Born in a Syrian refugee camp, Nouri is now topping the global charts with her inspiring brand of pop music. Video / Kane Dickie, Reece Selvadorai
From being born in a Syrian refugee camp to featuring on Billboard’s prestigious Gospel Charts, Vivian Nouri is a living, breathing example of On The Up.
The Kurdish-Kiwi singer takes every day as a blessing, using her music to inspire, connect, and ultimately heal the world through song. Mitchell Hageman hears how her New Zealand upbringing and quiet determination helped pave the way for success.
“It’s bigger than music,” the quote on Nouri’s Instagram bio reads. After just 17 minutes of speaking to the humble songstress, you’ll start to see why.
As her family learned to speak English and adapt to a new country and way of life in Aotearoa, Vivian Nouri grew up idolising ballad icons like Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston.
Now, her emotional pop music and gospel-like vocals are making waves across the globe, leading to features in Hollywood films and chart-reaching success.
“I was born in a Syrian refugee camp. My family had fled Iraq at the time and ended up in Syria, that’s where me and my younger sister were born,” she tells the Herald.
“I don’t remember struggling, but my mum tells us stories, and you’re just shocked by the number of things that happened, what she had to kind of go through raising four children at the time, now six. She’s just an amazing woman, and I don’t know how she does it”.
Nouri is the living and breathing definition of On The Up. Photo / Supplied
Asylum in New Zealand at age 3 brought with it many challenges, but also many opportunities and hope. Nouri got her start entering Talent Quest competitions, supported by her sisters who championed her vocal abilities.
“My sisters would be like ‘you can sing’ and I’m like yeah but you’re my sisters, I don’t know if you’re actually telling me the truth!
“I just kept practising and my love for it just kept growing”.
Her hit single Where Do We Go From Here saw Nouri gain widespread recognition in 2018, and she says much of the inspiration for that song came from learning the highs and lows of love.
“Everything that’s kind of happened within my career has just been based off of a feeling. It’s just personal experiences”.
Her song Change In Your Name also reached No. 4 on Billboard’s Gospel Digital Chart and led to numerous opportunities to perform and record overseas.
Splitting her time now between NZ and places like Los Angeles and Dubai, Nouri recounts days in her early career when she was at times sleeping in a car while pursuing jobs.
“I ended up going to LA with every single last penny that I had”.
And while she is grateful for the opportunities other countries have provided, her adopted home of New Zealand and its thriving music scene hold a special place in her heart.
“Six60 actually gave me my first performing opportunity when I was in New Zealand a couple of years back. The people here are just amazing”.
Taking a moment to reflect on her growth, Nouri tells the Herald about her desire to give back to her ancestral homeland through her music and speaks of the impact she’s already witnessed.
“The refugee camp that I was born in sent me a video of children singing one of my songs. They were so happy, it was just surreal. That changed everything for me, and it’s so much bigger than music for me,” she recalls.
“I just want to be able to give kids who were in my position the hope and the reality that you can actually do it, despite where you come from and despite the circumstances you might be in”.
With an EP/album in the works, she says she’s excited about the future and hopes to stay in Aotearoa for a while as she continues to refine her craft and utilise her wide contact book.
But after all these trials, tribulations, and triumphs, what is Nouri’s advice for weathering tough times? Gratitude and perseverance.
“I’m a firm believer in God. Even on my worst days, I’m so grateful to even have a bad day, because I’m alive. I have plenty of bad days in LA, but I’m just like, wow, I’m in LA,” she says.
“Our family were kind of problem solvers as well. There was never anything that we couldn’t figure out, and it was just about getting on with it and knowing that God is on your side and that he got us here in the first place”.
