that shows my vision of a beautiful reality I’ve created through my music and I’m happy my fans can experience the vision through my lens. “To Tengo Los Poderes” on Moon Harbour Records is the biggest accolade label that has played a big part in giving me my break within the industry.
On Friday May 10th you’ll be dropping a 2-track EP entitled ‘Nasa/Galaxy’ on Flamingo Road, summarize this EP in your own words, think stylistically, what sort of vibe do the records brings to a DJ set etc.? These two tracks are made for the dance floor! ‘Nasa/Galaxy’ is truly a record that is supposed to make you want to “take-off” and I think the name is fitting of the emotion I’m trying to get my fans to feel. The vibe is to take off to the beats of hard tech house and just groove. Just dance, feel, and connect.
How long were you working on the ‘Nasa/Galaxy’ EP for? Which of the 2-tracks is your favorite track, and how long in general does it take you to produce a tune in the studio usually? When I am in the studio, I am just focused on completing what I have put my mind to. I transform my mindset into tunnel vision and will not leave the studio until I have completed the track. Usually, it can take a day or two, but I do take another day to just “feel” the music as a whole and try to make changes if needed. I have a better understanding of what makes my sound unique to me, so it helps with delivering the finished product to my fans. The mixing definitely takes a bit longer in the creative process… “Nasa”, for example took a bit longer than “Galaxy Kiss” because I needed it mastered properly for the drop to sound the way I envisioned it.
When you are in the studio making new tunes, do you have a preference to using hardware or software? What is your current go-to plug-ins? I love using technology; I love learning everything about it and it’s just something that is easy for me to grasp. I love having the ability to manipulate sounds and create sounds through a single click or touch. It’s amazing. I enjoy using Roland gear especially, SH101 for synths and love the analog machine for using percussions.
What plans do you have for this summer? Any spicy shows scheduled, or any more EP’s to release? This summer is going to be incredibly special for me. I kick off my first ever European tour and I am so excited to perform in Ibiza. It is going to be a fun time and I can’t wait to play my music and have everyone vibe with me.
Finally, if you could collaborate with ANY artist for a new tune, who would it be, and why? What sort of vibe would the tune be too? I have three DJ’s I wish to collaborate with one day. Solomun, The Martinez Brothers, and Damien Lazarus. The way Solomun has remixed Lana Del Ray’s tracks makes my heart go crazy… I would love to recreate something similar. Damian is more progressive, with a different sound but I would like to use his style and create a cool tech house track. The Martinez Brothers, any track with reggaeton beats would be a game changer. One day, it will happen, I am sure.
Buy/Stream Amal Nemer’s ‘Nasa’ EP HERE
