Anthony Adonis traded blueprints for ballads, and Lebanon’s music scene has never been the same since. As the co-founder and lead singer of Lebanese indie band Adonis, he has spent over a decade turning Beirut’s charged energy into sound. Seven albums in, he is still finding new pathways to share stories from a country he loves.

You and Joey Abou Jawdeh founded Adonis in 2011, yet you both studied architecture. What drew you toward music?

I ended up in architecture school by a process of elimination. After school, all my friends were going for either medicine or engineering. The social pressure and family pressure didn’t leave you much choice. Since I loved drawing, architecture felt like a good compromise between art and engineering, so I went for it. With time, I learned to love the discipline. I met Joey in college and we went on to work on the designs of many beautiful projects in Lebanon. But music was always the most essential part of my life. As soon as my music career started taking off, I let go of everything else, and decided that writing songs was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

Having grown up in Saudi Arabia, how do you write so personally about a city you came to as a stranger?

It’s one thing to grow up in Beirut; you get used to it, to its lifestyle, chaos and very particular aesthetic. But landing there at 18, straight out of the safe cocoon of my parents’ home and the quiet, structured life we had in Saudi Arabia — it hits you in face. It felt Harry Potter arriving at Hogwarts for first time. Everything was charged with mystery and intensity. To this day, I still find magic at every corner of this city.

What music shaped you growing up?

I listened to all sorts of music as a kid. I lived through the notorious 2000s pop era; in school, Elissa and Missy Elliott ruled our playlists equally. In my household, there was a lot of Ziad Rahbani and Melhem Barakat, but there was also a lot of Dalida and Brel. The first concert I ever attended was a Majida Roumi concert; I must have been three or four years old. In college I was obsessed with Muse and Keane. And when I started writing songs, Bowie, Elton John, and Queen became my ultimate reference. They probably still are to this day.

Was there someone who gave you advice that really stuck?

When it comes to advice, my parents never fell short. I learned structure and the importance of risk-taking from my dad, and, from my mother, intuition and emotional intelligence. My architecture professors deeply shaped my artistic personality as well. They taught me the importance of intention in art — how to clearly express an idea through a drawing, a gesture or any creative work. To this day, I still apply many of the principles I learned in architecture to music.

For those unfamiliar with Adonis, how would you describe your sound, your message and your bandmates?

Our sound and message are a synthesis of the four of us combined. Very eclectic and multifaceted, but, at the core, very Lebanese — independent-minded, hopeless romantics, constantly trying to make sense of the world around us.

What was the hardest lesson you learned?

That hard work is not always rewarded.

Which concerts stand out and why?

Batroun, 2023. Since the Covid lockdown, we have had a very strong emotional connection with this city. It was where I wrote most of our songs, since the “A’da” album. Being able to play in a place that feels like home always hits different.

Where and how do you recharge your batteries?

In Paris. It’s where I go every couple of months to be lazy, challenge my disciplined mind, make questionable decisions for a few days and drink unreasonable amounts of wine! By the time I fly back home, it always feels like the perfect reset.

After seven albums, what does Adonis still have left to say?

I guess you’ll find out in our eight album, which we are happy to announce will be released later this year.

If you enjoyed reading this, check out our interview with Lebanese singer and actress Marilyne Naaman.