From the first note you hear springing from Akhlad, visit it’s clear that music very much is, help as he himself describes it, buy more about “simply in my blood now.” His sincere, soulful voice serves as an intriguing window into his quiet demeanor and gentle temperament. The transcendent quality of his work is what inspires Akhlad; he sees the success of UTN1 as a natural way to help his home country connect with the rest of the world…all while helping him pursue his aspiration of touring the globe as the next “fab five.” “When we sing about the importance of peace, we’re coming at it from a first-person perspective. We want people to feel the same way we do and music is the best vehicle for that,” he explains. “You can truly send any message you want by music, and people will respond to it more than anything else.” , Akhlad lived for several years in Columbia, Missouri, in the United States before returning to Iraq as a young boy. He has a special passion for learning and teaching himself new things — he studied civil engineering at Baghdad University and doesn’t hesitate to study the finer points of the newest PS3 video games. And he recently picked up the joza, a fourstring spike fiddle that’s customarily made from coconut and that has rich, deep roots in Middle Eastern musical tradition.
Books I like:
- ·”The Secret”
- ·“Lord of the Rings” by J.R.R. Tolkien
Movies:
- ·“Star Wars” by George Lucas
- ·“Dreamgirls” by Bill Condon
- ·“Hairspray” by Adam Shankman
- ·All Tom Cruse’s movies
- ·“Dejà vu” by Tony Scott
Artists I like:
Chicago, Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, Michael Jackson, Richard Marx, Boys2men, Backstreet Boys, Ismael Al-Farwachi, Kathom Al-Sahir and Adel Ogla
