The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

With local music coming on leaps and bounds over the last few years, more and more new voices have emerged – one of the most prominent of which has been Abu. Over the last three or so years, the singer-songwriter and guitarist has risen up the ranks of what is an eclectic music scene, thanks in part to his witty lyrics and quirky take on social issues in Egypt.

One of the keys to the musician’s popularity has been his position in the public eye as a bit of an everyman – there are no gimmicks and no gaudiness about the way he approaches his craft. All he needs a guitar and a mic. It’s this intangible element to the cult of Abu that made him a welcome choice for Pepsi to provide the music for their Ramadan 2016 ad – an ad which went viral and had many a listener tapping and whistling away.

The partnership was certainly a fitting one, as Abu himself reveals. Considered one of the most exciting indie musicians in the Middle East by many, this exclusive featurette puts Abu under the spotlight, as he reflects on the dramatic career change that he made to follow his passion for music, his involvement with Pepsi this year and even his trademark whistling

Pepsi’s campaign, using the hashtag #باللمة_نقدر (together we can), aims to tackle a number of issues, with one of the most innovative seeing recycled plastic Pepsi bottles to light homes in Upper Egypt, as well as public areas and playgrounds. The initiative, which is one of the most unique of its kind, has been every bit as effective as it has been viral and the numbers prove as such.

The Liter Of Light initiative has lit three Upper Egyptian villages via solar power, while another of Pepsi’s initiatives, Tomooh, has supported up to 350,000 Egyptians in education in the last nine years. Meanwhile, over 1 million school children have taken part in the Dawry El Madares football tournaments over thirteen years.