Finding your way back to yourself is rarely a straight line. More often, it’s layered with quiet setbacks, moments of doubt, and phases where everything feels slightly out of sync. But it’s also where change begins.
For Noha Saré, this journey became the foundation of her new single cracks beneath my skin – a deeply personal piece that transforms inner struggles into something almost weightless, yet emotionally raw. Set against a moody, atmospheric soundscape, the track captures that fragile in-between space of holding it together on the outside while everything underneath begins to shift.
“Releasing music always feels like opening a door to a room you’ve kept very private for a long time.”
Music has been part of Noha Saré’s life for as long as she can remember – from the early rhythms that rooted in her childhood to the creative bond with her brother, who remains her closest collaborator. Today, her sound moves between alternative R&B and neo-soul, perfectly balancing tenderness with raw intensity.
We caught up with Noha to talk about vulnerability, creative process, and the beauty of embracing the cracks – read the full interview below.
photography by Sebastian van der Born & Audrey Catena
Noha, we’re really happy to have you for an interview. We’ve actually been fans of your music for a few years already, so it’s lovely to finally chat with you. Where are you right now, and how are you feeling around the time of releasing a new single? (smiles)
I always feel a little all over the place when releasing new music. This song feels a bit different from others, because it’s so tied to a period where I really didn’t feel like myself.. Releasing music always feels like opening a door to a room you’ve kept very private for a long time. I feel proud, but also quite vulnerable. It’s like… “hiiiii, here this is me, please be gentle with it.”
Congratulations on cracks beneath my skin. The track speaks about masking pain in public — smiling, dancing, being present while something deeper is going on underneath. Do you think we’ve collectively become very good at performing “being okay”?
Yes… almost too good. I think it’s become second nature to say “I’m fine” before we even check in with ourselves if that’s actually true. There’s this quiet pressure to keep up, to not be “too much,” especially in social settings. & social media where everyone posts their successes isn’t much helping either..
The song suggests that the cracks we try to hide might actually be the most honest parts of ourselves. Has your perspective on vulnerability changed as your career has grown?
Yess definitely! I used to see vulnerability as something uncomfortable, something I needed to hide or fix. Especially during the time I was struggling physically and mentally, I was scared people would see it. But now I’m starting to understand that those “cracks” made me who I became. So I started to cherish them.
You’ve mentioned before that your songs often grow out of very personal experiences. I think every artist can relate to the idea that it’s often easiest to write about what you’ve experienced yourself. In that sense, do your songs sometimes feel like a kind of diary for you — something you occasionally revisit or listen back to? (smiles)
100%. This project is literally built on diary fragments from a time where I wasn’t okay at all, physically and mentally, after being diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder. Writing was the only way I could understand what was happening. Turning those words into songs and listening back to it feels a bit confronting, but also empowering. It’s healing.
“The EP captures this deep sense of disconnection… from the world, from others, but mostly from myself.”
There’s more good news, as your new EP is on the horizon. Does cracks beneath my skin reflect the main feeling of the project, or is it just one chapter of the story?
It’s a chapter, but really a key chapter, because that period of time shaped me in a way nothing else has. The EP captures this deep sense of disconnection… from the world, from others, but mostly from myself. Cracks Beneath My Skin sits right in the middle of that space. But the project also carries a desire to reconnect. To not disappear. Even if it’s messy, even if it hurts.
“Honestly, just building something out of nothing blows my mind every time.” is a quote by you — and I really feel that. Creating is such a fascinating process. Are there also moments where you want to create but simply can’t?
Yes, my god.. those periods are the worst (laughs). But I’ve learned to accept that. It often means I need to step back and just exist for a bit.
I read that you often create alongside your brother. It’s so beautiful to have such a connection. What makes that dynamic different from working with other producers or collaborators, aside from the fact that you share such a special bond?
There’s a level of safety and honesty I can’t fully put into words. He was one of the very few people I didn’t have to pretend with, and still don’t.
Over the past year your career has accelerated rapidly — with sold-out shows, growing international attention and so much happening around you. What does success mean to you?
I feel like we’re just starting. Of course, everything is relative. This industry can feel very competitive, and I’ve definitely struggled with that.. comparing, questioning where you stand in it all. But looking at it that way can take you away from the original reason you create in the first place. It kind of steals from the core of it. So I try to stay aware of that. For me, success is something much more personal. If I can reach even one person in a room full of people… if someone has a slightly better day because they listened to our music, that is already a huge success. And something I’ll never take for granted.
“I want social media to feel like my music — personal, but still protected.”
Scrolling through your Instagram, I saw that it feels very carefully and beautifully curated. Do you make it that personal on purpose, and how important is social media for you? And do you think you would still use it as much if you weren’t an artist?
It’s definitely a bit of a love–hate relationship (laughs). My wish is to connect through socials the same way I do with my songs, but it doesn’t come as naturally to me. It almost feels like a sport or a challenge sometimes. I do want it to feel personal, but still protect parts of myself. I love the creative side, like building a world around the music, but everything around it can feel quite exhausting, and sometimes far from why I started making music in the first place. At the same time, it is a way to tell my story, to reach out and connect, and that part really means a lot to me. And yeah if I wasn’t an artist… I’d probably disappear from it a bit. Or just post random things with no context (laughs).
What’s a feeling you haven’t yet managed to capture in a track — but would love to one day?
I think just a sense of grounded peace. Not perfect or light, just feeling okay within yourself. I think I’m still learning what that feels like, but I’m on my way, can’t wait. (smiles)
And finally: for you, what is the most important thing in life?
Connection. Curiosity. And empathy. I think everything starts there, especially in the time we’re living in. How we treat each other, how we move through the world… staying open, and not being afraid of what or who feels unknown to us.
Listen to cracks beneath my skin here:
bfan.link/cracks-beneath-my-skin
Follow Noha Saré for more:
www.nohasare.com
www.instagram.com/noha_sare
www.facebook.com/nohasaremusic
