Nadine Altounji
Her great-grandfather's oud resounded in Aleppo; hers resounds in Montreal, plugged into effects pedals. Nadine Altounji sings in four languages what binds people together: roots, memory and joy
Biography
It all begins with her grandmother, playing Arab melodies on the piano in the family living room, and a five-year-old girl seated at the keys. Born in Montreal to Syrian parents, Nadine Altounji grew up between the great voices of the Arab world, French chanson, rock and funk. A guitarist by training, she spent years accompanying Montreal artists before launching her solo career in 2016.
At the heart of her work stands the oud — the instrument her great-grandfather played in Aleppo. She plays it acoustic and electric, through distortion and effects pedals, alongside cajón and darbouka. Research trips to Ecuador and Peru gave birth to the audiovisual EP The Stories That Tie Us to Trees, Vol. 1 (2022) and its French-language sequel, Enracinées dans l'histoire, Vol. 2 (2023) — two songs, “No lo olviden” and “Dans la folie de nos temps”, were selected by Putumayo World Music.
Selected for Vision Diversité's MUZ 2025 cohort, she created in early 2026 — in residence at the Centre de création et de diffusion de Gaspé with guitarist Cécile Doo-Kingué — the show Des Andes à l'Euphrate via Montréal, then toured it across Quebec and played it as a quartet in the summer festivals. At Mundial, she sings in the free showcase at Centre Sanaaq, presented by EQLIVE (SiriusXM) and Women in Music Canada.
Stages and milestones
Solo career launched in 2016 · EPs The Stories That Tie Us to Trees, Vol. 1 (2022) and Enracinées dans l'histoire, Vol. 2 (2023) · Two songs selected by Putumayo World Music · Singles “Zayt El Oud” (2024) and “I Wanna Be Free” (2025) · Calgary Folk Festival and Festival du Bout du Monde (Gaspé) · Residencies and stages in France, Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon and Senegal · Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival, August 2026
Upcoming dates
- Friday November 20, 2026 — Vitrine gratuite — Mundial Montréal 2026 — 14 h · Centre Sanaaq, Montréal (Canada) — Official page ↗
Public dates — collected from the artist's official channels on November 9, 2026.
Discography
The Stories That Tie Us to Trees, Vol. 1 (EP, 2022) · Enracinées dans l'histoire, Vol. 2 (EP, 2023) · Singles: “Zayt El Oud” (2024), “I Wanna Be Free” (2025)
Gallery
Calendar
- Friday, November 20, 2026, 4:00 p.m. — Mundial Montréal 2026, Centre Sanaaq, Montreal (free EQLIVE showcase — SiriusXM × Women in Music Canada)
- Friday, November 27, 2026 — Vision Diversité, Esplanade Tranquille, Montreal (performances and meet-the-artists)
- Saturday, November 28, 2026, 8:00 p.m. — 20 Years of Blended Music, Studio TD, Montreal
- Wednesday, January 13, 2027 — Contact Ontarois, Ottawa
Show formats
- Duo — Des Andes à l'Euphrate via Montréal, with Cécile Doo-Kingué (guitar and vocals)
- Trio and quartet — oud, guitars, percussion, bass and cello
On video — their Mundial Montréal 2026 showcase
The official presentation video of Nadine Altounji for Mundial Montréal 2026: Friday, November 20, 2026 · 4:00 p.m. · Centre Sanaaq, Montreal. Video © Mundial Montréal — provided to Festival TV in the festival's official media kit.