Charls Ava

Charls Ava is a border-dweller of the highest order--her music art lives where continents meet and cultures transact. Born and raised in the USA to Egyptian immigrant parents, she had a long run in New York City working as a session singer, mainly singing big commercials. She had some moments: singing backup for M.I.A. and once performing for French first lady Carla Bruni. Ultimately, she began to feel a scream within, to move on and create her own record. She left and moved to Cairo to live and make music.

Ava met producer Mohamed Ragab (aka Machine Eat Man), a pioneer in Egypt’s alternative music scene for over a decade. A performer and synth-whiz, Ragab’s electronic rock sound, dubbed Egyptronica, for his use of traditional Egyptian percussions within heavy rock/electronic music (influenced by Depeche Mode, Tool, NIN), provided the perfect production. The result was a dynamic 12 song electronic rock record exploring psychological and identity struggles, political issues and displacement. Titled City With No Name, it was created between Ragab’s home studio, Radio Acid, and Egypt’s first ever project studio, Ganoub Studio where Egypt’s alternative music movement originated in the 1990’s. Bold rhythms and layers of synths drive the record, carrying the listener from danceable to wired and nervy. Vocally it’s edgy, dark, and even poppy.