The Amad Show
By Amad Mian
The Amad ShowJan 28, 2020
Matthieu Paley - Dont believe everything in the news
In this episode I get to sit down with renowned photographer and storyteller, Matthieu Paley.
One of the remarkable qualities of Matthieu is his passion to experiment with human experience and to tackle all the psychological challenges of adapting oneself to a new environment to be able to tell an accurate story.
We talk about a wide range of topics in this podcast, from self directed learning to the preconceived ideas that we, as humans, have been fed, and having the ability to unlearn and let go of them.
It was an absolute joy to experience Matthieu’s energy and sheer intellectual curiosity. I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed recording it.
Hassan Hajjaj - The vibe is everything
In this episode, I sit down with Hassan Hajjaj, a Moroccan artist, photographer, designer, and filmmaker, living between London and Marrakech. Hassan talks us through the evolution of his career, going from photographer to artist. He also talks about the importance of creating a vibe.
As always, I welcome any comments or feedback. Available on all podcast apps.
With gratitude,
Amad
You can find me here: https://www.instagram.com/amadmiaan/
Hassan here: https://www.instagram.com/hassanhajjaj_larache/
Arshia Haq (Discostan) - The effects of language
“Sometimes you have to see if your work is changing how you think and feel about things” - Arshia Haq
In this episode, I sit down with Arshia Haq, also known as Discostan, an Indian American Artist, DJ, producer and writer living in LA. Arshia talks us through the narratives presented in her work across mediums which are heavily influenced by her experiences as an immigrant and a Muslim. She also talks to us about the dangers of creating social echo chambers.
As always, I welcome any comments or feedback. Available on all podcast apps.
With gratitude,
Amad
Solemann Haddad - People appreciate passion and people appreciate hard work
“I never look at a failure as a failure I look at it as a learning curve, a feedback loop. “ - Solemann Haddad
In this episode, I sit down with Solemann Haddad, a French-Syrian chef living in Dubai. Solemann talks about the importance of taking chances. He talks about how sometimes the best thing in life is simply figuring what you don’t want to do.
As always, I welcome any comments or feedback. Available on all podcast apps.
With gratitude,
Amad
You can find us here:
https://www.instagram.com/amadmiaan/
https://www.instagram.com/cutebreadboy/
Aleena Naqvi Hussain - The difference between theory and practice
“Theoretically you can study all you want but unless youre in the thick of it you won’t really know how something works.” - Aleena Naqvi Hussain
This week I sit down with Aleena Naqvi Hussain, a Pakistani artist and photographer living in Lahore. In this episode, Aleena walks us through the evolution of her career after moving back to Pakistan. She describes the how some people in your life can have the greatest impact on the path you create.
As always, I welcome any comments or feedback. Available on all podcast apps.
With gratitude,
Amad
Jordan Nassar - Initiating deeper and meaningful dialogues
“If the goal for making this kind of artwork was because I want to connect with Palestine, its more than I can dream of to literally connect with Palestine and work with the women doing Tatreez and go there and physically connect with them and be part of their community.” - Jordan Nassar
This week I sit down with Jordan Nassar, a Palestinian American artist living in New York. In this episode, Jordan talks about the importance of developing platforms and bodies of work that initiate deeper and more meaningful dialogues. He describes the evolution of his relationship with Palestine and Israel, and how his understanding of the two has helped form his own life and career.
As always, I welcome any comments or feedback. Available on all podcast apps.
With gratitude,
Amad
Rama Duwaji - Finding stability
This week I sit down with Rama Duwaji, a Syrian American illustrator living in Dubai. In this episode, Rama talks about the importance of thinking about your career in a sustainable manner. She talks through the evolution of herself and her work across her experiences doing art residencies, commissions and her own personal work.
As always, I welcome any comments or feedback. Available on all podcast apps.
With gratitude,
Amad
Nima Nabavi - Pursuing something with genuine enthusiasm
“My everyday is; I wake up and I’m eager to get to work, I work until there’s no light left and it’s uncomfortable to work and as long as I’ve done that, things have opened up.” - Nima Nabavi
This week I sit down with Nima Nabavi, an Iranian artist living in Dubai. In this episode, Nima talks about discovering his passion for geometric expression, and his works that were initially inspired by his grandfather. He walks us through his prior careers in both fashion and events, and the powerful role that his friendships have played within them.
Nima reminds us of the significance of always having a moral center, and how crucial it is to value the time given to us.
As always, I welcome any comments or feedback. Available on all podcast apps.
With gratitude,
Amad
Malika Verma - The power of communication
“If we don’t define how we want to be spoken about, we leave it for others to speak for us and generally those voices are not from India, come with their own biases, and are usually in English. “ - Malika Verma
This week I sit down with Malika Verma, an Indian-Canadian founder of Border&Fall and Strategic Director of Raw Mango , living in India. In this episode, Malika talks us through her journey of discovering the power of communication. She emphasizes how influential words can be when they serve as a geo-localizer and cultural identifier. Malika also talks about how her work advocates India's design and craft communities, and explains what it authentically means to be Made in India.
As always, I welcome any comments or feedback. Available on all podcast apps.
With gratitude,
Amad
Instagram.com/amadmiaan
Instagram.com/theamadshow
Bünyamin Aydin - The problem with our generation is that we want everything now
“We should be deeper than just knowing each other, we should strive to understand each other. ” - Bunyamin Aydin
This week I sit down with Bunyamin Aydin, a Turkish designer and founder of fashion brand Les Benjamins, living in Istanbul. In this episode, Bunyamin talks about the dangers of social media, the power of community and the importance of reconnecting the East. He also walks us through the early days of his brand and shares his stories of fulfilling a dream set out by his father.
As always, I welcome any comments or feedback. Available on all podcast apps.
With gratitude,
Amad
Zara Shahjahan - Take pride in your heritage
This week I sit down with Zara Shahjahan, a Pakistani artist and clothing designer living in Lahore. In this episode, Zara gives us insights into minimalism and Mughal era paintings. She talks about the simplicity and elegance of aging, and how nostalgia has played a pivotal role in the narrative of her brand.
As always, I welcome any comments or feedback. Available on all podcast apps.
With gratitude,
Amad
Jason Seife - Finding something that's both aesthetically and conceptually fulfilling
“In the parts of my life that I’ve been unhappy, I’ve been trying to find fulfillment outside myself.” - Jason Seife This week I sit down with Jason Seife, a Syrian-Cuban artist and designer living in Miami. In this episode, Jason talks about the importance of pushing through and to keep on going, for life goes on even in the most uncertain of times. He also shares how his life came to a full circle through his travels and career choices, bringing him back to his calling; being a bridge between the traditional and the contemporary. As always, I welcome any comments or feedback. Available on all podcast apps. With gratitude, Amad
Zinnia kumar - Rejection is a temporary state
“Get addicted to getting rejected.” - Zinnia Kumar
This week I sit down with Zinnia Kumar, an Indian Australian model and PhD student at Oxford University in the United Kingdom. In this episode, Zinnia talks about a wide range of topics including social phobia and overcoming it, the fashion and beauty industry for South Asians, colorism, facing rejection, and the power of media and advertising when it comes to representation.
As always, I welcome any comments or feedback. Available on all podcast apps.
With gratitude,
Amad
Savia Shah - Equality and justice applies to everyone
“You need a lot of love in your heart but you also need to be disturbed by all the injustices that happen in this world, that is what makes you take a stand and raise your voice.” - Savia Shah
This week I sit down with Savia Shah, a Pakistani Canadian entrepreneur living in UK. In this episode, Savia talks about the importance of bridging divides. She also walks us through her life as a third culture kid, from a young age in Canada to now in the UK, and how the experiences that have come to form her personal narrative are being projected through The Third Edit.
As always, I welcome any comments or feedback. Available on all podcast apps.
With gratitude,
Amad
Ali Cha’aban - Create space for people to have a dialogue
This week I sit down with Ali Cha’aban, a Lebanese artist living in Saudi Arabia. In this episode, Ali talks about the observations he came across as a child born into war. He also walks us through the evolution of the narratives surrounding his work, and how they have come to be presented around the world across different mediums.
As always, I welcome any comments or feedback. Available on all podcast apps.
With gratitude,
Amad
Misha Japanwala - Do some research and do what you have to do
This week I sit down with Misha Japanwala, a Pakistani artist and designer living in New York. In this episode, Misha brings to light the importance of women having complete right over their own bodies in the global south, as well as in the rest of the world. She also talks about her work and how she finally found her voice and place as an artist.
As always, I welcome any comments or feedback. Available on all podcast apps.
With gratitude,
Amad
Find us
www.instagram.com/amadmiaan/
www.instagram.com/theamadshow/
www.instagram.com/misha_japanwala
Ali Mehrdad - Show them that you’re comfortable, that you don’t need them.
“It’s never gonna be perfect, you might as well just go with it. “ - Ali Mehrdad
This week I sit down with Ali Mehrdad, an Iranian entrepreneur living between Dubai and LA. In this episode, Ali talks about how he learned to build his confidence from a young age, which led to starting his eyewear brand, Roberi and Fraud. The brand quickly became a must-have accessory by the likes of Gigi Hadid, the Kardashians and Angelina Jolie. He also tells us how important it is to focus on the work and enjoy the hustle rather than on busying yourself with the small things.
As always, I welcome any comments or feedback. Available on all podcast apps.
With gratitude,
Amad
Find us
https://www.instagram.com/amadmiaan/
https://www.instagram.com/theamadshow/
https://www.instagram.com/alimherdad/
https://www.instagram.com/roberiandfraud/
Butheina Kazim - Have a consistent reminder of the bigger picture
“I became obsessed with the idea of rethinking everything that we do.” - Butheina Kazim
This week I sit down with Butheina Kazim, an Emirati entrepreneur, film producer and founder of the first and only art house cinema in the Gulf. In this episode, Butheina talks about the evolution of cinema and storytelling in the region. She also takes us through the journey of building Cinema Akil - the community and the space.
As always, I welcome any comments or feedback. Available on all podcast apps.
With gratitude,
Amad
Find us
https://www.instagram.com/amadmiaan/
https://www.instagram.com/theamadshow/
https://www.instagram.com/butheinahk/
https://www.instagram.com/cinemaakil/
Mous Lamrabat - Make your life as simple as possible
“You’re doing everything for yourself.” - Mous Lamrabat
This week I sit down with Mous Lamrabat, a Moroccan artist living in Belgium. In this episode, Mous talks about the importance of getting bored and how we have lost the art of being with ourselves. He also shares the intimate lessons he has learnt about family, giving back and being patient.
As always, I welcome any comments or feedback. Available on all podcast apps.
With gratitude,
Amad
can find us here:
https://www.instagram.com/amadmiaan/
https://www.instagram.com/theamadshow/
https://www.instagram.com/mouslamrabat/
Meryem Slimani - It’s a matter of principles
This week I sit down with Meryem Slimani, a Moroccan photographer and art director living in the Netherlands. In this episode, Meryem talks about the intergenerational trauma she faced growing up between Morocco and Holland, and the importance of familial bonds. She also shares her thoughts on Islamophobia and the inclusion of race, gender and plus sizing within the fashion industry.
As always, I welcome any comments or feedback. Available on all podcast apps.
With gratitude,
Amad
You can find us here:
www.instagram.com/amadmiaan/
www.instagram.com/theamadshow/
www.instagram.com/meryemsfirst/
Salman Al Najem - DON'T think about a pink elephant
“It's very important to find a creative release. Even if you think you’re not creative, you probably are.” - Salman Al Najem
This week I sit down with Salman Al Najem, a Bahraini visual artist living in Bahrain. In this episode, Salman talks about the importance of finding a creative practice and the role religion and spirituality have played throughout his work and personal life. He shares how the evolution of his work has come about, and talks about the narratives that he wishes to convey though it.
As always, I welcome any comments or feedback. Available on all podcast apps.
With gratitude,
Amad
Find us below:
https://www.instagram.com/amadmiaan/
https://www.instagram.com/theamadshow/
https://www.instagram.com/smnajem/?hl=en
Alaa Balkhy - There’s no recipe, you just navigate through
“You have survived the worst thing that has happened to you; you’re standing here” - Alaa Balkhy
This week I sit down with Alaa Balkhy, a Saudi artist and designer living between New York and Jeddah. In this episode, Alaa talks about the importance of mental wellbeing and the role therapy has played in her life. She shares the intricacies of growing up and navigating her sense of self between eastern and western cultures. She also recounts two love stories dear to her heart - how she fell in love in New York with a boy who is now her husband, and with a country she calls home.
As always, I welcome any comments or feedback. Available on all podcast apps.
With gratitude,
Amad
Find us below:
https://www.instagram.com/amadmiaan/
https://www.instagram.com/theamadshow/
https://www.instagram.com/alaa_balkhy/
Mohamed Elshahed - Don’t postpone pleasure
“Instead of postponing things that make you happy till after retirement or when the right time comes, try to make them part of your every day life.” - Mohamed Elshahed
This week I sit down with Mohamed Elshahed, an Egyptian curator and architectural historian living in Cairo. In this episode Mohamed walks us through how his understanding of architecture and environments has evolved across his travels, education and personal experiences. We also discuss ideas surrounding identity and labels, how they can sometimes be misconstrued and how we should go deeper in order to understand the reasons behind them.
As always, I welcome any comments or feedback. Available on all podcast apps.
With gratitude,
Amad
Moshtari Hilal - Never be ashamed of who you are
"I learnt to never be fully ashamed of who I am, be reflective of my mistakes not hide any part of my identity, and not ever be ashamed of myself.“ - Moshtari Hilal
This week I sit down with Moshtari Hilal, an Afghan-German artist, researcher and curator living in Berlin. In this episode, Moshtari talks about the role art played in her life and how it was instrumental in connecting her with her roots in Afghanistan. Moshtari also shares the intricacies of her story growing up in a western country as an immigrant, facing issues of representation, racism and guilt. She shows us how she deconstructed false truths and the many narratives presented to her, to make sense of her life and create a unified narrative that was more representative of herself and her complexities.
As always, I welcome any comments or feedback. Available on all podcast apps.
With gratitude,
Amad
Find me here:
www.instagram.com/amadmiaan
www.instagram.com/theamadshow
https://www.instagram.com/monmoshtari
Habibi Funk - Letting your intuition guide you
“I feel very privileged to be able to make a living from something that gives me joy.” - Habibi Funk
This week I sit down with Jannis Sturtz, a German music publisher and chance DJ living in Berlin. Jannis, better known as Habibi Funk, dived into the music industry right after school by starting his own record label called Jakarta Records. This lead him to discover North African music in Morocco, and from there took interest in learning more about the eclectic sounds from the Arab world. With each record Jannis aims to make a move toward contributing to a common archive, to make music and artists he admires accessible and understood. Each release of his takes the listener into the world of the musician not just by listening to the music but also by understanding the story of the artist, showcasing the history of the country, and sometimes even analyzing the political situation and how it may have had an affect on its music.
In this episode Jannis takes us through how he goes about putting together a record - from researching tracks and musicians around the world, to how he ensures the royalties are transparently shared and distributed with the artist and the estate.
As always, I welcome any comments or feedback. Available on all podcast apps.
With gratitude,
Amad
www.instagram.com/amadmiaan
www.instagram.com/theamadshow
www.instagram.com/habibifunk
Hebah Fisher - It just takes practice
This week I sit down with Hebah Fisher, an Egyptian-American podcaster living in Seattle. From Dubai to Seattle, Hebah has taken on the mission to tell stories. Stories that matter to the region, stories about the region, stories we can share and listen to as we sit on the sofa sipping warm cups of coffee. Because at the end of the day, we all love stories. In this episode, Hebah takes us to the beginnings of building Kerning Culture a Middle East podcast network, what she learnt along the way and what we can expect from it in the years to come.
As always, I welcome any comments or feedback. Available on all podcast apps.
With gratitude,
Amad
You can find me here:
www.instagram.com/amadmiaan
and here:
www.instagram.com/theamadshow
Hebah can be found here:
www.instagram.com/hashtagfisher
www.kerningcultures.com
Aqib Anwar - The difference between wishing and believing
This week I sit down with Aqib Anwar, an Indian photographer and videographer living in Dubai. From lying on his couch questioning his self-worth to running his own business, Aqib takes us through the highs and lows of his journey of accomplishing his dream. He shares the importance of believing in yourself and persevering, even when times are hard, to get up and do the work.
As always, I welcome any comments or feedback. Available on all podcast apps.
With gratitude,
Amad
Rana Khadra - You decide the life you want to live
This week I sit down with Rana Khadra, a Lebanese-Omani traveler, photographer and story teller. In this episode, Rana talks about the importance of human connection and how it has applied across all her travels. She shares what it is that she seeks in each of her journeys and looks to remind us that there is beauty in the world, and if we search for it we will find it.
Rana has also been taking a series of portraits of people from her travels, and the prints that she sells, she then seeks to find and give the proceeds to the people in the photos.
As always, I welcome any comments or feedback. Available on all podcast apps.
With gratitude,
Amad
Maxime Cramatte - Bringing people together
This week I sit down with Maxime Cramatte, a Swiss Dj, artist and producer living in Dubai. After studying in an art school in Switzerland, he found himself moving to Dubai and establishing a multi-disciplinary artistic platform by the name of Satwa 3000. In this episode, Maxime takes us through his journey of why he started Satwa 3000, what it meant for him discovering and fitting into a new country, and the idea of building bridges to create an inclusive environment of cultures and people from all walks of life.
As always, I welcome any comments or feedback. Available on all podcast apps.
With gratitude,
Amad
Nadia Parekh - The ultimate goal
This week I sit down with Nadia Parekh, a Pakistani pastry chef living in Dubai. After studying in Cordon Bleu in London, she started running a home-based catering company called Melange. What started from just an Instagram page has now grown into a business making the most decadent cakes that also has its own retail line. In this episode she takes us through her entrepreneurial journey inclusive of all the uncertainty and the hiccups she faced in finding the path to doing something she both loves and gives her financial freedom.
As always, I welcome any comments or feedback. Available on all podcast apps.
With gratitude,
Amad
Chndy - No more u-turns, we have to figure it out
“Inshallah one day people will fly me to places.” - Chndy
This week, I sit down with Chndy, an Omani jack of all creative things living in Dubai. He has worked with brands like LV, GUCCI, Nike and Carhartt, and on top of starting a lifestyle brand with @chebmoha called Shabab, his photographs have been featured on billboards around the world. In this episode he takes us through the lessons he learnt about life and how they have come to shape his priorities.
As always, I welcome any comments or feedback. Available on all podcast apps.
With gratitude,
Amad
Mentions - instagram accounts
https://www.instagram.com/chndy_/
https://www.instagram.com/chebmoha
https://www.instagram.com/nouriflayhan
https://www.instagram.com/alaa_balkhy/
https://www.instagram.com/shababintl/
You can find me on https://www.instagram.com/amadmiaan
Nour Flayhan - The biggest critic in your life is yourself
This week, I sit down with Nour Flayhan, a Lebanese story teller living in Kuwait. Her illustrations have been shared all over the world and have become the voice of major social movements. In this episode she takes us through how important it is to be vulnerable and to deal with our emotions in order to bring out our truth.
As always, I welcome any comments or feedback. Available on all podcast apps.
With gratitude,
Amad
Saad Umerani - Proving yourself as an individual
This week, I sit down with Saad Umerani, a Pakistani entrepreneur living in Dubai. He has been working on shaking up the healthy snacking industry with his brand Protein Bakeshop. In this episode he takes us through his journey of starting a multitude of different ventures to carve out his individual identity.
As always, I welcome any comments or feedback. Available on all podcast apps.
With gratitude,
Amad
Tala Soubra - Striving forward
This week, I sit down with Tala Soubra, a Lebanese banker, author, photographer and food critic living in Dubai. She started her culinary journey with a blog called “Fork It Over Dubai” documenting her love for restaurants which subsequently spiraled into a food photography career. In this episode she takes us through her way of developing and pursuing your passions while maintaining a sense of security in life.
As always, I welcome any comments or feedback. Available on all podcast apps.
With gratitude,
Amad
Ali Shehabi - The lost and found
Mashael AlSaie - The importance of narrative
Andre Gerschel - The power of pressing forward
Aeli - Each one of us has our own reality
www.instagram.com/aelimusic
Dana Boulos - Becoming the character
Find her here:
www.instagram.com/danaboulos/?hl=en
www.danaboulos.com
vimeo.com/danaboulos
Mohammed Kazim - Living through stories
- Mohammed Kazim
This week I sit down with Mohammed Kazim, an Emirati entrepreneur and self proclaimed merchant of travel, living in Dubai.
Mohammed co-founded Tamashee; a fashion, travel and research company dedicated to preserving the identity and culture of the Arabian Gulf, all the while creating an impact on society. It’s a brand that, through its many arms, showcases gulf culture and subculture like it has never been seen before.
In this episode, we discuss Mohammed’s passion for travel - the experiences, where it stems from and how it has evolved. We get to hear some of his favorite stories that have transpired over the course of his research missions across Saudi Arabia. We also talk about the youth, policy, religion, culture and how one can preserve their heritage.
Hope you enjoy the show and please don’t hesitate to share with friends.
With gratitude,
Amad
Arwa Al Banawi - The Saudi dream
This week I sit down with Arwa Al Banawi, an award winning Saudi fashion designer living in Dubai.
She founded a fashion line by her own namesake Arwa Al Banawi, a brand dedicated to the daring, feminine, “Suitable Women”. A brand that puts at the forefront the Saudi narrative, her own narrative, but as a dialogue between the east and the west.
In this episode, we discuss Arwa’s struggle to make her dream of working in fashion a reality. We also talk about how it was to be among the world’s leading designers to showcase at the first ever fashion show in Saudi Arabia.
Hope you enjoy the show and please don’t hesitate to share with friends.
With gratitude,
Amad
Mustafa Khan - Building a better future for our children
This week I sit down with Mustafa Khan, an entrepreneur out of Stanford GSB, living in Pakistan.
He founded Mauqa.online, an on demand platform for domestic help, with the aim to help improve the lives of the underprivileged in Pakistan through economic empowerment.
In this episode we discuss Mustafas experience growing up in Pakistan and building Mauqa with his wife and team in Pakistan.
Hope you enjoy the show.
With gratitude,
Amad
Layla Kardan - Being honest with yourself
This week I sit down with Layla Kardan, a musician who uses her soulful voice and continuous curiosity to empower women.
Having spent time growing up across continents, she is a true citizen of the world. Her latest album, Saved, is a take on vocalizing her personal experiences, breaking through stereotypes and pursuing her passion is an inspiration.
In this episode we touch upon her struggles in pursuing her passion, the taboo surrounding mental health and changing the perception of middle eastern women.
eL Seed - The struggle of identity
This week I sit down with eL Seed, an artist who uses Arabic calligraphy in a distinctive style to spread messages of peace and unity. He underlines the commonalities of human existence though his artworks around the world.
Growing up in Paris to Tunisian parents created a struggle of identity within him that tends to resonate with all of us. This struggle put him on a path of self discovery through learning to read and write the Arabic language.
In this episode we get to hear about the makings of el Seed’s journey as an artist as he takes us through some of the artworks and installations he’s done across the world from Paris and Canada to Rio de Janeiro and Cairo.
Hope you enjoy the show.
With gratitude,
Amad
Sofia Guellaty - The difference between imagination and real life
This week, I sit down with Sofia Guellaty, founder of Mille World, an online platform for Arab youth and culture.
Sofia grew up in Tunis, studied history, political science and communication in Paris, interned with Rodarte in New York, and became a published author at age 19.
She later fell in love with the idea of using fashion as her mode of communication with the world. Unfair, her first publication folding, led to her role as editor in chief at the the first Conde Nast property in the Middle East, until she left to launch Mille.
In this episode, Sofia talks about her love for singing, fashion, and being true to herself.
Rami Farook - Calm, caring, confident and consistent
This week, I sit down with Emirati artist, art collector, designer, and entrepreneur Rami Farook. He grew up in Sharjah, then studied philosophy and in the US, and later Islamic studies in the UAE. He fell in love with creative arts and opened up multiple galleries, studios, and platforms for the region’s design community. In addition to being an ambassador for Middle Eastern arts and culture, he also launched his own fashion brands and uncovered budding talent in the region. In this eposide, Rami opens up about his process and discovery of his passions in art, music, fashion, and design.
Rosenda Arcioni Meer - Nourishing creativity
This week, I sit down with artist, designer, traveler and entrepreneur Rosenda Arcioni Meer. She grew up in Italy, studied philosophy in Germany, and fashion in New York. Her life-long travels from the West to East and, in particular, her cultural immersion in India, enriched her vision of the artistic endeavour. In this podcast, Rosenda opens up about the creative process, and the discovery of her authentic voice in art as well as in life.
