I went from the most underground band in the world to signing with Madonna's producer and a record label that is extremely mainstream - it was interesting.

Next quotes

• Yasmine Hamdan:

  I wanted to pursue my own thing - I had desires, ideas I wanted to accomplish, and I needed to be o

• Yasmine Hamdan:

  I set the bar very high. I'm very tough on myself.

• Yasmine Hamdan:

  I've always had a sense that I am doing something very important, something vital.

• Yasmine Hamdan:

  My dad was a brilliant civil engineer. My parents later divorced, but we lived in Abu Dhabi, Greece

• Yasmine Hamdan:

  I was born in the middle of Lebanon's civil war.

• Yasmine Hamdan:

  I was raised by strong women, and the role models I had in music and cinema were strong, too - libe

• Yasmine Hamdan:

  I'm inspired by many artists whose language I don't understand.

• Yasmine Hamdan:

  I sing in Arabic as a statement. It's art, and it's a challenge.

• Yasmine Hamdan:

  It's complicated for my music to be accepted, even in Lebanon and the Arabic world - I sing in Arab

• Yasmine Hamdan:

  I sing 'Beirut' for what the city is for me, but I am also singing as an exile.