Lebanese singer Dana Hourani has found her own rhythm

She recently joined Dua Lipa and Blackpink's Rose as an ambassador for YSL Beauty

Dana Hourani at home in Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National

Dana Hourani doesn’t feel pressure to do what’s expected of her. That much is clear the moment you step into her meticulously designed home in Dubai’s Barsha 2 neighbourhood. Past a Slim Aarons-worthy pool, she greets us casually, as if we were old friends dropping by. Within minutes, we are – shoes off, sitting on her sofa, almost forgetting we’re here for an interview.

Hourani is effortless in front of the camera, which comes as no surprise. We’re meeting today because she was recently named YSL Beauty’s first GCC ambassador. The press release announcing the partnership in early March described her as embodying the YSL Beauty ethos – where power meets freedom and sophistication meets rebellion. Marketing language aside, that description rings true.

The Sharjah-born, Beirut-raised Lebanese pop singer released her latest song, Ma Byenkhaf Alayi (Don’t You Worry About Me), in January. A ballad with an underlying message of female empowerment, it underscores Hourani’s firm grasp on her self-worth. She has no intention of conforming to industry expectations when it comes to her musical trajectory.

Lebanese singer Dana Hourani is YSL Beauty’s first GCC ambassador. Antonie Robertson / The National

In 2019, Hourani transitioned from being known as a social media influencer to a serious musician with her debut single, Ella Inta. Since then, her music has garnered millions of views and streams. Her first studio album, Ensanein, arrived in 2021, accompanied by high-profile media coverage, including a cover story for a lifestyle magazine – which is when I first met her, because I wrote it.

Despite its seeming detour from music, her collaboration with YSL Beauty is anything but a side project. “I don’t take on a lot of partnerships; I’m very picky about what fits with what I’m doing. It needs to align perfectly. Maybe I overthink these things, but with this, I immediately said, ‘Yes, I’m on board,’” she explains. The appeal is the long-term nature of the partnership, not just a series of social media posts.

“I think the reason they approached me is because I’m a musician,” she says when asked if she worries about still being seen as an influencer. “If I weren’t, this wouldn’t have happened. They want artists who have something.” She joins a line-up of global YSL Beauty ambassadors that includes Dua Lipa and Blackpink’s Rose.

Dana Hourani has decided to go against industry expectations of regular single releases. Antonie Robertson / The National

Today, she introduces herself as an artist, but she doesn’t denigrate the “influencer” label and has a lot of respect for that career path. She just sees herself as a jack of all trades. “I used to think, ‘I’m good at many things, but I can’t find one thing I’m excellent at,’ and saw that as a negative. But I’ve realised I’m constantly changing, and being a master of one thing wouldn’t suit me.”

Over the years, she has recalibrated her relationship with the music industry. “You know how there’s fast fashion? Now there’s fast music. That was turning me off because it affected the way I worked. I lost the magic I felt for music. I don’t want to be that person. I love what I do too much to let the industry dictate my process. So I took myself out of that system and decided to do things my way. If that means releasing one song a year, so be it.”

She rejects the pressure of algorithms and stream counts. “The industry expects you to release something every six weeks. Who makes music that fast? My goal isn’t to be the number one artist – it’s to enjoy what I do. If I’m not enjoying it, then what’s the point?”

So, is she enjoying music now? “Much more than before. I decided not to take things too seriously. Life feels better. I have balance and that’s what matters.”

Other ambassadors for YSL Beauty include Dua Lipa and Blackpink's Rose. Antonie Robertson / The National

This new mindset has made her decision-making more ruthless. She recently shelved several ready-to-release tracks because they no longer resonated with her. “I’m not connecting with that sound. I’m always evolving, and right now, I’m looking for something more experimental.”

She admires artists who stay true to themselves, such as chart-topping Syrian musician Al Shami. While she doesn’t see herself in the same pop category, she respects his ability to bridge audiences. And with her producer, hitmaker Sleiman Damien, she has a strong foundation for whatever comes next.

Has stepping outside industry norms hurt her standing? “No. All it takes is a hit song. The industry doesn’t care about anything else. It’s a business. If you hit the numbers, that’s what matters.”

Reflecting on her journey, Hourani sees clear progress. “If I compare where I started to where I am now, there’s huge growth. But I never felt satisfied because there was always the next thing. It became a never-ending cycle.”

She admires other musicians such as Marilyne Naaman. “I love what she’s doing. She’s the girl next door, but she’s so authentic. It’s similar to the sound I’m tapping into, and I love that she’s proving there’s an audience for this – especially in the Lebanese dialect.” Lebanese artists traditionally sing in Egyptian dialect or stick to niche dabke folk. Outside alternative circles, there hasn’t been much of a market for Lebanese dialect music.

Hourani’s new approach may seem laid-back, but it's intentional. She sees in Naaman and others a shift in the industry that she’s happy to be part of. As YSL Beauty’s first GCC ambassador, standing alongside global stars such as Dua Lipa, perhaps this fiercely independent, artist-first philosophy is exactly what will propel her to the top of the charts. And maybe all it will take is one song a year. Until then, she’s content in her living room, doing things her way.