Sleiman Damien () is a Lebanese musician, music producer, and DJ specializing in modern Arab pop fusion. Many of his musical production collaborations topped Lebanese and regional Arab charts.
Early life and education Damien attended the Collège des Sœurs des Saints Cœurs in Kfarhbab-Ghazir. During his early career, he set up a small recording studio at home, and experimented with various musical genres.
Work Damien rose to prominence in 2014 through his collaboration with Lebanese singer Carole Samaha. The hit song “Sahranin” showcased Sleiman's music arrangement style that combines Arabic pop music with upbeat EDM.
In 2015, Damien associated with Lebanese Techno artist and producer Tarek Majdalani; they started the deep house duo "Three Machines". Damien and Majdalani formed a long term working relationship, collaborating on several high-profile projects for veteran mainstream Arab music stars. In 2016 Lebanese singer Assi El Hellani met Damien and Majdalani, he was impressed with their work, and they landed their first music production collaboration. Their first collaboration, "Aheb El Leil", topped the Lebanese music charts. Damien and Majdalani also arranged songs for both Al-Waleed and Maritta Hellani. During a 2017 television interview, Majdalani who comes from a Techno music background, attributed his introduction to Arabic Pop music production to Damien.
In April 2016, Damien was a founding member, together with renowned Lebanese pianist Michel Fadel, of Quartet Music, an event management and entertainment collaborative that highlights young musical talent. Fadel and Damien collaborated again, together with long-term partner Tarek Majdalani, on light and music spectacle for the Jounieh International Festival complete with a philharmonic orchestra.
Damien works both with startup artists and well-established Arab stars, including George Wassouf, Walid Toufic, Haifa Wehbe, and Ragheb Alama. He recognized the musical talent of Lebanese young artist Zef, whom he spotted when the latter busked in the streets of Byblos in the early 2010s. In 2019, 7 years after their initial meeting, Damien produced all of Zef's mellow alternative pop tracks. Damien also regularly produces full albums and tracks for indie bands and international artists such as Anthony Touma, and Adonis who describe him as a fifth band member.
Damien, and songwriter and composer Nabil Khoury approached Abeer Nehme with a song through Universal Music MENA. The resulting collaboration, "Bala Ma Nhess", was an instant success, garnering millions of YouTube views shortly after its release in March 2022. "Bala Ma Nhess" which was Damien and Nehme's first collaboration, topped the Lebanese music charts. Nehme announced future collaboration with Damien, and in an An-Nahar interview, credited his mixing and production skills as key factors in the song's success. Damien and Nassif Zeytoun’2 2022 "Bel Ahlam" was another instant hit, topping the regional charts days after its release.
Style Damien's Arab fusion music features elements from various music styles, including rock and EDM. Unlike traditional Arab music production which prioritizes lyrics, Damien focused on integrating arrangement and music production at the starting phase of each project. He believes that more independent artists will have a wider reach with the current trend of music consumption democratization. He also believes that eclecticism in his musical collaborations will make various styles palatable to a more diverse range of audiences, bridging the gap between established artists and the Arab indie scene. In a 2023 interview, he cited Zef & Stephanie Atala’s "El Bekle" as an example of new independent talent that broke into the Middle Eastern music charts and competed with conventional records from industry heavyweights. He also stated that his goal is to help niche songs crossover to the mainstream, and Arabic music to reach the global audience by collaborating with more regional and international artists.
Personal life Damien is open about his struggles with anxiety, which he believes is a common issue among industry professionals and musicians in the Arab region.
Selected works +ArtistSingle / AlbumLabelRoleYearAbeer Nehme"Bala Ma Nhess"Universal Music MENAProducer, mixer2022Adonis"12 Saa (Full album)"IndependentProducer, mixer2019"Thoqb Aswad"IndependentProducer, mixer2020"Aadaa (Full album)"IndependentProducer, mixer2021AlmenaGTAUniversal Music MENAProducer (with Tarek Majdalani)2019Anthony ToumaUps and Downs (Full Album)Universal Music MENAProducer (with Tarek Majdalani), Mixer2018"A Nous" ft. Lea MakhoulUniversal Music MENAVocal mixer2020Al Walid El Hellani"Amyes'alou" AMD ProductionProducer, mixer2019"Mesh Wadeh"AMD ProductionProducer, mixer2022Assi El Hallani"Aheb El Leil"LifeStylez StudiosProducer (with Tarek Majdalani)2016"Habib el Alb""Kint el ward""Wa3ed Albi"Rotana MusicProducer (with Tarek Majdalani)2017"Hob Jnoun"Rotana MusicProducer (with Tarek Majdalani), mixer2018"Shu Bkhaf Aleiky"Rotana MusicProducer (with Tarek Majdalani), mixer2019"Edhaki"Rotana MusicProducer (with Tarek Majdalani), mixer2019"Maghroum Eh Maghroum" "Khalas Byekfi"Rotana MusicProducer, mixer2021Aziz Maraka and Adonis band"Nater"IndependentProducer, mixer2019Aziza"Salat ez-Zein"Star SystemProducer2017Mn Hadid IndependentExecutive producer, mixer2021Marra KamanDigital SoundMixer2022Carmen Soliman"Habibi Mosh Habibi" RemixPlatinum Records FZLLC.Producer (with Tarek Majdalani)2014Carole Samaha"Sahranine"IndependentProducer2014Cyrine Abdelnour"Leila"AnghamiMixer2020Dana Hourani"Ella Enta"IndependentProducer, mixer2019"Zuruni"IndependentMixer2019"Lahza"IndependentProducer, mixer2019Enti AnaIndependentProducer, mixer2020"Erjaa Shoufak"IndependentProducer, mixer2021"Yay"IndependentProducer, mixer2021"Bla'i Hali"IndependentProducer, mixer2022George Wassouf"Sahi el Leil"AnghamiProducer2020Ghenwa Nemnom"Canon concert live from Niha"Cafe de AnatoliaProducer, mixer2021Haifa Wehbe"Jann El Sabi"CHBKProducer (with Tarek Majdalani), mixer2018HossEtsha2lebAnghamiMixer2018Jad Shwery"Mesh Ay Kalam"WittycanProducer, mixer2019Jad Shwery and Hala el Turk"Layali El Sayf" Platinum Records FZLLC.Producer, mixer2021Joe Ashkar"Masari Min Wein"WataryProducer, mixer2019"Bde'ello"AnghamiMixer (with Tarek Majdalani)2019"Albi Daala"IndependentProducer, mixer2022K.A.R.L.WavesOneMars (Full Album)Burkan RecordsExecutive producer, mixer2021Kazem Chamas"Halala"WataryProducer, mixer2021Lola Jaffan"Fi Kel Helou Lolah"WittycanProducer, mixer2019"Law Amet El Iyama"WittycanProducer, mixer2020Manel Mallat"Baddna Nbih"WataryProducer (with Tarek Majdalani), mixer2020Maritta Hallani"Shtaatellak"Rotana MusicProducer (with Tarek Majdalani)2017"Akher Marra""Ana""Eli W Melki""Manno Maa'ad""Nasini""Tla'ayna"AMD ProductionProducer (with Tarek Majdalani), mixer2018"Walaw"AMD ProductionProducer, mixer2022Nabil Khoury"Kifak"IndependentProducer, mixer2019"Abel B Waet"IndependentProducer, mixer2020Nassif Zeytoun"Bel Ahlam”WataryProducer, mixer2022Rabih Gemayel"Faw' el Adi"Two Media GroupProducer (with Tarek Majdalani), mixer2017Ragheb AlamaAnghami SessionAnghami, Backstage ProductionProducer, mixer2019Raja Otaqui"Mafi Aman"QuartertoneProducer, mixer2022Reem El Sharif"Ana Fi Intizarak"AnghamiProducer, mixer2021Ré Mi Bandali"Trekni ehki"IndependentMixer2019Rima Yussef"Ana Min"Universal Music MENAProducer, mixer2021"Ehsasi Fik"Universal Music MENAMixer2021"Hekyo"Universal Music MENAProducer, mixer2021"Marrat"Universal Music MENAProducer, mixer2021"Ma tiida"Universal Music MENAProducer, mixer2021Rizan SaidSaz û DilanAkuphoneProducer, mixer2019The5El Donia ShababSony MusicProducer (with Tarek Majdalani & Michel Fadel)2015HaniniSony MusicProducer (with Tarek Majdalani & Michel Fadel)2015Walid Toufic ft. Jad Shwery"Dr. Fel Hob"Walid TouficProducer, mixer2022Wissam El Amir"Dommini"IndependentProducer, mixer2018Yazan Kamel"Ma Tfell"WittycanMixer2022"Walhan"WittycanProducer, mixer2021Zef"Shi Nhar"IndependentProducer, mixer2019"Sofon el Bahara"IndependentProducer, mixer2020"Leish Baddi Eb'a""Shem Wroud"WataryProducer, mixer2021
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Three machines