Lana Lubany: From a Big Dream To 49 Million Streams

by Barbara Yakimchuk

Lana Lubany: From a Big Dream To 49 Million Streams

28 Feb 2025

Photo: Lana Lubany

Lana Lubany is a Palestinian-American singer who took the world by storm a few years ago, redefining the way a song can be sung. As she puts it, she is building a bridge between the Western and Middle Eastern music worlds, infusing her work with deep emotion and her personal story. And it is clearly resonating — her all-time streams now exceed 49 million plays. But what’s behind this impressive number? A girl with a big dream, a bold vision, and a loving family that fuels her inspiration. Someone who faces fear before every tour and battles self-doubt with each new step. But also, an artist with an unwavering work ethic and boundless creativity. What was her path to success like? Discover her story in the interview below.

Photo: @lanalubany

— Let us start with your childhood. How did music first come into your life? Was it something you picked up on your own, or was it influenced by your parents?

— My parents loved listening to music, so I had a lot of exposure to it. Mainly my dad, but my mom too — they would always play classic rock. We used to listen to CDs every time we were driving somewhere together. I grew up surrounded by bands like Queen and Def Leppard. I cannot remember more right now, but those two names should be enough to understand the influence they had on me! Then there was my grandmother, who is American. She introduced me to classic jazz — Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald — and musicals. Even though I am not as into musicals now, she used to sing songs from them to me and my younger sister all the time. That was great. And of course, Arabic music was always around. Growing up between Nazareth and Yafa, my hometowns, I was surrounded by it. I would hear music everywhere. In the mornings, on the way to school, we always listened to Fairuz. So, I guess it was really a mix of genres shaping me and teaching me about myself. When I was around 5 or 6, I started learning the keyboard, which eventually led me to singing. That is when my love for music began. I have no idea how I sounded back then — I wish there were videos! But I probably was not that good. When I was about 8 or 9, my teacher asked me to sing, and I agreed immediately — I was a fearless kid. I did not rehearse, forgot the words, but somehow, after it was over, everyone told me I did really well.

— And when did you start writing music?

— A couple of years later — maybe when I was 11 or 12. Really young. I honestly do not even remember why I started, but I did. Nobody around me was doing it — I just kind of got into it. And I thought, “I’m writing the real masterpieces!”. Obviously, at that age, I wrote some silly songs that will never see the light of day. Then I stopped for a while, but when I got back into it, I really got into it — and I never left again!

— A lot of singers I speak to say they often create music out of grief or frustration. Is that true for you?

— Yeah, definitely. I do think that grief and sorrow can be powerful fuel for songwriting. That is when you tend to stop, think — sometimes even overthink — but it usually works. When you are happy, you are just living life, you know? At the start of my songwriting journey, I mostly wrote sad songs. But now, I try to expand my horizons. I am more experimental, and I have definitely become a better songwriter because of it.

Photo: @lanalubany

— Can you track how your songwriting has evolved over the years? And when did you start feeling like, "Okay, I’m an experienced songwriter now"?

— I would say it has definitely improved over the years. Though, even now, I am on a journey of rediscovering myself and my voice. As an artist, you are always evolving. Whatever you are doing, you have to grow.

When I listen to my older songs — whether they are the ones that got released or even the ones no one’s heard — I can hear a difference. I am writing with more clarity these days, keeping the narrative of whatever I am writing about clear and in the back of my head. My songwriting style differs from time to time — it all depends on what you want to achieve with the song: if you want to reach a wide audience, you might write in a certain way. But if you are writing something deeply personal — like my song ‘YAFA’ which I wrote for my grandmother — you might approach it differently.

Overall, I feel that I have become faster at writing, which is a big improvement. Being quicker makes the process less draining. Writing music can be quite exhausting (while it is still fun), but the better you get, the easier and more enjoyable it becomes.

— You mentioned there are songs that have not been released. Can you give me an rough idea on how many of them will never be heard?

— Well, not too many compared to other songwriters. I have released a lot of the songs I have written in recent years (of course, we do not count the ones I wrote, say, five years ago). I would say there are at least 30, 40, maybe 50 unreleased tracks. Some of them are just ideas — not fully formed songs.

Sometimes, you have to write the same song two or three times to get it right. I have done that a lot, until I find the version that resonates the most.

— Regarding your experience in songwriting, I read that you initially started writing in a completely different way. Is that true? Can you tell me more about the turning point when your style changed to what we see today?

— Yes, I think life kind of pushed me in that direction. In terms of style, I used to think it was the success of being bilingual in my music that made it work, but now I realise it was more about me opening up and being vulnerable. And I think what "The Snake" did for me was push me in a vulnerable direction, one that felt like only I could walk down because it was my story. It pushed me to write in Arabic, something I never thought I woul do. But by doing that, I discovered this whole other side of my artistry. It was about being truthful with myself, which I had not considered before. It completely changed how I approached creating music — not just music that inspires me, but music that can inspire others too.

Before, I do not think there was a story being told, but now, everything I write — whether it is in Arabic or English — I try to put my soul into it, I am telling a story and building a world around it, I think it will resonate.

— So, do you feel the success is not because of the bilingual aspect of the song, but more about the vulnerability and openness you show in "The Snake?

— I think the bilingual aspect of "The Snake" definitely helped carve out my path and made the song more unique, but that was my truth at the time. It was part of me discovering myself, reconnecting with my roots, and accepting my identity. So, yes, it exists because it’s bilingual, but it’s about much more than that. It was really about the openness, the honesty with myself, and the vulnerability.

— Was it scary for you to incorporate Arabic parts into your songs?

— It was definitely really scary because it was not something I had seen done that way before. It was me being vulnerable and showing a part of myself that I had never done publicly. With all the stigmas there are about Arabic and Arabs out there, I was kind of scared to put myself out there. But when I did, I realised how much it was needed. I feel like "The Snake" was a pioneer in the movement of embracing identity through Arabic and bilingual music, so I am definitely glad I made it.

— Do you remember the day when you woke up and realised that The Snake reached so many listeners?

— Yeah, I actually have it on video — I posted it on TikTok. It was me calling my mom, saying, "Mom, you are famous!" The video had around 200,000 views and was climbing. My phone was blowing up with notifications, and the Spotify streams were growing fast. It was at 3,000 streams when I went to bed, and when I woke up, it was at 10,000. I was like, "Oh my God, it is working, it is happening!" Just over the moon. Really happy. You get a high from it — like a drug.

The Snake changed my life. It gave me a career. Suddenly, people were interested in me— I was getting emails from record labels and companies, having meetings, doing things I had never done before. I got put on the cover of Spotify playlists, added to more and more playlists... it was surreal. It really felt like I made it.

— Did you feel proud of yourself, or was it a little scary?

— I felt really proud of myself because I knew this song would go viral — I believed in it. But at the same time, I had been posting consistently for four months, putting my life out there, creating content every single day because I had no industry connections. I was grinding non-stop, so when it finally happened, it felt earned. I was grateful. And I must say — beyond those four months of content, there were years of grinding in music.

Photo: @lanalubany

— A lot of growing artists struggle with frustration. Did you experience it, and how did you handle it?

— Oh, definitely. And honestly, I do not think that feeling ever fully goes away. No matter how much you level up, there is always more you want to achieve. I used to feel like I was always late, like I was getting older and nothing was happening. It made me feel a little crazy at times.

But I never thought of quitting — I have always believed in myself. That said, I think any sane person would have — when something does not work for a long time, most people naturally pivot to something else. Luckily, I just kept going.

The main thing I learned — you also have to learn how to keep going without validation. A lot of people chase this because they want external approval, but I would say — do it for the art, not for validation. Validation comes and goes so quickly.

And having the right people around you? That is irreplaceable. If you do not have a solid ecosystem, it gets really lonely. I would not be where I am without my family. I really believe we are social creatures — we need a community, people to lean on when things are not going well, and people to celebrate with when they are. It makes all the difference.

— About the tours — how did they go? Was it stressful?

— I have been on three tours so far, which is crazy. My first tour was supporting my friend Saint Levant, and because it was my first, I stressed myself out so much that I actually got sick right before it started. Luckily, my mom flew into London — where I was living at the time — just two days before the show. She took really good care of me, so I was decent enough to perform.

That first show was at a place called KOKO in London, a 1,600-capacity venue, and it was sold out. So my first-ever show was already this massive, surreal experience. Saint Levant was incredible on stage too. The crowds throughout the tour were incredibly welcoming, super hyped, and just really supportive. I came out of that tour with so much more experience and a better understanding of what this career actually looks like. But it all passed so fast — it felt like a blur.

My second tour was with The Last Dinner Party, who were incredible. It was so inspiring to be on tour with them, watching them perform live and learning from them. They are absolute masters of the craft on stage. That experience really helped me gain confidence for my own headline tour, which I went on just a couple of months ago, in February 2024.

Doing my own tour was insane — because people actually showed up for me. They bought tickets to see me! My collaborator and guitarist, Ben, and I rehearsed so much, and we gave it our all. We had the best time on and off stage, just bonding with fans, getting to know them, and realizing that people actually wanted to see us live. That was mind-blowing. It was such an incredible experience, and I honestly can not wait for the next tour — whatever that ends up being.

Photos: @lanalubany

— I can see your face lighting up when you talk about your fans and the tours! I wish I had a camera recording this moment — it is so lovely to see how much you appreciate the people who come to see you. You mentioned the first tour being stressful. How does stress usually affect you? Do your hands shake? Does it affect your voice?

— The reason I brought up stress with my first tour is that, well… they are all stressful. But with the first one, I just did not know what to expect, which made it a lot harder. I had to figure out everything — rehearsals, the setlist, keeping my voice healthy and warmed up to perform almost every night, even what to wear.

That last part really stressed me out. I was still figuring out my style, and back then, I did not have a clear visual identity. It was just a lot to think about. But as I went on more tours, things got easier because I knew what to expect. I learned how to prepare, what to pack… Like, for example, I realized I need to bring electrolytes with me to stay properly hydrated throughout the tour. That is something I never would have thought about before.

— And for your recent tours, do you feel like you have settled into a style, or are you still figuring it out?

— I am definitely still searching. When you are performing, your outfit has to be comfortable. I love jumping around on stage, and I do not want to wear anything that restricts me. Like, if I feel like lying down on the floor mid-show, I want to be able to do that without worrying about my outfit getting in the way.

On my last tour, I wore boots, shorts, and an oversized shirt It was a trial, but also super practical for moving around. But I want to think more about it. I want an outfit that makes me feel comfortable but also cool — something that lets me serve looks while still letting me move, jump, and perform freely.

— It is important, but also hard. Do you have an assistant who helps you with all this? Actually, tell me more about your team — how many people are there?

— On tour, it is always been a six-person team. My sister Karine always comes along — she helps me with styling and creative direction. She actually works with me now as my creative director and social media director. She is incredible at everything and knows me so well, which makes a huge difference. She is also my moral support. Then there is Ben Thomson — he produces my music, we co-write the songs, and he plays guitar on stage with me. Having him around makes everything feel really comfortable. On my last tour, we also brought our photographer friend Matt Bottomley — he is incredible. He captured videos and photos from all the shows, which is amazing to look back on. Sometimes, I have a sound guy with me too, and of course, my manager is always there. So yeah, it is a pretty small team, but it works.

Photos: @lanalubany

— Coming back a little to the songwriting — some singers say that, in the beginning, the best tip for writing songs is to copy the music of the artists you love — maybe even their lyrics. What do you think about that? And did you ever do that in your own music?

— I mean, as a singer, I definitely copied my favourite artists vocals at first — you could hear it in the way I sang. And with writing — yes, I think I did, but not consciously. In the beginning, I was not really thinking about it, but I was naturally imitating whoever I was listening to. And honestly, that is the best way to learn. Imitation is how you develop your own style. You only start forming your own voice once you have really honed your craft, and that takes time. And it should take time — you are experimenting, trying different things.

Every artist you might ‘copy’ has their own unique approach, so by exploring different styles, you slowly figure out what works best for you. I think it is really useful to step back and listen to yourself — record what you are doing, zoom out, and ask, "Does this actually suit my voice?? Maybe you should sing softer, maybe belting works better for you, maybe a different key brings out something interesting. There are so many variables, so much to explore.

— If, for example, you had to write a song now and deliver it to Ben next week, what kind of atmosphere would you create around yourself? Would you go somewhere? Stay with your family?

— That’s a good question. When I was writing "Nazareth", I went completely off the grid— no social media. So I would do the same thing, keeping only Pinterest, because it actually sparks inspiration rather than draining it. I would al watch a film every night—something I really connected with, something artsy, a bit more up my street.

Ideally, I would be in a proper studio, or at least somewhere with good equipment —speakers and the right setup. Somewhere I could really immerse myself. I would not do anything business-related — no meetings, no distractions — just pure creativity.

I think in a world where everything moves so fast, you actually have to isolate yourself to really hear your own thoughts. Otherwise, all the external noise drowns them out, and suddenly, you are just reacting to stress instead of creating from a place of clarity. And that is not the vibe.

— I love the Pinterest idea and watching a film before bed? Do you have any other ways of finding inspiration?

— Museums. Totally underrated. I love going to a museum and just paying attention to what I naturally gravitate towards. Like, if I find myself drawn to a painting of, I don not know, a plain white wall, I will ask myself why. What is it about this that is pulling me in? That kind of reflection can be really inspiring. I think as an artist, you have to stay curious about everything.

— Is success only about inspiration? If you had to put a percentage on it — how much is inspiration, and how much is hard work?

— Oh, it is definitely a mix, but I would say it is more hard work than inspiration. Maybe 70% hard work, 30% inspiration. Inspiration gets you started, it motivates you, but if you sit around waiting for it, you will never get anything done. Over time, I have learned that you have to seek inspiration — you can not just expect it to hit you out of nowhere. And the more you create, the better you get at spotting inspiration and turning it into something tangible. So yeah, it is mostly hard work, but inspiration plays its part too.

— As an artist, you definitely use the social media. How do you see Instagram? Is it more of a way to express yourself, or do you approach it as a marketing tool?

— Well, the marketing side of it is definitely a huge part of being an artist now. Especially at the beginning of your career, social media is how people discover your music. Sometimes it can feel overwhelming, but when I get in the flow of creating content, it starts to feel more manageable. Having some sort of plan makes a big difference. Right now, I see social media as a way to build my own world — somewhere my audience can step into and really get who I am. It is a place where I can connect with my audience too. The more I embrace it as a creative extension of my artistry rather than just a promotional tool, the more fun it becomes.

— Do you consider yourself an open or closed person?

— A bit of both, really. I think I can be guarded because, as you get older, you learn that you can not trust everything. But I am always open to growth, which is very important to me. I am a people person — I love making friends, and if I go to a party, I will talk to everyone because I enjoy human connection. So, I would say I am open, but with moderation. If I go too long without people, I feel off. But if I spend too much time with people, I need alone time to recharge. I consider myself an introvert and extrovert at the same time. My alone time is when I create — that is when I process everything.

Photo: @lanalubany

— What is your artistic manifesto?

— I am working on music every day, building a world that tells a story. My goal is to create a project — hopefully an album — that I am incredibly proud of, something immersive that listeners can really connect with. The core themes revolve around belonging and creating a space where people like me, who often feel out of place, can feel safe and understood.

— If you were not making music, what do you think you would be doing?

Definitely something creative. I am too much of an artist to do anything else. Maybe a creative director or even an influencer. But definitely not a manager — I am too disorganised for that!

by Barbara Yakimchuk