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Sol Band (), sometimes known as just Sol, is a Palestinian band from the Gaza Strip, established in 2012. They are best known for their 2022 song "Raweq wa Haddy".
Sol Band was founded in late 2012, in the wake of 2012 Gaza War, the Israeli offensive on Gaza that November, by a group of youths who had met in 2011. Shortly after, they started sharing their music on YouTube and Facebook. In 2016, the band opened the "Sayed Darwish Music School" (named after Sayed Darwish, the Egyptian singer) in Gaza City. The students included Nana Ashour, who became known as "Gaza's first girl drummer", and singer Rafah Shamaly, who joined the band in 2018.
In 2019, they collaborated with the Falastini TV channel to record a number of Arab folk songs. At the end of the year, most of the band relocated to Istanbul, Turkey. Five members returned to Gaza in August 2023 to record an album, but the outbreak of the Gaza war halted their plans until they were evacuated to Qatar in April 2024; vocalist Hamada Nasrallah denounced an IDF soldier for Israeli war crimes in the Gaza war#Looting, stealing a guitar he had been gifted by his late father, who was killed by Israel in the 2014 Gaza war. The following June, Sol Band appeared on a track from Saint Levant's debut album ''Deira (album), Deira''.
The group's repertoire includes patriotic songs about Palestinian resistance, resistance and livelihood in Palestine, as well as music from historic Arab artists like Umm Kulthum, Mohamed Abdel Wahab, Wadih El Safi and Fairuz. They have performed at local and international events, including at the Institut Français, French Institute (Gaza, 2015; Jerusalem, 2020), the Palestine International Festival (2018), the Palestine Music Expo (Ramallah, 2019), the EU-sponsored Rooftop Festival (Palestine, 2018), the Arabesques Festival (Montpellier, 2021), the Copacobana Festival (Ghent, 2021), the Jerash Festival (Jordan, 2023), and the Maite Zaitut Festival (Basque Country (greater region), Basque Country, 2025).
In June 2025, the group played in Bilbao (Basque Country (autonomous community), Basque Country, Spain) at the closing ceremony of a protest organized by for Basque Country independence, the right of self-determination of the Basque people, as well as "in solidarity with other peoples in their struggle for liberation".
History
Sol Band was founded in late 2012, in the wake of 2012 Gaza War, the Israeli offensive on Gaza that November, by a group of youths who had met in 2011. Shortly after, they started sharing their music on YouTube and Facebook. In 2016, the band opened the "Sayed Darwish Music School" (named after Sayed Darwish, the Egyptian singer) in Gaza City. The students included Nana Ashour, who became known as "Gaza's first girl drummer", and singer Rafah Shamaly, who joined the band in 2018.
In 2019, they collaborated with the Falastini TV channel to record a number of Arab folk songs. At the end of the year, most of the band relocated to Istanbul, Turkey. Five members returned to Gaza in August 2023 to record an album, but the outbreak of the Gaza war halted their plans until they were evacuated to Qatar in April 2024; vocalist Hamada Nasrallah denounced an IDF soldier for Israeli war crimes in the Gaza war#Looting, stealing a guitar he had been gifted by his late father, who was killed by Israel in the 2014 Gaza war. The following June, Sol Band appeared on a track from Saint Levant's debut album ''Deira (album), Deira''.
The group's repertoire includes patriotic songs about Palestinian resistance, resistance and livelihood in Palestine, as well as music from historic Arab artists like Umm Kulthum, Mohamed Abdel Wahab, Wadih El Safi and Fairuz. They have performed at local and international events, including at the Institut Français, French Institute (Gaza, 2015; Jerusalem, 2020), the Palestine International Festival (2018), the Palestine Music Expo (Ramallah, 2019), the EU-sponsored Rooftop Festival (Palestine, 2018), the Arabesques Festival (Montpellier, 2021), the Copacobana Festival (Ghent, 2021), the Jerash Festival (Jordan, 2023), and the Maite Zaitut Festival (Basque Country (greater region), Basque Country, 2025).
In June 2025, the group played in Bilbao (Basque Country (autonomous community), Basque Country, Spain) at the closing ceremony of a protest organized by for Basque Country independence, the right of self-determination of the Basque people, as well as "in solidarity with other peoples in their struggle for liberation".
Reception
Sol Band gained a significant following since its establishment, but some conservative figures in Palestinian society have been critical of a mixed-gender band performing in public and its members reported having faced severe restrictions by the Hamas government in the Gaza Strip, Hamas administration of the Gaza Strip.Discography
Albums and EPs
* ''Sol Band'' ()EP, 2022Singles
* "Rafei Rasi" ()2018 * "Khaleek" ()2019 * "Alooli" ()2019 * "Ghazza al Helwa" ()2019 * "Wein al Malayeen" ()2019 * "Zahrat al-Mada'en" ()2019 * "Wein a Ramallah" ()2020 * "Shaddu al-Himma" ()2020 * "Muntasib al-Qama" ()2020 * "Laji Sammuni Laji" ()2020 * "Nehna Mish Irhabiyeen" ()2020 * "Ana Betnaffas Horriyi" ()2020 * "Ounadikom" ()2020 * "Ashiq min Filastin (A Lover from Palestine)" ()2021 * "Dal'ouna" ()2021 * "3aros al Falasteniya" ()2022 * "Hikayat Madina" ()2022 * "Raweq wa Haddy" ()2022 * "Shili" ()2023 * "Ala Mad al Shoof" ()2023 * "Eftah Aza Yalsan" ()2023 * "Ma Hal Helalek Ghazzetna" ()2024 * "My Children Are Birds in Heaven" ()2024 * "Let's Build" ()2024 * "Ma Dal Haki" ()2024 * "Palestinians" ()2024 * "Metghreb" ()2024Band members
Current members
* Rahaf Shamalyvocals * Hamada Nasrallahvocals * Fares Anbarpercussions * Said Fadelpercussions, keyboards, oud * Abdelkader "Abood" Abuqassimkeyboards * Ahmed Haddadguitar * Samir Albornosound engineerPast members
* Mohammed Shomanguitar, bass * Majd Antardrums * Reem AnbaroudReferences
External links
* * * * {{authority control Palestinian musical groups Folk-pop music groups Arabic-language musical groups Mixed-gender bands Musical groups established in 2012 2012 establishments in Palestine