In 2021, Nemahsis caught the worldโs attention, with a viral moment surrounding her debut single, โwhat if i took it off for you?โ Since then, the Palestinian Canadian artist has been further establishing her name as one to watch, by releasing her debut EP, completing an international tour, and maintaining an influential social media presence. A multi-hyphenate creative, 29-year-old Nemah Hasan is fearlessly carving her path in the music industry while honoring her heritage every step of the way, without compromising her values. Here are seven things you should know about rising pop star Nemahsis.
Palestinian Canadian
Nemah Hasan grew up in Milton, Ontario, a small town in the countryside, just outside of Toronto. She owes her artistic moniker to a lyric from Nicki Minajโs โCheck It Out,โ where she took note of the intonation of the word โnemesisโ resembling her nameโs. This gave her the inspiration to start introducing herself as โNemahsis,โ as a way of clarifying her nameโs pronunciation to teachers and schoolmates. Various experiences from her upbringing as a daughter of an immigrant family directly inform her songwriting. Distinctively, โimmigrantโs tale,โ the opening track of her debut EP eleven achers, is a sorrowful ode to her mother โ hailing from the West Bank city, Jericho โ and the sacrifice of her happiness in service of securing a better future for Hasan and her siblings, which Hasan witnessed throughout her childhood.
Pop Star in the Rough
Singing, or rather humming, started as a coping mechanism for anxiety throughout Hasanโs teen years as an introvert, before evolving into a skill that would get her noticed by a music teacher at her school. Her performance of an Amy Winehouse cover at a talent show two days later would become the first step toward overcoming her insecurities and acknowledging her talent. Still, growing up, Hasan didnโt consider a future in music to be a possibility for her. โI knew if I was born white, I would 100 percent be a pop star. I would watch [TV] and Iโd be like, โYep, I have what it takes, but I donโt have what it takes externally, and it just wonโt work.โ Iโm a realist,โ she told NYLON in early 2023. Only after she had proven to her family that she could keep a โrealโ job and maintain a sustainable income, would she be able to hone her musical craft, eventually taking it more seriously during the pandemic.
โwhat if i took it off for you?โ
Before her music career took off, Hasan had garnered a modest online following as an influencer, through fashion and beauty content creation. She released her first single, โwhat if i took it off for you?โ on June 23, 2021, to an overwhelming response. The song, an atmospheric pop-piano ballad accompanied by Hasanโs emotive vocal performance, is based on her real life experience. Hasan had shot a global campaign for a multimillion dollar makeup corporation and was offered no compensation for it. โTheir justification was that โitโs more of an opportunity for the people of your community,โโ she wrote in the YouTube description of the track. Inspired by Hasanโs story, Muslim women all around the world took to TikTok to discuss incidents of discrimination from their own lives, and their relationship with wearing the hijab.
eleven achers
Nemahsisโ debut EP, eleven achers, came about in the first half of 2022. A vulnerable, autobiographical portrait, the project dives into Hasanโs personal experiences, dealing with topics of immigration and mental health struggles. Across six tracks backed by simultaneously minimalist and lush instrumentation, Hasan explores facets of her identity, upbringing, and religious heritage, with a poignant pen. In an interview with COLORS x STUDIOS, she describes the EP as homey, warm, and naive. She further explains that the title refers to the 11-acre farm she grew up in with an allusion to the feeling of pain, hence โacheโ: โWith each acre and each step, it hurts to leave home.โ
The Nemahsis Sound
Hasan is a master at pop balladry, weaving Arabic influences she grew up with, into soundscapes that dance around indie, folk, and soul pockets. โWhether in the production, or in my vocal techniques, youโll always hear Arabic elements incorporated in my music,โ she notes in a TikTok video, citing her songs โpaper thinโ and โimmigrantโs taleโ as examples. Self-reflection and vulnerability are present all throughout the Nemahsis catalog. Her songs often read like diary entries. Her confessional tone enhances the intricate interpersonal aspects of her narratives. Itโs a testament to a nonchalant wish that shines through her songwriting: to reach young women navigating issues around their identity and place in the world.
Empowering Women of Color and Muslim Women
โFor everyone that doesnโt fit the mold and has felt the need to compromise their individuality in order to be accepted โ my wish is to echo your voices,โ reads her Spotify bio, speaking to the empowering message embedded in Nemahsisโ music. When asked about her feelings around her work contributing to conversations centering women of color and Muslim womenโs lived experiences, she shared with COMPLEX CANADA: โI open the topic of discussion in the music world and [among] my listeners and people that donโt necessarily surround themselves with people that look like me. And now they could say they know one Muslim. One hijabi. I think by having that power [and seeing what] my music has done, that makes it all worthwhile.โ Additionally, she wants her music to convey ideas against the taxing desire for perfection: โYou donโt have to be the prettiest, coolest, or the funniest one in the room all the time. For so much of my life, I felt like I had to dance, doing the most to stand out so I could be accepted. Whereas now I just think thereโs so much room for not having to be like that,โ she told Spotifyโs For the Record.
Moving Forward, No Compromises
Whereas eleven achers served as a self-contained biography, Hasanโs latest singles, โcriminalโ (2022) and โi wanna be your right handโ (2023), expand her artistic caliber into broader territory. The tracks delve into themes of love and womanhood, with the latter experimenting with alternative rock sensibility, in the vein of Fiona Apple and Alanis Morissette. While on the cusp of a new chapter in her music career, in the first half of October 2023, Hasan revealed on social media that she was dropped by her label due to her political stance regarding escalations of war in her homeland. She went into detail on the situation on her TikTok account, where she has been consistently posting relevant content, and educating her followers on her heritage. Despite the incident, Hasan isnโt disheartened when it comes to her future in the industry, remaining unapologetic in her identity and values. โI wonโt compromise who I am for anyone,โ she writes.
Keep up with Nemahsis on Instagram, X, and TikTok.
You can listen to her music on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music.
Looking to add more emerging talent to your musical rotation? Here are 7 things to know about Bangladeshi rising star Dameer.
