By: Yomna Walid&nbsp;
They&rsquo;re loud, they&rsquo;re talented &mdash; and they&rsquo;re all under 15. Today, Thursday, 31st July 2025, Egypt&rsquo;s youngest rock band, "Semsema", will take the stage as part of the iconic Massar Egbari concert. News of the rising band joining the lineup has sparked excitement among fans &mdash; and for good reason.
Formed in 2024 by a group of school friends with a shared love for music, Semsema first came together to compete in a &ldquo;Battle of the Bands.&rdquo; Not only did they take home first place, but they also discovered a deeper creative spark that kept them playing and writing. Since then, they&rsquo;ve gone on to compose original songs, win the &ldquo;Bandmakers Go Original&rdquo; competition and build a growing presence in Egypt&rsquo;s indie scene.
<a href="https://ibb.co/tMb6G9JK"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/6R4SMkWw/Be-Funky-collagegery-2025-07-29-T132924-321.jpg" alt="Be-Funky-collagegery-2025-07-29-T132924-321" border="0" /></a>&nbsp;
But "Semsema" isn&rsquo;t just a group of kids with instruments. With members aged between 11 and 14, they&rsquo;ve already carved out their own space in the music world, winning competitions like &ldquo;Schools Rock&rdquo; and turning heads with their infectious energy, raw talent and natural chemistry on stage.
Nile FM caught up with the band: Leila, Kareem, Alex and Zeyad, to talk dreams, influences and what it really means to be young and rocking.
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Leila (Lead Vocalist)&nbsp;
When did you start singing rock music?
I started in 2022 during a Battle of the Bands competition and my brother and I actually won first place together.
What first drew you to rock?
Since I was a kid, my dad used to play a lot of rock songs in the car. I fell in love with the sound. I started learning piano and then singing while playing. Later, I picked up an instrument that not many girls play &mdash; the bass guitar. Now I&rsquo;m at Level 6 out of 8 in Trinity College London&rsquo;s music exams.
How do you feel when you&rsquo;re on stage in front of a big crowd?
I feel proud and really happy. I just want the songs we play to reach people and make them feel something.
Who&rsquo;s the artist that inspires you most?
Billie Eilish, for both her music and lyrics. I also relate to her because she makes music with her brother, just like I do.
Do you enjoy writing your own songs?
Yes, I love expressing my thoughts and emotions through lyrics.
How did it feel when a major band like &ldquo;Massar Egbari&rdquo; praised your work?
It made me dream even bigger. One day, I hope to perform on a huge stage like they do, go on tour, and have people around the world singing our songs.
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Kareem (Electric Guitarist)
When did you first pick up the guitar and how did you learn?
Six years ago, I asked my dad if I could try learning guitar after seeing others play. I joined a music academy called &ldquo;Bandmakers&rdquo; and now I&rsquo;m at Level 7, just one step away from finishing Trinity&rsquo;s program.
Do you prefer soloing or playing as part of a band?
Definitely being part of a band. I love playing with them &mdash; we come up with fresh ideas together and the music just flows.
What&rsquo;s your favorite song to play?
&ldquo;Johnny B. Goode.&rdquo; I love the sound; it&rsquo;s fast and challenging, and I also love the movie Back to the Future, where it was featured.
If you could play with any global band, who would it be?
Metallica, hands down. I love their music and would love to be in their band one day.
Would you ever mix rock with other genres?
Not really, I prefer keeping genres separate. I love rock as it is, and I enjoy jazz too &mdash; but on its own.
<a href="https://ibb.co/KjDxDc5p"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/pvQjQ61B/490703614-17876595789313932-7965669888157997595-n.jpg" alt="490703614-17876595789313932-7965669888157997595-n" border="0" /></a>&nbsp;
Alex (Drummer)
Why did you choose drums?
I used to listen to a lot of rock with my dad in the car and the drums always stood out to me. I felt like I could really connect with that instrument and maybe become a great drummer someday.
Drumming takes serious time and energy. How do you balance it with school?
I never miss music practice. I play both drums and bass guitar, so I schedule my practice on weekends. If we have long rehearsals before performances, I bring my schoolwork and study in between.
Do drums help you express your emotions?
Absolutely. Drumming makes me happy and I often tap on anything around me &mdash; it&rsquo;s how I release all my energy, even my anger sometimes.
What&rsquo;s a performance moment you&rsquo;ll never forget?
During this year&rsquo;s Battle of the Bands, I knew I played really well. One of the judges, Amr Yehia, complimented everyone, but saved the best for last. He said, &ldquo;If there were an award just for drums, I&rsquo;d give it to you.&rdquo;
What&rsquo;s your dream for the band?
To stay together, grow bigger, and become famous like Metallica or Queen.
<a href="https://ibb.co/FLBz1L3S"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/cSNQ9S3G/491438273-17876595801313932-1446863959011353927-n.jpg" alt="491438273-17876595801313932-1446863959011353927-n" border="0" /></a>&nbsp;
Zeyad (Keyboardist)
How did you start playing keyboard?
It actually started by chance. Back in fifth grade, my music teacher asked us to learn an instrument and present a full song at the end of the year. I joined a Rock and Pop academy and fell in love with the electric piano. Now, I also play electric guitar and drums &mdash; I want to understand how every instrument adds to a song.
Do you prefer writing original music or playing covers?
Both. Covers help me explore different tones, but I&rsquo;ve started writing short melodies &mdash; sometimes spontaneously or during jam sessions with the band.
What&rsquo;s your favorite part about performing with the band?
That moment when we&rsquo;re all in sync, playing like one mind. The energy we create together feels bigger than any of us alone. That&rsquo;s why I love being in a band.
Do you enjoy experimenting with electronic sounds or prefer classical piano?
I love experimenting with synths and electronic tones &mdash; it gives me space to invent unique sounds and blend ideas, even if I&rsquo;m not using the original instrument.
What&rsquo;s your dream as a musician?
I want people to recognize my sound instantly &mdash; &ldquo;that&rsquo;s Zeyad.&rdquo; I dream of doing music production, collaborating with local and international bands, and composing soundtracks for film and TV. I&rsquo;m excited to see where our music can go.
&nbsp;

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