'Music is my first love': Egyptian singer Hany Adel on how he balances acting with making tunes

The star will be in the capital next month with his band Wust El Balad

Hany Adel has branched out into the acting industry in recent years. Hany Adel / Instagram

It has been a busy few months for Wust El Balad’s Hany Adel.

As well as being the singer of the much-loved Egyptian rock group named after a downtown Cairo district, Adel has also been carving out a steady career as an actor, having appeared in various productions last year including the movie Garemet Al Immobilia (Immobilia Crime Story) and television series El Seham El Mariqa (Rogue Arrows).

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However, despite his growing acclaim in the Egyptian film industry, it's his music work that comes first.

Speaking exclusively to The National from the El Gouna Film Festival, which concluded last night, he says the band are excited to play at the Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation on Saturday, October 5.

“Music has always been my first love and, in a way, a lot of what happened in my career began from my work with Wust El Balad,” he says. “When it comes to my acting work, I either make sure it doesn’t clash with my touring commitments with the band or make sure the director understands it. Alhamdulillah, everything has been going well so far.”

Indeed, Adel's career has been firing on all artistic fronts. As well as Wust El Balad releasing a fine fourth album, Bantalony El Jeinz (My Jeans), last year, he can be presently seen in UAE cinemas as part of the cast of El Kenz 2: Al-Hobb wa Al Maseer (The Treasure: Love and Destiny).

A sequel to the 2016 action film, the new instalment has star Mohamed Ramadan back in the field looking for ancient Egyptian documents.

Adel was also spotted recently in an episode of the MBC drama Nasibi Wa Qesmetik, an anthology series that explores the various challenges of women in Egyptian society.

When it comes to his upcoming projects, Adel says they will be music-focused with the UAE in his sights.

As well as his performance with Wust El Balad in the capital, Hany will return for a Dubai show as part of the The Why Not! Mazzika Festival. Held at the Coca Cola Arena on Saturday ,November 22, he will take to the stage as part of the group H.O.H.

A bit of an Egyptian indie super-group, the band has Adel teaming up with Ousso Lotfi from Nagham Masry and Hany El Dakak from Massar Egbari (the group will also play in the festival). Tickets cost Dh195 and are available from ae.bookmyshow.com.

“I have been blessed that with both groups, I am playing music with people that are great friends,” he says. “But that’s not why I do it. I love playing with people who share the same passion. Otherwise, it would be boring.”

Wust El Balad performs at the Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation on Saturday, October 5. Tickets start at Dh78.50. More information is available at www.culturalfoundation.ae