For the second episode of our Musical Road to WOMEX 2025, we head from Lagos to Galilee by way of New Jersey to meet violinist, composer and producer Akram Abdulfattah. Born in 1990, the Palestinian-American musician has carved his own route, weaving Arabic classical traditions with the improvisational spark of jazz and the modal colours of Indian, Turkish and Persian music.

His talent was clear early on: as a teenager he picked up top prizes at the Marcel Khalife and National Music Competitions in Jerusalem and Ramallah. Since then, he has emerged as one of the sharpest young voices of the Palestinian scene, leading a multinational band onto UK stages from Shambala to the Cambridge Folk Festival, while winning praise for his 2024 release Abu Kenda and, more recently, a live album that captures his intensity on stage. Known for both his virtuosity and his appetite for collaboration, Abdulfattah thrives in spaces where traditions cross and spark against each other.

This autumn marks the start of his first solo violin project, rolling out in October and reaching full release in January 2026. Both a tribute to Arab masters and a reimagining of maqam and taqasim through his own voice, it speaks to Abdulfattah’s belief in music as a force for peace, dialogue and imagination. His showcase at WOMEX in Tampere will be another step in that journey, carrying the sound of Palestine into open conversation with the world.

How would you introduce your music to someone discovering it for the first time, and what roots and influences define your sound? 

My music is a fusion of many genres. It’s deeply rooted in Arabic traditions and shaped by Hindu, Turkish, and Persian influences. I also draw inspiration from genres like jazz and rock, creating a sound that blends the richness of tradition with the innovation of modern music.

Can you share a personal moment that had a lasting impact on your journey as a musician and shaped the music you create today? 

There are two moments that really shaped my identity and journey as a musician. The first was when I moved back from the United States to Palestine with my family at the age of six. It was a completely new world and environment, and that experience has had a deep impact on both me and my music. The second moment came later in high school, when I began to fully realize the challenges of living here. That ongoing struggle has continued to shape my perspective and the music I create today.

From Manchester to the Manchester of Finland: this year WOMEX lands in Tampere, a city famous for turning factories into culture, and for having more saunas than most people could ever try in a week. What are you most curious to discover about the city, and how do you picture your music connecting with audiences there?

It will be a long journey to the sauna capital of the world and I can’t wait to try one! But what excites me most is being in Finland for the first time and sharing my music with the people of Tampere. I hope our performance creates a space for connection, where traditions, stories, and emotions flow freely, reflecting both our personal journeys and the city’s vibrant cultural energy.

With so many traditions and genres represented at WOMEX, what makes your music distinctive within this global context, and what do you hope people hearing you at WOMEX take away from your music?

After many years of experimenting with sounds and travelling, my aim has always been to reflect and exchange, as music can be a tool to make sense of the world and remind us that we are all human after all. My fusion reflects both my personal journey and the environment I grew up in, a world full of contradictions. I believe the power of music lies in the power of fusion, because music has always traveled and evolved that way. It moves like water, and it shouldn’t be put in a box. As artists, and as human beings, we should be free to explore and create real cultural dialogue. With my multinational band, we will perform at WOMEX with love and excitement, and I hope listeners take away a sense of both universality and identity, while also feeling the bridges being built between cultures that we so much need these times!

WOMEX in Tampere will host artists from across the world. Are there particular showcases or musicians you are especially excited to meet or hear while you’re there?

Tampere has a reputation for intimate venues and attentive, close-knit audiences. How does performing in that kind of setting influence the way you share your music, and what do you value most about the connection with listeners?

Performing in a small, attentive space allows music to come alive in a very immediate way. I can see and feel the audience’s reactions, and that energy feeds back into the performance. I value those moments of shared emotion and understanding in Tampere, I hope our music builds bridges and leaves everyone feeling connected.

Tampere sits between two lakes, cut through by rapids and bordered by dense forests, basically a ready-made postcard city. Do surroundings like these influence how you experience a place, and do they leave a trace in the way you connect with your music?

I’m definitely a nature lover. Having grown up in the Galilee, where farming and nature are part of everyday life, I’ve always been captivated by the way natural surroundings influence me. Being in a place like Tampere, naturally affects how I experience the city and connect with my music; it inspires reflection, emotion, and a deeper sense of presence.

In a world marked by war, displacement, and urgent debates on climate and equality, Finland is often seen as a place for progressive dialogue. As you prepare to perform in Tampere for WOMEX, is there a global or local issue that connects closely with your music?

Children of Gaza. I’m arriving in Tampere with a broken heart, carrying only my music. Each note tells a story of my nation, our struggles, and our resilience. Music and story are inseparable, and through it, I hope listeners can feel what words alone cannot convey.

Looking beyond your WOMEX showcase, how do you see this moment feeding into your next steps? Are there new projects, collaborations, or releases on the horizon? 

This experience will inspire new directions in my music and spark collaborations, while continuing to reflect my personal journey and the stories I carry. With a new album coming out and tours to be announced for 2026, I hope my appearance at WOMEX will be an important step in that evolution.

If you could write a personal invitation to people in Tampere and beyond to come and discover your showcase, what would it say?

Its been along way as an independent Palestinian artist who is trying to re-build and refine intrumental music scene, i consider WOMEX as a milestone that have been a big achievement made by hard work of many many people around me who shaped my music and philosophy. I hope that you join me and my multinational band for this special moment at WOMEX in Tampere! Expect a fusion of sounds, traditions, and stories, full of energy, emotion.

On 26 October at midnight,
Akram Abdulfattah steps onto the WOMEX stage at Tampere Hall’s Main Auditorium, 
his violin carrying Palestine’s voice into the Finnish night.

PLAYLIST: AKRAM ABDULFATTAH X RHYTHM PASSPORT

You can find all the previous episodes of Musical Road to Womex HERE