UPBEAT AWARDS 2026
Nominee for BEST NEW TALENT

SARĀB

About the Nominee

Driven by French-Syriac singer Climène Zarkan and guitarist Baptiste Ferrandis, the band Sarāb charts a course between post-punk chaos and Arabic poetry. After two albums

(Sarāb, released in 2019, and Arwāh Hurra, in 2022) and an EP (Qawalebese Tape, released in 2023) with jazz and global music influences rooted in the rich musical heritage of the

Middle East, the quintet returns in early 2026 with a devastating new album, Mīt Warde –

Cent roses. To the ear: a visceral sonic odyssey, where waves of pure rock and techno sounds rub shoulders with politically engaged lyrics, acoustic and intimate tributes to the victims of war. On stage: raw energy, an incantatory voice, maqâmât, analogue synths and rhythms that border on rupture. After more than 100 concerts in Europe, Canada and Morocco, Sarāb (‘mirage’ in Arabic) embraces its rock shift while retaining a hybrid identity, somewhere between Rosalía’s autotune and the militant riffs of Rage Against The Machine.

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About Upbeat Awards

UPBEAT’s Best New Talent Award directs the limelight to Europe’s upcoming artists, the hidden pockets where heritage and new talent ferments, the uncharted musical landscapes off the mainstream path.

We are thrilled to announce the 10 exceptional artists from Belgium, Denmark, Spain, The Netherlands, France, Serbia and Cyprus.

UPBEAT Best New Talent 2026 artists will have the access to mentoring activities to develop their skills and competencies to help propel their international careers!

The winner will get the chance to perform at Mercat de Música Viva de Vic along with a professional concert video and an exclusive media appearance in Songlines Magazine.

Vote for SARĀB!

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