The Power of Music: Carla Chamoun and the Art of Building Bridges.

Carla Chamoun is a Lebanese trilingual singer, songwriter, and performer whose voice moves between continents with the grace of a cinematic score and the depth of a centuries-old melody. From Beirut’s intimate stages to Europe’s grand arenas, her journey is one of fusion and feeling, a bridge between East and West, between the personal and the universal. As the official voice of The World of Hans Zimmer – A New Dimension tour, she performs alongside one of the world’s most celebrated film composers, becoming the first Lebanese and Arab artist to join this monumental production. Through her voice, the sound and spirit of the Middle East find resonance in the orchestral world of cinema, transforming every performance into a meeting of worlds.

Top: Peserico,Pants: Peserico, Necklace: Azza Fahmy, Ring: Azza Fahmy, Shoes: Santoni

“It’s surreal; every night feels like standing between two worlds that have finally met. I grew up surrounded by the sounds of Lebanon, the oud, the church bells, the chaos, the poetry and suddenly, those echoes found a home inside Hans Zimmer’s cinematic universe. When I sing on that stage, I feel like I’m carrying a piece of Beirut’s soul into symphony halls around the world,” Carla shares, adding, “it’s humbling, and it reminds me that music truly travels without a passport.”

Her music thrives on dualities, the grandeur of cinematic orchestration and the intimacy of Lebanese emotion. “For me, they’re not opposites,” explains Chamoun. “They’re both about storytelling and emotion. Lebanese melodies carry centuries of longing and resilience, while film music paints emotion in color. I like to let one breathe into the other; a string section can become a sigh, a qanun can sound like a dream. Somewhere in the middle, there’s my voice trying to connect them; cinematic, but still human.” This blending has become her signature, a dialogue between cultures, eras, and feelings that transcends boundaries.

Singing in Arabic, English, and French, Carla naturally bridges diverse audiences. To her, “building bridges through music” means reminding people that we already share the same emotional language. “Whether I’m singing in Arabic or French, I always imagine I’m telling a friend a story; maybe they don’t understand every word, but they feel it. That’s the bridge. It’s made of feelings, not translations,” says Carla.

Her journey from Beirut to performing with the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, where she recorded her debut album Ajmal Chi, produced by Grammy-winner Jan Holzner, reflects both courage and vision. “The biggest challenge was believing that someone like me (a girl from Beirut who loves Fairuz as much as Hans Zimmer) could belong in both worlds,” she admits. “There were moments of doubt, of course, but music has this funny way of making you braver than you are. Every collaboration, every concert abroad became a reminder that boundaries exist only until someone sings past them.”

Blazer:Concrete, Vest:Concrete, Trousers:Concrete, Bracelet:Azza Fahmy

Beyond her voice, Carla’s visual presence feels like an extension of her music: elegant, cinematic, intentional. “I see fashion as a silent melody. Every dress, every texture tells part of the story. I often mix classic silhouettes with modern touches; something timeless yet alive. When I step on stage, I want the audience to feel they’ve entered a dream, somewhere between the past and the present, where cultures meet gracefully, and beauty becomes part of the music.”

Through her work, Carla embodies a message of unity and emotional universality. “I hope people leave lighter,” she says softly. “Maybe a bit more in love with life, with each other. We live in a world that forgets how to listen, not just to music, but to hearts. If my voice can make someone remember a feeling they’d lost, or see someone else’s story with empathy, then I’ve done what I came for.”

Carla’s vision for the future continues to evolve as she expands her bridge between cultures. “I want to keep collaborating with artists from different backgrounds, film composers, traditional musicians, electronic producers, anyone who has something honest to say. The bridge keeps growing with every sound we share.”

Her upcoming projects remain wrapped in poetic secrecy, though she hints at new music that continues her dialogue between worlds. “There’s new music brewing quietly,” she reveals. “Some of it feels cinematic, some of it feels like home. I’m exploring themes of memory, distance, and belonging, all the invisible things we carry when we move between cultures. I can’t say much yet, but it’s something very close to my heart. And maybe a few surprises with Hans’s world too, but let’s keep that between us for now.”

Dress: Antonio Riva, Necklace: Azza Fahmy

For Carla, representing Lebanon on global stages carries both pride and purpose. “I want the next generation of musicians from our region to know that it’s possible, and that you can do it without losing where you come from. Your roots are not something to escape, but something to offer. Lebanon gave me stories, flavors, humor, warmth; I just carried them with me wherever the music took me. You don’t have to choose between being local and being global. You can be beautifully both.”

Her performances remain deeply personal, even when played before thousands. “The balance comes from staying honest,” she reflects. “The more personal I am, the more universal it becomes. The goal isn’t fame or perfection, it’s connection. I want to keep telling stories that make people feel something real, whether it’s in an opera hall or on a small Lebanese rooftop.”

Her voice carries the soul of Beirut, the depth of Prague’s orchestras, and the sweep of cinematic grandeur, weaving them together in a way that shows these worlds were never truly apart, only waiting to meet through music. As Carla Chamoun continues her journey through sound and soul, she carries with her a simple promise: “If the world keeps listening, I’ll keep singing.”

Creative Direction & Interview: Ivan Allegranti, International Features Editor @ Gazetta 

Photographer: Michel Araye

Stylist: Jony Matta

Makeup: Yvonne Hatem

Hair: Fadia El Mendelek

Production: Lou Salloum/ ONE:SIXTEEN PRODUCTION

Special thanks to Stephen PR