Zaid Hilal vocals/baglama,
David Mowat, trumpet

Zaid Hilal performed here at Ashburton Arts Centre in July 2025, and was superb. A very powerful performer – the audience loved it! – book early for this one



"Zaid is the musical ambassador for Palestine" Husam Zomlot Palestine UK Ambassador https://youtu.be/MpiXMXQyzU0?si=4LFENYUww15yQlfh

Zaid Hilal is a Palestinian singer, composer, and music producer from Bethlehem. His music blends traditional Palestinian sounds with contemporary influences, creating a unique and emotionally powerful musical experience. As a folk-pop artist, Zaid reimagines heritage songs and original compositions in a fresh and engaging way—fusing deep-rooted cultural melodies with modern rhythms, textures, and storytelling. His voice carries both the beauty and the weight of Palestinian memory, making his performances resonate deeply with audiences.

Since forming his band in 2016, Zaid has released over 15 songs and performed on stages across Palestine and internationally. His live shows are known for their authenticity, emotional range, and rich musical arrangements. He is a fast-rising star of the Middle East with 40,000 + followers on his social media accounts and over a million youtube views.

THE CURRENT GULF WAR With the war on Iran it's not possible to guarantee his arrival. But the promoters have bought flight tickets in strong faith that all is going ahead.

Zaid's UK Tour in 2025 was a big hit, taking in Bristol's Cotham Club, Elementary Festival, Glastonbury Festival and London's Jamboree Club amongst others. Audiences were very moved.

Here's a quote from Elementary Festival:

"There are moments when music becomes more than sound, it becomes collective prayer. This set at Elementary Festival deserves its own story. When Zaid took the stage, his voice carried more than melody, it carried memory, longing, resistance, and love. As we chanted back “Hala lala layya” with him, we weren’t just singing we were remembering. Rooted in ancient folk song, these words echo a love so powerful it would be "written on birds’ wings. Carried by wind. Etched in tears" In that moment, we sang not just for one another, but for all who long to be free. For Palestine. For the ones whose songs are interrupted. For the voices that rise even when silenced. It was joy... It was resistance. It was ancestral rhythm meeting modern grief. And it was holy. May we keep singing. May we never forget. May our voices carry around the world. How wonderfully blessed to be present with this" Maggie

LINKS

instagram @zaidhilalofficial

website http://zaidhilal.com

YouTube @Zaid Hilal

‘The song bird of Palestine’ Zaid Hilal sings of creative resistance to repeated colonisation in a wonderful array of carefully-researched songs and music that express the deep roots of
Palestinian identity.

“The renewed cycle of oppression of Palestinians made me resort to the folklore and sounds that address our history” Zaid Hilal Mirath music - Goethe-Institute

Watch Zaid Hilal in a live session in Jerusalem

Reviews of 2024 UK tour
"East meets West cosmic jazz fusion collaboration from the ever-reliable British European Jazz
Ensemble (BEJE), featuring masterful bağlama and vocals from Zaid Hilal. Palestinian folk
/modal jazz of the highest order” (Headfirst)
“What a wonderful and very moving night at Curzon Cinema Clevedon” Bristol Coalition For
Palestine.

“A golden voice and a great baglama player” Simon Leach music therapist

“Fantastic and moving set” Chris Hope, acclaimed Composer (Box Of Tricks Theatre)


Zaid Hilal is an eloquent and compelling Palestinian singer and master of the ear-catching bağlama. From Beit Sahour, he trained from age 10 with the Edward Said Music Conservatoire in Bethlehem, has a BA in Arabic singing, produces and records albums, tours nationally and internationally.

With over a million views of his youtube videos he packs venues in the Occupied West Bank with his gentle powerful and hopeful musical message, with BEJE’s rocking-jazz take on the rich tradition of Palestine. BEJE is a Bristol-based world-jazz ensemble specialising in international collaborations.

The Zaid-BEJE link goes back to 2018 when the Arts and British Councils-funded show ‘Longing Belonging and Balfour’ came to Palestine and Israel, and the musicians all met up in the Beit Musika in Beit Sahour for a jam. A joint UK tour followed in 2019. Despite a pandemic-thwarted Edinburgh Fringe cancellation there was a triumphant UK tour with BEJE in 2024.


Ashburton Arts Centre
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