Kazdoura

Kazdoura is a Toronto-based Syrian-Lebanese duo made up of vocalist Leen Hamo and multi-instrumentalist John Abou Chacra. Their music brings together traditional and contemporary Arabic music with psychedelic rock, jazz, funk and indie, combining Arabic microtonal melodies with groovy basslines, guitars, synths, sax and live drums. Their debut album Ghoyoum, released in 2025, established the duo’s approach to Arabic-language songwriting and genre-blending, exploring themes of displacement, nostalgia, identity and belonging. The album was followed by international touring and became the first Arabic-language album to win a JUNO Award. Their breakout track “Khayal” also received wider attention, with its music video winning Best Music Video at the Ontario Folk Music Awards and surpassing millions of views on YouTube. Kazdoura's second album Markab, released through Habibi Funk Records sees the duo even more settled in their sound, shifting some of the focus away from the nostalgia of their earlier work towards the present, while continuing to explore a wide range of musical influences. Recorded between British Columbia and Toronto, Markab draws from Arabic folk, indie and psychedelic rock alongside jazz, Afrobeat and Gnawa, while maintaining the live, band-driven approach that has become central to Kazdoura’s sound.