Nobody's Famous Podcast

The season finale of Season 3 hosts the one and only Azal Al Salafi. As befitting as it was recorded on International Women’s Day, Azal touched on her own emancipation and her social work in the field of helping migrant women find their voice, home, and identity in foreign lands. She describes her cosmopolitan upbringing as one that really has shaped her to where she is now and could not imagine anything else. Azal rarely settled in one place, always having to upend her environment and friends in search of new ones. Ultimately, this has made Azal more resilient; more adaptable to change. As a migrant woman herself, the work she does is not merely a reflection of her past, rather the true essence of her being and the genuine passion of helping these women avoid what she herself had been through. Apart from Azal’s social work, her upcoming publication of the digital magazine Kazanah is just on the horizon. Touching on social issues, showcasing contemporary artists, and breaking the boundaries of time and space in this world of COVID-19, Kazanah is just the start of Azal’s wider conversation of her unconventional approach to life. Join us in the season finale as we bring this chapter to a close with a guest befitting of the show’s name. It is as extraordinary as it gets.

As we draw Season 3 to a close, the penultimate episode features one of our most unique guests to date. Unique in his journey, his experiences and in his approach to modern day football. Nikita Haikin, the recently crowned Champion of the Eliteserien, won the Norwegian Football League with FK Bodø/Glimt last year, having their best run yet. Nikita shared his experiences on what it's like to cope with the pressures of being a goalkeeper, bouncing off teammates during struggling periods and also how to cope with pressure on and off the field. Nikita has since become the beacon of light for the Club, guiding and assisting his teammates where possible and preparing for new challenges and a new season at the same time. No stranger to the world, Nikita has also been quite the traveler. Having started his career out in Israel, Nikita made his debut as a footballer, only to reach a point where he would stop the game altogether. A decision to then move abroad changed things for him and through his passion, sacrifice and love for the game, his career reignited with those shining moments at FK Bodø/Glimt. Nikita now looks to his future, while enjoying the city's calming and relaxing life. Bodø's quaint town of 60,000 has given Nikita a place to reflect, ponder and enjoy the world of professional football at his own pace. So join us as we take on Nikita Haikin, the footballer who is as much a role model to his community as he is a footballer, as well as being a humble man in his own right.

Have you ever wondered what it's like to play for a professional Esports team? Or wondered how you can simply improve your negotiation skills by changing the way you speak? Enter Andrew Cooke, a man who's straightforward and direct in his approach to almost everything he does. Starting off in private practice, Andrew quickly advanced to the realms of General Counsel, having taken up post in FLASH Entertainment for 8 years, and then moving to one of the greatest Esports teams ever with FNATIC. A love letter to pro gamers everywhere, we discussed how you can get the best deal, focusing on the types of games that will benefit you and really how a balance between gaming and other things in life is the right fit. The technicality and complexity of the gaming world also takes center stage as we question a Chief Marketing Officer's role in the ever-young and growing world of Esports and it's "kek faces" and "hotdog" spamming generation that is Twitch. A cycler and a negotiator, Andrew has always ever pondered the meaning of doing great work, and helps others find that purpose too. But in this episode, that notion is challenged as we really dig team into workplace conflicts, underselling ourselves and the lack of fulfillment. Are you really doing good work? Do you question yourself in the morning while coming to work? Am I really happy? This and more awaits you in a unique and explosive episode with, yes, believe it or not, lawyer turned gamer.

You would be remiss to think that Basel Zahr’s episode was simply about coaching and mentorship. Rather, it is one of self-reflection, introspection, accepting your past and preparing for an uncertain future through daily efforts. An upstart coach and mentor, who’s burned through ten mentors himself, is now gearing his efforts towards helping others and helping them break the stigma of accepting to not just seek therapy, but a mentor too. His method of listening to people and helping them use their own ideas to solve problems is one of heartfelt and sincere intentions to really be in others’ service. Basel isn’t shy with his words, tackling concepts of selfishness, altruism as well as mental and physical abuse. And despite his opinions on all those topics, Basel is open to acknowledging his own mistakes and actions, which allow him to progress in service to himself as well. That is just the first step in the daily progress of getting better. Jump in knee-deep into Episode 41 of the Nobody’s Famous Podcast, where the fiery debate with the only and only Basel Zahr ensues.

Finally, EPISODE 40 is out with none other than Rachel Tarabay! A long episode in the making, Rachel, as she so aptly puts it, has mastered the art of procrastination. Yet despite that she owns this fact, she has still managed to handle her daily work, create a movement called Demokratia in Lebanon and enjoy life in its simplicity and beauty. Rachel has engulfed herself in learning about why we take things at face value, having had her life change after reading the book “Sapiens”, as well as her idea of cutting away from the hustle life we live through Henry David Thoreau’s book “Walden”. Rachel was not shy to speak her mind, asking challenging questions like why she would be the one to determine what is right or wrong and why we should conform to societal norms and paths that are predetermined for people. Although she had hated writing about herself, Rachel also gave us a profound notion about the dying authenticity in our world and how sometimes, you can’t even be true to yourself, even when you want to.

When thinking of Mikano, one cannot ignore the melodic tunes, his versatility in genres and the risks he’s taken and continues to take with his music. Mikano draws his influences from Kid Cudi, Frank Ocean and was not shy to say he has cried listening to Kanye West’s “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy”. This doesn’t mean Mikano isn’t unique in his own right. His hit song “When It Rains Glitter”, consisting of two distinct parts, is a prime example of not only his boldness in writing music, but his understanding of people’s upbringing and life’s downfalls. Episode 39 with Mikano is a classic and casual talk with the artist himself. With music being a "universal language", Mikano doesn't think that it's necessary to solely talk about his origins in his music. He would rather focus on trying out different sounds and moods, which eventually become Mikano-like music. You’ll notice his foray into UK Drill, Rap and other melodic songs that will hook you in via his unique and energetic sound. Mikano’s music is matched only by his connectedness and focus on his vision to create the music he’s always wanted to, while bringing his crew along the way through his diverse background and charismatic aura.

Nauman is a cool, collected and very direct person. Whether it’s been through his professional career or his childhood in Dubai, Nauman has faced many cultural and social challenges in his life. Nauman has an innate ability to sell, build relationships and create lasting connections with people. We talked about how he’s built a network of great connections of people who believe they have gotten great value from their transactions. Nauman is also very attuned to the many changes Dubai has faced as well as the world itself. A man of history, we delved into the origins of the Pyramids of Giza, the amount of human effort that took to create one of the greatest monuments in our time, juxtaposing that against the rapid and incredible rise of a city like Dubai. We also discussed the future of human technology such as Elon Musk’s latest developments on Neuralink so you can finally control things with your mind. In the end, this show has been one of culture, technology, the definition of home in a country other than your own, and how you can build lasting relationships with people, while still being a true master of sales

DISCLAIMER: THIS IS NOT FINANCIAL ADVICE! Episode 37 took the podcast to uncharted places with its lighthearted approach to the world of Finance. A world that is not for the faint of heart, Finance has always been a tense and fast-paced world, and has often caused people to either invest late, or not at all. Enter Abdelazim Eltoukhy, one of the nicest and most decent men one can come across, who navigates us through the tepid financial landscape. Abdelazim's childhood in Cairo has really given him an interest in architecture and the world around him, and through his time in New York and Miami, his perspective continued to change and evolve, finally allowing him to push his analytical brain to its limit. Abdelazim's due diligence to himself to persevere and power through his breaking points while studying and working in finance is partly from his deep rooted relationship with his parents; "If you face challenges, you HAVE to face them". It's one of the reasons Abdelazim has eventually become the focal point in building the trading platform "Ticr" which allows users to trade US stocks in the UAE. No easy feat, Abdelazim also takes us through the numerous obstacles he and his co-founder go through from a regulatory perspective, and their challenges as entrepreneurs in this red ocean market. If you've ever found yourself intimated by financing and investing, or even managing your personal financial life, this is an episode you don't want to miss.

A coincidence in the making, Episode 36 showcases the wonderful Sarah Chafei. Sarah's name first came across to us through unrelated research at work. Funnily enough, a few weeks later, Sarah herself found the show and engaged with us. From there, the rest was creating a connection and setting up the epic show. Sarah Chafei is a singer-songwriter based in Jeddah, who's opened up her own Pebble Art business where she let's her artistic style shine through. Having struggled with live performances and coming up with a new passion amid lockdown, Sarah has always strived to build on her skills and share more of her creative side. Sarah has also since restarted her Instagram account, doing a full refresh to her profile and her outlook on life. Sarah joined us to discuss her refresh, the origins of mental health taboo in the Arab world, why the "fake it, until you make it" quote doesn't work while also giving us a sneak peek on her upcoming music and new album. Join us for Episode 36 on an epic and deep discussion with none other than Sarah Chafei.

It's not often you come across a guy like Abdulrahman Al Zaabi. Also known through his content as A Day with Abdul, Abdulrahman set out to prove that there are so many things that you can do in Abu Dhabi. Tired and fed up of his friends visiting and complaining, he embarked on his greatest challenge yet to create activities for one hundred days in Abu Dhabi. No stranger to challenges, Abdulrahman always endeavored to dispel misconceptions about Emirati culture, educate others through his content and truly showcase Abu Dhabi as an exciting and vibrant city with countless opportunities and activities. From his relatively "naïve" self as he puts it when he discovered a new life in the United States, to where he is now, Abdulrahman has truly evolved into an educational force. His educational videos and activities across Abu Dhabi has not only helped tourists discover more of the city, but he's discovered more about himself and how much further he can showcase his beloved Abu Dhabi.

Whether it's the inspiration of homegrown paintings of her Palestine hometown, or the glow in her mother's mirror, Zouha Dalloul is the makeup artist with a vision. It's been candidly said in the episode that through a natural experience, Zouha has come to love her craft and has honed it to a point where others can be taught. From dabbling into impressionistic and realistic paintings, to contouring on faces, Zouha has found her passion to not apply makeup, but to teach it as well. Not one for the caked up look, Zouha always strives to ensure a natural look shines through, whether it's through her audacity to tell a bride off, or the mere fact that truly less is more, Zouha doesn't back down from her technique. A traveler at heart, Zouha has also been able to see the world and connect with others through their love for exploration and adventure. Join us in this one-of-a-kind episode with ever thoughtful and artistic Zouha Dalloul.

From explaining the origin of his new moniker "Eddie" to voice acting almost daily. Mohamed Alsayed is a comedic force and really had to work his way around his chosen career to reach this point. Since his recent success in breaking the 100,000 follower barrier on Instagram, Mohamed has continued to create smiles and laughter around him. Mohamed started off his educational career in a choice that really didn't work out for him. Through this discovery but decision as well, he realized his love for voice acting, sound effects, organizing events, MCing events and even acting. Mohamed also notes his love of ensuring people laugh because of him, and is very well aware of the difficulty involved in doing that and becoming a fully fledged comedian. On top of all these different talents and challenges, it's important to note that Mohamed has a great story-telling ability in which he engulfed us in his life journey, telling about his attainment of black belts in various martial arts, as well as creating scenarios for the voices in his head. Join us in this one of a kind episode with truly the one and the only, Mohamed Alsayed aka They Call Me Eddie!

Episode 32 was a first for the Nobody's Famous Podcast! In this episode, we sat down with Shereen Abdulla, who operates DIFC FinTech Hive, the Middle East's largest FinTech accelerator program. An exciting moment for the Nobody's Famous Podcast, Shereen delved into her passions for why she loves to help startups and also her beliefs on how technology plays a huge impact on people's lives. Shereen was very forthcoming with the kind of attitude you need to have with founders of startups to push them to succeed, even if the startup itself might not succeed. We also touched on what really is the "spark" within Shereen herself where she discussed how in fact she classifies herself as an Intrapreneur, turning her company around and always looking for new opportunities to help herself and others. On top of all her passionate work with startups, Shereen is the host, creator and produces the podcast Spark! with Shereen where sheds light on startup stories and innovation in the Middle East. Tune into the amazing and exciting Episode 32 with Shereen Abdulla!

In this episode, we sat down with Chris Boulos, a soon to be Olympian at the Tokyo Olympics. The episode revolved around his love for taking care of his body and his life as a personal trainer in Lebanon. The fitness in culture in Lebanon has made it difficult for Chris to sometimes pursue his personal ambitions but to also educate people; however, Chris’ motto is to persevere. Chris talked to us about the difficulties of getting physically and mentally ready for the Olympics, what with the limited resources Lebanon possesses, but also how even with such constrictions, you can always find push forward to work and better yourself. Tune into Episode 31 with Chris Boulos, a light-hearted episode that’s all about what it means to be an athlete in a tough environment.

It's the BIG 30! In this episode, we didn't interview just one guest. We sat down with FOUR guests as part of the music group NM1 AKA No More One. NM1 initially started off with two members, Ahmed and Mickey. They were friends, but didn't really rap or create music together. After butting heads on the idea, Mickey started to write, and thus NM1 was born. It was after those moments that the group decided to expand their offering, by incorporating dancers into their performances. Enter Esoo and Adam, two Abu Dhabi dancers who each had their own journey entering the musical group. From then on, NM1 took their music into overdrive, performing across Abu Dhabi and producing music. Since then, NM1 has become a content creating machine with their music, interesting visuals and musical concepts. Tune into Episode 30 of the Nobody's Famous Podcast and learn about Abu Dhabi's Underground Rap scene.

Alaa Abi Ali was the wildcard. The rough around the edges, do it differently type person. He was dorm mates with Host Ali Rifai and through their time at the American University of Beirut, developed a lasting friendship that was only resurfaced during this show. Alaa has always been eccentric, interesting and everything if not a hard worker but also weirdly in touch with the philosophical, the ethereal and the creative. Through his music, he creates. Through his professional career, he develops. Always tapping into his soul and creative side to just be making content for himself. On the verge of launching his new merchandising brand, Alaa gave us a very different type of show, sending us topics instead of us asking questions. Join us on wild ride with Alaa Abi Ali as he reacts to some of the most interestingly weird statements he's ever made.

What a special treat Episode 28 is! Join us in this first of its kind special episode with the co-founder of the Nobody's Famous Podcast, Alex Wheeler! Ali and Alex took the opportunity to tackle certain topics in special episodes; and for the first topic ever, it's going to be Video Games! Join us as we take a walk down two very different memory lanes from two very different gamers and their experiences with the medium. Whether you're an 80's or 90's gamer, this episode tackles the very early experiences of video games and how the experience was either growing up in Abu Dhabi or Trinidad!

Episode 27 takes on the outspoken, self expressive, mighty and comedic Stephanie Haddad. No stranger to bottling things up, Stephanie was always considered on the fringe of how a “normal girl” should act like. She never shied away from speaking her mind and sticking to her values of self-expression, staying true to yourself and not really caring about what others might think. Fast forward a few years from her childhood, in 2018, Stephanie’s frustration with Lebanese drivers manifested into a video which went viral. Not only did this reassure Stephanie that her message of just speaking your mind resonated with others, she suddenly had a platform to build on. And build on it she did by conveying her messages of positivity, discussing the undiscussed and unraveling the taboos that society has created. Deep dive with us into this extraordinary episode with an extraordinary guest where we discuss anything and everything when it comes to speaking your mind and sharing your thoughts with the world.

It's not that often when you come across someone who can make you laugh in a few simple words. Funny man Shawn Chidiac - or better known through his Instagram account: "myparents_are_divorced" is that kind of guy. In Episode 26, we sat down with Shawn and he took us through the multitude of characters he's developed throughout the years, all through his personal experience through life situations. Shawn also expressed his views on stereotyping, common in this field of comedy, and why there's truth to it. Shawn also discussed how channeling a negative moment in your life can really lead to positive outcomes in the future. From childhood bullying to tough times, Shawn never shied away from creating his content, even through all the criticism and backlash. Join us in another stunning episode with the one and only Shawn Chidiac!

In Episode 25 of the Nobody's Famous Podcast, we sat down with self-proclaimed philosopher and funny man Issam Atallah. Issam had since left his comfort zone in Abu Dhabi, 14 years ago to pursue his professional career wherever it took him. Whether it was Florida, Singapore, UAE or Lebanon, Issam manages to make every place his home. A podcast like no other, we talked about various topics ranging from creativity, the difficulties of different generations, the tragic events in Lebanon and really what Issam's next steps in life are. Join us an fun and light-hearted show (possibly the best ever) between two high school friends who always find themselves in very different circumstances given their common upbringing.

Naser Al Sughaiyer has an interesting journey. From realizing he doesn't fit into the corporate world to attending the "World Domination Summit" in the United States, Naser has really detached himself from a previous life. Naser takes careful account of the things he lets into his life. Not cluttering his mind with too many things and being very specific on the things he spends his time on. As a matter of fact, his social media accounts get deleted on 31 October, 2020 and our show releases just in time to showcase him after a long break from speaking online! Join us in the opening episode of Season 3, where we talk to one of our most exciting and eccentric guests to date, Naser Al Sughaiyer.

Tarek was born and raised in Abu Dhabi to Lebanese/Palestinian parents and got both his education degrees in Business Administration and Hotel Management & Tourism in the same city. With over 11 years of professional experience, he has excelled in the events industry and specifically marketing B2B and B2C events in the UAE and across the region. A constant seeker to travel, Tarek has travelled to over 20 countries and 3 continents, connecting with people from different backgrounds and cultures, which always played a major role in his self discovery and identification.

At the onset of the Pandemic, one would think firstly of the safety of kids and their education. One would think how on Earth are these kids going to live in a safe and healthy environment while still getting the education they need? Enter Farah Massoud. A teacher who not only focuses on the educational needs of her students, but also their overall attitude and personal states during the most difficult Pandemic the world has seen. Farah Massoud teaches students from Grades 8 through 10 who are arguably quite difficult to teach but Farah's experience and adoption to e-learning coupled with her friendly approach to education allows for a different experience. An experience where students can thrive and step out of their comfort zone even in the comfort of their own homes. Join us as we take a new approach on the Nobody's Famous Podcast and discover the world of e-learning with Farah Massoud.

Amine Najjar is a songwriter from Lebanon who has worked with some of the music industry’s biggest names. The story to create this show was a true back and forth problem, after writing a blog post almost 6 years ago, Ali said it was time for a face to face show which never materialized. But when the Pandemic hit, we had to go with a remote call. Amine has written songs with multi-platinum selling songwriters such as Pam Sheyne who wrote Christina Aguilera’s “Genie in a bottle”, William Larrsen who wrote Nico & Vinz’s “Am I wrong” as well as Mohombi & many more. Amine also pitches songs to International artists across the world. Known for his lyrics & catchy melodies; Amine knows exactly what it takes to make a song memorable and ultimately, a hit.

A half French, half Colombian, Jeannette Peyre grew up in an international home. She’s a strong 32 year old who’s found a home in Paris in the last 12 years after city-hopping across New York City, Brussels and Geneva. Jeannette works for Caron, a French perfume company founded in 1904, as a Product Manager in the Marketing Division. A company that had already dealt with a pandemic and two World Wars some 100 years ago. Jeannette loves to travel, cook and she’s sincerely passionate about art, architecture and design. Join us as we listen to the wonderful world of Jeannette Peyre.

Born & raised in Beirut, Abdallah had a passion for building LEGO ever since he was young, which led to him graduating as a Civil Engineer from the American University of Beirut. Graduating in 2010, Abdallah moved to Qatar to work in engineering for 2 years, then decided to change industries & pursue his masters in management degree in Madrid, Spain. After graduating in 2013, Abdallah decided to join the Fast Moving Consumer Goods industry because he always wanted to work in a dynamic & challenging environment. He's been exposed to several roles in supply chain and planning which definitely makes him the Ops guy you want on your team. On a personal level, Abdallah is passionate about sports and has always been a great basketball player. He still picks new hobbies yearly be it skiing, wake boarding, biking, boxing, you name it! Sit back and enjoy this lighthearted episode touching on various topics like the FMCG industry, new hobbies and coping with long distance relationships.

Our first Quarantine Series Video is now live! This series aims to continue discovering the wonderful people of our world. During these difficult times, its beneficial to keep ourselves engaged and open to the world around us and the people experiencing it in different ways than us. Our first guest is Rami Hajj Deeb and here are his own words on who he is... "This is me, Rami Hajj Deeb, in social media lingo, a Lebanese based in Madrid. Grew up in Beirut to a family of four, studied civil engineering at the American University of Beirut and before I knew it I was expatriated, like many of the Lebanese youth, to Doha. Though I'm grateful to what that city offered me, I never felt like I belonged there. I just knew…It was time to trust the magic of new beginnings. I pursued a Masters degree in Madrid with no intentions of staying but here I am 8 years later in the Spanish capital that I now call home. Our homes are not defined by one particular location, but by memories, events, people, and places that span the globe. I'm a strong believer that by going away you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving. Travel early and travel often. Live abroad, if you can. Understand cultures other than your own. As your understanding of other cultures increases your understanding of yourself and your own culture."

Finally, EPISODE 23 is here! We sat down with Arqam Al Abri who has just burst onto the music scene, bringing with him the soulfulness and cool vibe of his spectacular voice. Reminiscent of Sam Cooke, Musiq Soundchild, Otis Redding and D'Angelo, Arqam struggled with comparing himself to such great artists and ultimately felt he wasn't worthy if he didn't sing like them. However, Arqam took the plunge to focus on himself, his music and accept the concept of how singing is personal by Nature. Join us in this epic episode where we take a soulful trip into the musical mind of the one and the only, Arqam Al Abri.

In Episode 22, which is coincidentally Mohammad Al Qadi's favorite number, we take a trip into his mind and his process into creating the first Emirati Board Game! Mohammad Al Qadi's journey into creating Conquest - Final Conqueror was not an easy one. Many moving parts such as how he wanted it to look like, marketing it and finally how it would play are just some of the variables considered. Mohammad gave us a look into his process as he saw it. Two types of people with two very different types of processes. Overthinkers and Doers. Mohammad saw himself as the Doer just making the best of what we had and finding out along the way.

Khalid Iskandar joins us in this hard-hitting and honest episode about finding your true potential, working on different interests in life and about the restrictions we put on ourselves to not attain our goals. Khalid has gone through many motions in life. From delving deep into architecture, studying it and eventually creating his own studio, Zkandar studio, to becoming a Jiu-jitsu competitor, Khaled is no stranger to constant change. Khaled's experience fighting on the mats alone opened his eyes to simply being someone who'll try something to do it - eventually moving on to continue to better himself. Through his next stage in life, he ended up creating VLOGs that would inspire and show people what a day in his life looked like. Athleticism, positivity, enjoying time and simply going about their day became his way of creating content. Finally, Khaled really hit home with a strong statement that why wasn't Ali doing the show on a full-time basis. Khaled highlighted the point that all these restrictions are in one's head and in the end, you need to work to your passion as your end goal.

Episode 20 is here! We reached out to Sameer Al Jaberi, a natural when it comes to Media and Entertainment and Public Speaking. Through the stage fright, determination and using his first name as a hook, Sameer managed to take his first step into Public Speaking. It allowed Sameer opened up about the pressures that society puts on single people and somehow that allowed to create a speech, for which he ultimately won the Humorous Speech Award at DTAC in 2018. A man of many talents, Sameer has since transitioned into life in front of the camera, having built great rapport behind the camera with his extensive work as location manager on the film 6 Underground. Sameer has always been the one to record a moment, an event, or a memory. Reaching the camera was just as natural as drinking water. Sameer left us inspired by his charisma, eloquent speaking and infectious charm when taking us through his Journey. Jump on board and hear the story of the Biker, Photographer, Location Manager and Stand-up Comedian to be, Sameer Al Jaberi.

In Episode 19, we sat down with Farah Bushnaq and Lyne Ismail, the founders of End Small Talk. The Nobody's Famous Podcast's premise was always to focus on great conversation. With this episode, that premise couldn't have been underlined more. We delved into relationships, fish love and why ending small talk is really important. We also came at a crossroads to determine if people would choose to live happily without knowing suffering or rather live knowing suffering and sadness to understand true happiness. Our End Small Talk special really came to a head when we realize that yes, small talk is a safe space, but being aware of that and using it as a gateway to bring conversations to a meaningful outcome. Tune in as we talk everything and anything but the small talk in this witty, deep and true to the name episode.

Barzan Jafar strikes you as someone who has all the connections but isn't quite that big on Social Media or being "out there". A reserved but determined individual, Barzan is like a race car engine. He handles many different tasks altogether while at the same time always keeping himself working at his optimum performance. In this episode, Barzan shared his accidental diagnosis of ADHD, juggling the family business with his own aspirations of becoming a stand up comedian and finally, his passion for Philanthropy working alongside his father. No stranger to laughter, Barzan hits us with the good stuff as a plethora of impersonations shines through. Whether it's a Scottish person looking for a mansion in Dubai, Dr. Phil giving advice or Jay-Z driving through Barsha to DIFC ordering Fat Burger, witness Barzan Jafar, the stand up comic you've never heard of.

It was exactly one year ago when we discovered Amjad Shakir performing on stage. The mixture between Arabic lyrics and English Melodies, the melancholic sounds of a Sudanese countryside and the modesty of a talented artist all culminated in the first full Arabic show we've ever done. Amjad explains how the people around him keep him grounded to the fame, his experience on The Voice and the answer to whether it makes a difference if he's performing to one or ten thousand people. Enter the musical mind of one of the most humble Sudanese artists you'll ever meet and discover, if anything, his addiction to music. Whether it's jamming at home or performing for crowds, Amjad continues to refine his musical craft and continues to inspire others with his humility.

The judge is in! In episode 16, Ola Al Arabi, the star, creator and writer of the new Al3ola show joined us for unique sit-down. Delving into the scary side of content creation, Ola talked about her creative process and the effort it took to publish her first episode on the shocking importance of sleep. Ola doesn't shy away from asking hard questions like why we don't take care of ourselves as much as we take care of others, does meditation really help and why living on Mars isn't very different to where we are now. In the end, Ola kept on with the hard-hitting answers and took a really personal turn, asking about the meaning of show, it's identity, and why it's important to have people in your life that push you to always be better.

"I needed to focus and educate myself on what it means to have anxiety..." In Episode 15, things got personal. Nawal El Masri is the founder and director of Exhale, a fashion brand that spreads awareness about mental health. When she went to see a nerve doctor for her recurring anxiety, the response she got was "nourish your brain". That vague answer wasn't accepted at all. She's a one woman show, facing challenges and running her company all on her own through various stints of outside support. Nawal faced her darkest moments to create something she could live for. Dive in as we discover Nawal's battle with anxiety, the power of breathing and in the end, how your lowest point can be the best that's ever happened to you.

"What is fame? I mean really, what is fame when you break it down." When Future told JRJ he should take promoting seriously, that put his career in overdrive. JRJ aka Jason Johnson broke into the music industry through promoting events. Jason started passing out flyers at the Monopoly Jam in Toronto at 17 years old. It didn't matter that he didn't have any musical talent but through networking and connecting individuals, Jason realized he was born to do it. We stepped into the mind of JRJ who takes us down his own memory lane, through helping the launch of Chris Rock's movie, Top Five, owning a club in Toronto and finally to booking the biggest artists in the world.

Episode 13 was our final episode to wrap up Season 1. Thomas is a very direct but lighthearted individual who is quite reserved but takes life by the horns. Who knew that 2 men would delve so deeply into their passions about the widely misunderstood Fettucine Alfredo and the crazy idea of doing a podcast in space. Tune in to find out about Thomas Kreuzer, the Italian-German "foodie" who's retirement plan in life depends on the success of our podcast.

If there ever was a time where we could do the movie trailer voice for the duration of the episode, this was it. Milton came to us by way of episode 7's Nathalie Rashid. A man who doesn't only do impressions but composes music, renowned for voice over and is a metal head. You don't want to miss Milton, the Dubai One Trailer Guy!

In Episode 11, you’ll meet Julian Noursi, a fiery individual who took matters into her own hands when she created an insanely popular music festival in the Jordanian desert. You could say she’s someone who is very resourceful, very VERY sociable and just someone who puts in the hard work. Step into the whimsical mind of this strong yet light-hearted woman and find out how she got to where she is now.

We've been out for for a week but we're back on the #nobodysfamouspodcast! Our first two digit episode, episode 10! Anas and Ahmed joined us for a side splitting episode talking about their experiences, their lives and straight out how they laugh. Tune in to hear this dynamic duo!

If there’s one way we can entice you to tune in for Episode 9, it’s to find out how Bruno became literally a one man show at the age of 12. With only his determination, he walked into a hotel in his hometown Ciudad Bolívar and asked for a job at the age of 11...and then got the job at age 12! Bruno’s episode was inspirational, quirky and full of past stories. Have a listen and marvel and how a Venezuelan Italian boy never took no for an answer.

It’s none other than Hanna Abu Ata coming to you on Episode 8! The truth is, Hanna had been chasing us since Episode 1. The right question to ask about Hanna is not who knows him, but rather who doesn’t? Tune in for a different kind of stroll with Hanna, whose love for Liverpool football and heavily detailed storytelling gives us a closer look at some of the adventures he’s had so far.

Episode 7 of the #nobodysfamouspodcast was quite the experience for both us and the Nathalie. When getting guests on the show, a lot of people say, why me? We say, why not? We ended discussing the meaning of selflessness, why it's important to communicate with your SO and how to make "Bemyeh". All in all, this experimental episode gave us insight on where the show could go and why being famous is subjective.

EPISODE 6! In this episode of the Nobody’s Famous Podcast, we sat down with Kevin Nijns. Kevin took us into the world of private protection. Kevin started out working diplomatic protection, moved to bouncing at on the nightclub scene, then close personal protection for high profile individuals and graduated to running teams on container ships sailing across the often dangerous coastline of the African continent, before finally settling in Dubai. Tune in as Kevin takes us into closer look into the unique world of security services. Oh, did we mention he loves Aliens and Astronomy? Well yeah, don’t ask why.

"He tried to bromance me too quick" When confirming episode 5, it wasn’t going to be easy. Lance was flying out that very night and I was flying back in, coming straight from the airport to the show. We delved into his love for dinosaurs and the search for Animatronic ones in China. We discussed how the music scene was versus how it is now. We also went into Lance’s early life during the 80’s and 90’s. This episode was such a blast overall and we really had to keep up with Lance and the constant tangents we went on.

To be honest, Episode 4 was supposed to be with Patrick and 2 other people. In the end, the other 2 stayed at work, and Patrick showed up a little nervous. Patrick ended up handling the show quite well with his comedic timing and funny quips on topics. Patrick El Achkar stepped up to the plate. We discussed what holds him back from his potential, his unique take on the name “Nobody’s Famous”, what’s a Hype Man and what it means to be successful. The result was a lighthearted episode with a few laughs – ideal for a night drive.

"People treat you different when you have like a year beard" Going into this Epsiode 3 of the Nobody’s Famous Podcast, it was a first for us. Why? Well because unlike the 2 previous episodes, we knew Waleed the least. Waleed Shah, a photographer, creative thinker and entrepreneur based in the UAE joined us to talk about a lot of different topics. We discussed how he deals with strong or hateful comments on his work, his musical roots, his run with the famous White Cube Studio in Abu Dhabi and he delved into his artistic process including a modern photographer’s workflow. This was an interesting episode as it allowed us to get commentary from someone who had his work criticized on several occasions and it also gave us a perspective into what we should do next on the podcast.

On Episode 2 of the Nobody’s Famous Podcast, I reached out to my colleague and friend Wafa Maz. Wafa has always been an interesting character and that has a lot to do with her growing up in England and in the UAE. It was intriguing to find out that she “forgot” how to be an Arab and had to relearn Arabic when she came back to Abu Dhabi. Aside from her childhood, Wafa really loves travel and food. Not to mention we interviewed her at a time when she was leaving her job in events and embarking on something completely new for the first time ever in her life.

If you notice in the episode, we say that we would decide later whether this would have been Episode 1 or 2. When we finally decided this would be Episode 1 and the official inaugural episode of the Nobody’s Famous Podcast, Jad was thrilled. Jad Hakim is an up and coming rapper and artist. We did this talk knowing that we’d have inside jokes and because we know each other quite well. 10 months to be exact as Jad puts it. This episode really turned out to be cool because not only did Jad rap for us, he also spoke about his anxiety issues and his musical process. Couple that with why he won’t go sky-diving for a record deal and you’ve got something here.