Whoisbibz: ‘My Debut Track Was Called Jinchūriki Because I Am a Naruto Fan’

by Alexandra Mansilla

Whoisbibz: ‘My Debut Track Was Called Jinchūriki Because I Am a Naruto Fan’

12 Feb 2025

Photo: Mario Haddad

Meet Habib Chaoul, better known as Whoisbibz — a music producer straight out of Beirut. He jokingly describes himself (and we absolutely love this) as "bored and raised in Beirut with an obvious identity crisis."

He has played at Boiler Room Beirut at Ballroom Blitz, The Grand Factory, and Soul Kitchen DXB, among many other spots, and his next stop is the Crowd Test Festival at Helipad on February 15.

So, what does he play? Why did he name his debut track after a Naruto character? What does his creative process look like? We had a ton of questions — and luckily, we got to ask them all.

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— Hey Habib! First off, how did your journey in DJing start, and what made you choose this name? I am sure there is a story behind it.

— Let me start from the beginning. It all started when I was 12 or 13 years old. I was a scout member, and our scout leader was a DJ. Back then, I loved messing around, mixing music on my laptop just for fun. One day, I casually mentioned that I was a DJ — kind of bragging, but honestly, I wasn’t actually one.

Then, one Saturday night, out of nowhere, my scout leader called me and said, "Hey man, listen, I remember you said you were a DJ." I was like, "Yeah, bro." And he goes, "Listen, I am in a bit of a situation. I need someone to cover for me at a party."

I had no clue what I was doing, but I said, "Yeah, I can do it!" So, while heading to the gig, I pulled up YouTube tutorials, watched a few videos on the road, and just went for it. That was my first-ever DJ set. They paid me $80 — and at 13 years old, that felt like a fortune. It was insane.

That first gig turned into a residency, and I started playing every Friday and Saturday. Around the same time, I started posting YouTube videos of my sets. But then came the big question: What do I call myself?

At first, I tried "DJ Bibz", but it sounded too childish. And back then, I really wanted to prove I wasn’t a kid anymore. I kept searching for a name, but nothing felt right.

I was all over the place, trying to come up with something. At that time, I honestly felt a little lost, so I added "Who Is" — maybe because it reflected how I was feeling. Somehow, it stuck.

The real moment came when I got my first big booking. They asked, "What name do you want on the flyer?" And without hesitation, I said, "Just put 'whoisbibz'."

Whoisbibz at Fantôme de Nuit

— You mentioned your first big booking. What was it?

— It all started with Fantôme de Nuit, the party by Nesta (Nabih Esta). He came across a YouTube recording of one of my sets and saw me playing. That video basically got me booked. Funny enough, he actually just recently told me about it.

Nesta, a promoter in Beirut, puts together some really cool parties, bringing in DJs from abroad. It was a big deal at the time. After that, I played at The Grand Factory, which was huge, and from there, they invited me to play at their club. Eventually, I became a resident DJ, and that is how everything really started taking off.

— I love your Instagram caption: “Bored and raised in Beirut with an obvious identity crisis.” What is the deal with the identity crisis?

— I play so many different styles — I am very versatile. I do weddings, Arabic music, minimal, house… basically, I can adapt to any situation. My name, whoisbibz, reflects that versatility, and over time, it helped me shape my brand and grow as an artist.

But honestly, I still don’t know which style I love most. I am always asking myself, “Who am I as an artist? What kind of music do I truly play?” People often say, “He does everything — so where does he really fit?” And that question sticks with me.

I can play literally anything. But because of that, I sometimes feel like I am lost in my own name, constantly questioning my musical identity. It is like an identity crisis — but in a DJ way.

— So, your debut track, Jinchūriki — I have to ask because I am really interested in how artists come up with names. Why this name? And maybe you could take me inside your creative process a bit — how did the track come together?

— In my production journey, I am always trying to find my style in music, and honestly, it is a very long process. Figuring out your own sound takes time — it is a journey.

Anyway, about this track — I originally made it for a label, but for some reason, things didn’t work out with them. A friend of mine was talking to me one day and asked, “Do you make tracks?” I was like, “Yeah, I have a few.” Then he asked, “Do you have anything finished?” I told him about this track, and he listened to it. After hearing it, he was like, “Listen, I have some friends who run a record label — they might like this.”

I wasn’t sure what would happen, but I sent them the track anyway. Within two weeks, they got back to me and said, “We love it! Do you have a name for it?” And that is when I realised — I didn’t.

At the time, I was (and still am) a huge anime fan, and I was watching Naruto. So, in the show, there are these monsters called Tailed Beasts, and Naruto has the Nine-Tails, also known as Kurama. I thought, why not name the track after one of these beasts? That is how I ended up calling it Jinchūriki (which is what they call people who host these monsters in the anime).

Funny thing — most of my tracks are named after stuff I watch. I have another one called Juggernaut from Marvel, but it is not released yet. Basically, all my tracks take inspiration from fantasy, movies, and anime — it just feels right.

Photo: Mario Haddad

— And could you walk me through your creative process? Maybe with any track — an unreleased one, an upcoming one, or even Jinchūriki? I would love to just follow your thoughts as you build a track from an idea to a finished piece.

— Making music is a long process, and honestly, it is deeply connected to your mental state. It is a combination of experience, skills you have taught yourself, the tools and machines you are using, and, most importantly, your mindset. There is a huge psychological aspect to it — your mental health, your surroundings, what you are going through at the time — it all plays a role.

And then there are the hiccups. Every time you start working on a track, there is that voice in your head questioning everything — Is it good enough? Will people like it? How does it sound compared to everything else out there?

Social media has changed the game completely. Now, music isn’t just about the sound — it has to be visually big, too. Everything has to be filmed, everyone is posting stories, Instagram is running the world, and suddenly, you are not just making music — you are thinking about how it will look and how it will be perceived.

But honestly, that is not how it should be. You shouldn’t be asking those questions in the creative process. You should just be in the zone, make your music, and trust your instincts. If I am happy with how it sounds, I need to remind myself not to overthink it — because if it is good to my ears, I know someone else is going to like it too. That is what really matters.

— The Crowd Test at Helipad is very soon — on February 15. Do you have a plan? What is your set going to sound like?

— I never really plan my sets. It is all in the moment. It is always about improvisation — I read the space, the crowd, and the energy, and that determines where the music goes. It all depends on what is happening in real-time.

That is how most of my sets are — I don’t pre-plan, but I always come prepared. I have a massive selection of tracks ready to go, so I can adapt and keep the vibe flowing. And honestly, the lineup for The Crowd Test is insane — I checked out all the DJs, and they are super cool. It is going to be a crazy night.

Whoisbibz at The Gärten

— And one last question: Do you remember the biggest crowd you have ever played for?

— The first one that comes to mind is when I was playing with Roman Flügel in The Gärten back in 2019. It was at one of the best outdoor venues in the Middle East, a proper club that used to host big names. At the time (and still now), Roman Flügel was one of my favourite producers, so being invited to play the opening set for him was a huge deal.

The crowd was massive — around 3,000 people. That was probably the biggest crowd I have ever played for, and honestly, it was an unforgettable experience.

by Alexandra Mansilla