Dina Boshra

Singer/Songwriter (musician)

“DO SOMETHING YOU LOVE SO MUCH AND OTHER PEOPLE WILL LOVE IT TOO, BECAUSE IT WAS MADE WITH PURE LOVE.”

Hi Dina or should I say Boshra? How’s life treating you?

Some know me as Dina, some as Boshra. You guys can call me whatever you like! ;-) In life I go by Dina, on stage it's Boshra.. However, there are some people who call me Boshra in life now too haha, I don't really mind. They're both me so it's fine. haha. Life is well. With its ups and downs you know, but I always pull through! Hope you guys are doing well too. 

You seem busy lately, traveling a lot. How was your trip to the States?

Traveling is one of my biggest passions, there's nothing better in life than expanding your vision, discovering new cultures, finding new inspiration and peace. Basically, becoming one with your inner self. I went on holiday all by myself for about 3 weeks and I was a bit scared at first because it was the first time that I would travel all by myself but it turned out really well, I would do it again. I met a lot of inspiring people and I never felt alone for a second. The times that I was alone, I found it necessary to recharge my batteries or to relax. This solo trip has made me tougher and stronger in certain areas. So it was worth it.

Can you tell us a bit more about what's coming? What can we expect?

We've had a busy period of competitions and gigs, which was great but it meant that we spent our studio sessions just rehearsing and organizing ourselves.
So now we are in the middle of creating new music, we want to release a single this summer and another one in the autumn. The full focus is now really on creating new music. 

We're also experimenting a bit more with other music styles, without losing our Arab influence of course, we think the combo of what we're experimenting with now can be really cool... We would also like to find a way to identify Boshra!So we are working hard on that too and we also want to create some really cool content with our creative friends who have always been there for us, like VONK (photography & video) or Babs MUA (makeup artist), etc... 

Basically lots of cool things are coming! Very excited to share everything with you. I'm always super excited to share what we are making. I feel like I'm super grateful to do all of this, so I always want to share. That's a bit frustrating for me sometimes, I'm the one in the band with the least patience (oops haha). 

You’re really a gem in your videos and during your performances. How do you translate that fire in you into those great videos and performances?

Oh thank you so much! I don't really know how to explain it. I get dragged into another world when I'm on stage or shooting a video clip, I'm completely at one with the words I wrote and I feel the situation I was in at the time and I get strength from that. I try to translate my emotions to the audience, because I may not always write everything literally and the song is still open to many meanings. The message really gets through our shows and performances.

You have a very unique sound and style, can you describe to us how your arabic and western background translates into art?

From a very young age, I was taken to concerts while great Arab artists were performing. I grew up with that music. So I always had it in me, this passion for music. It was at Nawal el Zoghbi's performance that I shed a tear, I was 4 at the time (so I'm retelling my grandmother's story). She told me that I was so moved by the performance and I told her that I wanted to do that too. When I was 6, and moved to Belgium, I started to get more and more in touch with Western music (apart from Celine Dion's "My heart will go on", which I could already sing along to loudly), which also made me very passionate.

I tried everything, from indie rock to poppy music.. but it still didn't feel completely as 'me'. Until I started experimenting a bit more in 2018, together with Raf and Ben Cyran, and came up with my own sound, that is now Boshra. Good things take time. 

Take us into your imagination. What would be the dream gig for you?

Let's start small. A dream gig could be at Dour or Werchter. If we are going to exaggerate, then I say Coachella, here I come! Coachella is just a whole experience, the orchestra / the dance / the sound / light show, everything about it. That would really be the dream. But first thing's first, work hard!

And if you could invite one artist to perform for you, who would that be?

For me, at this instant, I would say 'Dua Lipa'.. to perform for me. I know, you did not expect that right? haha. I just think Dua's vocals are on point, her songwriting is amazing. The dances, lights, everything is just on point. So, I could learn a lot from Dua in a way. 

Perform with me? Sharing the stage with Sevdaliza or BANKS would be a God's gift. I adore those women so much, they are a true inspiration. 

Tell us something to inspire the culture!
Don't be afraid to try different things. Don't stay in the indie genre because you made 2 indie songs and now you're afraid to make a funky song. Keep on experimenting, don't forget to make music for you in the first place. Do something you love so much and other people will love it too, because it was made with pure love. Why stick to 1 amazing thing? When you can make so many and different amazing works.