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WhatsAppGHALIA discusses her experiences at Trebas, her work as an artist and more.
Reading Time: 4 Minutes
From a young age, Ghalia El-Kurdi has wanted to pursue music. After completing a degree in psychology, the pandemic led her to re-evaluate her priorities, leading her to study Audio Engineering & Production/DJ Arts at Trebas with the goal of working in the music industry.
Since then, she has had incredible success. In this interview, we asked GHALIA five questions about her experiences and the advice she has for students.
Who inspires you artistically?
My musical inspirations come from a variety of genres. One of my first musical influences as a kid was Justin Bieber. Seeing him perform songs and upload them to YouTube inspired me to do the same as a teenager. Unfortunately, I dealt with some bullying as a result of this, which dissuaded me from pursuing my dreams for several years.
That all changed during the pandemic. This allowed me to re-evaluate where my priorities lie and decide to finally pursue my dream and passion full-time.
Why did you choose Trebas?
When I decided to return to school and pursue a diploma in audio engineering, there were a few programs that I looked into, but Trebas was always the one that stood out to me. Visiting the campus, I fell in love with the intimate vibe of the space, as well as the convenient location in downtown Toronto.
In addition, the equipment that the campus has for recording, mixing, and editing was another great benefit that contributed to my decision.
Lastly and most importantly, I felt an instant connection with the staff and students. They made me feel right at home. I appreciated the help they provided and hope to give back by helping others who are in the position I was in.
What are your favourite memories or moments from your time at Trebas?
I have countless treasured memories from my time at Trebas, and I value all of the classes I took, as well as the relationships I built with the students and staff. One memorable class that stuck out was Sound and Recording Techniques with Jeff Wright. Jeff became like a mentor to me and provided me with many important lessons, including the fact that the more time you put into something, the better you will become.
Some of my other favourite memories are the conversations I had in mixing rooms with classmates and talking about our dreams and aspirations. Those were my favourite conversations. The conversations made me realize how we’re out here pursuing dreams that seem crazy to most but have always felt like destiny to us.
What advice do you have for aspiring students and artists?
To students and other artists, the number one piece of advice I would give is to believe in yourself and do everything in your power to make your dreams happen.
Typically, if something scares you, it’s worth doing. Trust yourself and don’t be afraid to take chances. Do not lose your fire and passion for what you do. Surround yourself with good people. Keep trying to be better every day. Stay persistent.
What’s next for Ghalia?
My most recent release was the song Nothing Left to Save, with a producer called Flays, which was released on December 1. For 2024, I am planning on releasing one song a month, so there is lots of new music on the way. In the meantime, I’m also continuing to work as an audio engineer for Strada XR, as well as creating content and videos back at Trebas on the side.
