In a world long before social media, the radio was our best friend. And for those of us who grew up in Kuwait, the unbeatable rhymes and smooth crooning Faisal Marei a.k.a FACE of Army of One, holds a special place in our hearts whenever any one of their songs came on RKFM 99.7. In the early 2000s, it was musicians like Faisal, and bands like Guitara, which shaped our understanding of Kuwait’s music scene and inspiring so many talents to follow in their footsteps.
This is why we couldn’t contain our excitement when we learned that the especially talented singer and songwriter Faisal Marei has joined forces with fellow singer and songwriter Rahaf from the band Guitara to bring us a lovely song called “My World”. The song combines Arabic and English flawlessly, and is filmed with the Kuwaiti skyline in the background and it could not be timelier. The moving lyrics and cool beats bring everything together, with vibes harking back to the old school glory days of these amazing musicians, but in a hip and ultra-modern tone.
“My World”’s full music and video credit list include: Face @faisal.marei, Rahaf @tranceful, Mixing & Mastering @fuadzmurad, Model/Dancer @oksana_antufieva, Makeup @makeupbyhanouf, BTS Photography @rami.hussanyia, Asst. Director @abeert.91, Co-Director/ Drone footage @phantomkuw, and none other than the talented Director @rashidvisuals.

We spoke to Faisal and he told us more about the collaboration, his views on music right now and what the future might hold for his musical comeback.

Tell us about your most recent collaboration with Guitara’s Rahaf for “My World”. How did the idea for this collaboration come about?
During last year’s quarantine, Rahaf had an online virtual interview, and she mentioned how much she loves Army of One and that we both did music back then around the same time, and she expressed her respect and love to Army of One. When I heard this, I contacted her immediately and thanked her for her words, and told her that I was always a big fan of hers and Guitara and would love to work with her. Thankfully, she agreed and we started bouncing ideas off of one another.

What was it like working with Rahaf?
She is very professional, pays attention to details, and is very experienced in the music industry, and she knows what she wants. Rahaf is super versatile as well, she is the type of artist that you can give any type of beat to, and she will write and follow it but with her own unique touch.

“My World” beautifully blends both English and Arabic lyrics. Did you collaborate on the flow of the lyrics as well to compliment one another?
Yes, we chose the subject that we felt fits the song, and bounced some ideas virtually until we got it. Then we decided on a day to record the whole thing.

Tell us more about the video for “My World”, who did you collaborate with to make it happen?
So after we finished recording the song, we thought that even though it is simple, it needed a simple video, just us on stools showcasing the city behind us. Rashed Visuals is an old friend, and he took the lead on the production side.

What motivated you to go forward and work on this track after a long period away from recording?
That is one of the good things that happened during quarantine, I always had ideas in my mind but the situation last year I guess helped me go back into the studio and start making music again.

How has the recording music workflow changed? We’re seeing more collaborations between artists, do you think this is a trend that is going to stay?
I think it has always been there, and when you get two people working on a song it gives it a different energy especially if two different genres or cultures collaborate. But recording and collaborating is easier nowadays with technology, as it is easier to record at home or from your phone and it will still give you good quality. I really believe that technology and the internet also helps people feel more confident to try new things out of their comfort zone.

A lot of us turned to music during the last year, what did you listen to the most?
Honestly I wasn’t feeling the new school music but last year I took a deep dive into listening and learning how this new generation does it, what effects they use, what topics they talk about, just for inspiration. I listened to music in different languages and dialects too, from English to Arabic, from Kuwait, Morocco, Egypt, France, etc.

Artists like yourself and Rahaf spearheaded Kuwait’s modern music scene in the early 2000s. Fast-forward to this year, how do you think the music scene has changed, and where do you see it headed? Do you think the challenges you faced as an artist back then still exist today?
The music scene has changed a lot recently, and it is much easier to stream music, make videos, and market a song. Back in the day, you had to get signed onto a record company to get the exposure you needed. You needed DJ’s and word of mouth of course. Now it is easier and faster to drop a song or album. You can get the music in seconds and track durations are shorter. When we began working on this song, we agreed that we wanted the body of the new generation along with the soul of the old school, and that’s just what we did!

Artists usually want their music to do something to their audience, such as to convey a powerful message, or elicit a specific reaction. What do you want your music to do?
Music is nothing without an audience. I want to make music that I enjoy, that touches people’s hearts, and that people can relate, and jam to.

Aside from “My World”, what else are you working on?
Should we expect an upcoming album release from Face?
I am currently working on my mixtape or album, still unnamed yet but finished and is around 8 songs.

Bonus Question: Do you miss your Army of One days?
I do miss the good old days when we started, and I still listen to our old music, but I’m in touch with all the guys, and we will be working and collaborating together soon inshallah. Each of us took a different direction in their music careers, but we are still all on good terms, and we are brothers before anything.

Follow Faisal on Instagram @faisal.marei to watch the music video and stay up to date with his releases.