Not to be confused with Sol (band).
Sol Band
Backgroundgroup_or_band
Native nameفرقة صول
OriginGaza Strip, Palestine
GenreArab folk · Arab pop · pop
Years active2012–present
Current members
  • Rahaf Shamaly
  • Hamada Nasrallah
  • Fares Anbar
  • Said Fadel
  • Abood Abuqassim
  • Ahmed Haddad
Past members
  • Mohammed Shoman
  • Majd Antar
  • Reem Anbar

Sol Band (Arabic: فرقة صول), sometimes known as just Sol, is a Palestinian band from the Gaza Strip, established in 2012. They are best known for their 2022 song "Raweq wa Haddy".[1]

History

Sol Band (named after the musical note but also reminiscent of the Arabic word none: جول)[2] was founded in late 2012, in the wake of the Israeli offensive on Gaza that November, by a group of youths who had met in 2011.[3][4][5] Shortly after, they started sharing their music on YouTube and Facebook.[6] In 2016, the band opened the "Sayed Darwish Music School" (named after the Egyptian singer) in Gaza City. The students included Nana Ashour, who became known as "Gaza's first girl drummer", and singer Rafah Shamaly, who joined the band in 2018.[6][7]

In 2019, they collaborated with the Falastini TV channel to record a number of Arab folk songs. At the end of the year, most of the band relocated to Istanbul, Turkey.[3][4] Five members returned to Gaza in August 2023 to record an album, but the outbreak of the Gaza war halted their plans until they were evacuated to Qatar in April 2024;[1][8] vocalist Hamada Nasrallah denounced an IDF soldier for stealing a guitar he had been gifted by his late father, who was killed by Israel in the 2014 Gaza war.[8] The following June, Sol Band appeared on a track from Saint Levant's debut album Deira.[9]

The group has performed at local and international events, including at the French Institute (Gaza, 2015; Jerusalem, 2020), the Palestine International Festival (2018), the Palestine Music Expo (Ramallah, 2019), the EU-sponsored Rooftop Festival (Palestine, 2018), the Arabesques Festival (Montpellier, 2021), the Copacobana Festival (Ghent, 2021), the Jerash Festival (Jordan, 2023), and the Maite Zaitut Festival (Basque Country, 2025).[3][4][6][10][11][12] In June 2025, they played in Bilbao (Basque Country, Spain) at the closing ceremony of a protest organized by Gure Esku for the right of self-determination of the Basque people,[13] as well as "in solidarity with other peoples in their struggle for liberation".[14][15] They have since taken part in other events in the Basque Country, including the local university, with a European tour planned to start in early 2026.[16][17]

Artistry

Sol Band's repertoire includes patriotic songs about resistance and livelihood in Palestine, as well as music from historic Arab artists like Umm Kulthum, Mohamed Abdel Wahab, Wadih El Safi and Fairuz.[4][6]

Founding member Fares Anbar also founded "Fares Anbar Music House", a physical and online school of percussion, songwriting and music theory.[2]

Reception

Sol Band gained a significant following since its establishment, but some conservative figures in Palestinian society have been critical of a mixed-gender band performing in public[3][4] and its members reported having faced severe restrictions by the Hamas administration of the Gaza Strip.[11]

Band members

Current members

  • Rahaf Shamaly – vocals
  • Hamada Nasrallah – vocals
  • Fares Anbar – percussions
  • Said Fadel – percussions, keyboards, oud
  • Abdelkader "Abood" Abuqassim – keyboards
  • Ahmed Haddad – guitar
  • Samir Alborno – sound engineer

Past members

  • Mohammed Shoman – guitar, bass
  • Majd Antar – drums
  • Reem Anbar – oud

Discography

Albums and EPs

  • Sol Band (فرقة صول) – EP, 2022

Singles

  • "Rafei Rasi" (رافع راسي) – 2018
  • "Khaleek" (خليك) – 2019
  • "Alooli" (قالولي) – 2019
  • "Ghazza al Helwa" (غزة الحلوة) – 2019
  • "Wein al Malayeen" (وين الملايين) – 2019
  • "Zahrat al-Mada'en" (زهرة المدائن) – 2019
  • "Wein a Ramallah" (وين ع رام الله) – 2020
  • "Shaddu al-Himma" (شدوا الهمة) – 2020
  • "Muntasib al-Qama" (منتصب القامة) – 2020
  • "Laji Sammuni Laji" (لاجئ سموني لاجئ) – 2020
  • "Nehna Mish Irhabiyeen" (نحنا مش إرهابيين) – 2020
  • "Ana Betnaffas Horriyi" (أنا بتنفس حرية) – 2020
  • "Ounadikom" (أناديكم) – 2020
  • "Ashiq min Filastin (A Lover from Palestine)" (عاشق من فلسطين) – 2021
  • "Dal'ouna" (دلعونا) – 2021
  • "3aros al Falasteniya" (عروس الفلسطينية) – 2022
  • "Hikayat Madina" (حكاية مدينة) – 2022
  • "Raweq wa Haddy" (روِق وهدي) – 2022
  • "Shili" (شيلي) – 2023
  • "Ala Mad al Shoof" (على مد الشوف) – 2023
  • "Eftah Aza Yalsan" (افتح عزا يا لسان) – 2023
  • "Ma Hal Helalek Ghazzetna" (ما هل هلالك غزتنا) – 2024
  • "My Children Are Birds in Heaven" (أولادي عصافير في الجنة) – 2024
  • "Let's Build" (يلا بيني) – 2024
  • "Ma Dal Haki" (ما ضل حكي) – 2024
  • "Palestinians" (فلسطينية) – 2024
  • "Metghreb" (متغرب) – 2024
  • "Open Mourning (Eftah Aza)" (افتح عزا) – 2025
  • "Teshtaaq" (تشتاق) – 2025

References

  1. ^ Lo, Lujain (2024-05-14). "Palestinian band escapes horrors of war but members' futures remain uncertain". Associated Press. Retrieved 2025-01-20.
  2. ^ Alaqad, Plestia (2025-07-24). "'Music is a powerful form of resistance': The story of Fares Anbar and Gaza's Sol Band". The National. Retrieved 2025-07-24.
  3. ^ Tawfiq, Mousa (2021-07-01). "Gaza's Sol Band determined to chase dreams in Turkey". The Electronic Intifada. Retrieved 2025-01-20.
  4. ^ Eid, Walaa (2021-11-11). "SOL: A music group from Gaza re-imagining Palestinian folklore". TRT World. Retrieved 2025-01-20.
  5. ^ Azparren, Ibai (2024-11-11). "'Antes teníamos una vida difícil; ahora, todo se acabó'" (in es-ES). Naiz. Retrieved 2025-01-20.
  6. ^ Alburai, Alaa (2019-02-25). "How this youth band from Gaza helps other musicians". Al-Monitor. Archived 2022-01-04 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-01-20.
  7. ^ Tawfiq, Mousa (2017-03-27). "Gaza's first girl drummer: 'I will never give up on my dream'". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 2025-01-20.
  8. ^ Qarjouli, Asmahan (2024-04-25). "Palestinian band from Gaza to perform for first time in Qatar since evacuation". Doha News. Retrieved 2025-01-20.
  9. ^ Arias, Vanessa (2024-06-07). "Saint Levant Gives Hope for a Liberated Palestine with Latest Album 'DEIRA'". EnVi Media. Retrieved 2025-01-17.
  10. ^ "Sol Band". 2048 Foundation. Retrieved 2025-01-20.
  11. ^ Khoudary, Hind (2019-06-09). "'To sing is not a right in the Gaza Strip'". +972 Magazine. Retrieved 2025-01-20.
  12. ^ Azparren, Ibai (2025-05-03). "'Es nuestra responsabilidad cantar por los palestinos que no tienen voz'" (in es-ES). naiz. Retrieved 2025-06-09.
  13. ^ "Decenas de miles de personas llenan Bilbao de ikurriñas y gritos de 'independentzia' por el derecho a decidir" (in es-ES). 20 minutos. 2025-06-07. Retrieved 2025-06-09.
  14. ^ Mateo, Iraitz (2025-06-07). "Herri libre baten aldarria Bilboko kaleetan" (in Basque). naiz. Retrieved 2025-06-09.
  15. ^ Izagirre Intxauspe, Gurutze (2025-06-07). "'Hitzak erabaki bilakatzeko garaia da', aldarrikatu dute milaka lagunek Bilbon" (in Basque). Berria. Retrieved 2025-06-09.
  16. ^ Garzon Goitia, Markel (2025-11-13). "La voz de la resistencia palestina llega a EHU de la mano de Sol Band Gaza" (in es-ES). naiz. Retrieved 2025-12-20.
  17. ^ Salazar, Marcela (2025-10-11). "«Huimos de Gaza y ahora queremos volver»" (in es-ES). El Diario Vasco. Retrieved 2025-12-20.