A young Marwan named “Nordo” would sneak into Tunisia’s storied Carthage Festival, lurking close to the arena walls, simply to see his idols perform before the fame and the masses. He sold out his first show days in advance and returned to that same stage over twenty years later, this time as the main act rather than a fan.
The Tunisian superstar, who is releasing his first full-length album, Cotinga, this month, is featured on the cover of Billboard Arabia. He brings with him a tale of tenacity, drive, and unadulterated passion for music.
Not only was Nordo’s ascent to fame unexpected, but it was also all but inevitable. Because of the struggles he faced as a child, not because he was untalented. The true challenge was surviving a childhood in which even the necessities were uncertain, not making it into the music industry.
The Tunisian star talks candidly about everything in an exclusive conversation with Billboard Arabia in Dubai. “I had a hard time getting by. only to stay alive. to consume. to go to sleep without hunger. I was worn down by that,” he recalls. “I did not get tired from making songs. Love was music. 
I sang even while we were without food. He eventually discovered how to transform his most difficult experiences into songs that speak to millions of people by directing that suffering into the studio.
