womanthismonth.com | AUGUST 2026 LIFESTYLE 110 It’s beautiful that, through a song, I’m able to connect with another human being who has shared a similar emotion or experience. I also hope to encourage people to be in touch with their feelings through my music.” She also hopes more young women feel empowered to pursue creative careers, despite the doubts they may encounter along the way. “In a place like Bahrain, it is difficult to block out that noise,” she observes. “You will hear that pursuing music or other creative careers, like drawing or painting or acting or dancing, is not a good choice because it will not give you security. But that’s when you need to have courage to be true to yourself and give yourself the chance to dream. No one knows the true path to your happiness but yourself. As long as you’re For Reem Baqeri, songwriting began as a private conversation with herself. Long before she shared her music with audiences, it became a way of understanding her own emotions, laying the foundation for the artist she would become. That journey began at home, where her father, a music teacher, regularly played the piano and her mother’s karaoke gatherings filled the house with song. Creativity became part of everyday life, and songwriting soon evolved into a deeply personal outlet. “Writing songs was something I started doing as a teenager as a form of journalling,” she recalls. University introduced Reem to musical theatre for the first time, an experience that transformed a lifelong love of music into a clear career ambition. “That’s where I was first exposed to musical theatre and completely fell in love with it,” she reflects. “That’s when I realised I wanted to take music seriously and pursue it professionally.” For Reem, the creative process has always been where she has felt the most alive. It is what comes afterwards that can prove more difficult. “I truly never hesitate to start writing or to make songs. It’s more a matter of when I’m ready to share these songs with the world,” she explains. Reem says Bahrain’s social culture has also influenced the themes she explores in her songwriting. “A common thing I’ve noticed in Bahrain’s social culture is emotional avoidance. As someone who is very emotional, that encourages me to share my music and connect with people through the stories I share in my lyrics, because I want to encourage people to be vulnerable and be in touch with their own feelings as well,” she remarks. For Reem, those conversations should not end when the music does. “Being in touch with your own feelings means knowing exactly what you are feeling and what makes you feel that way,” she adds. “It’s a beautiful thing that we are emotional beings, so knowing your emotions means knowing your own self.” Reem also takes great pride in representing Bahrain wherever she performs. “I’ve always loved who Bahrainis are as a whole,” she acknowledges. “We’re proud, loud and you’ll always find us smiling and laughing because we really appreciate the little things. That’s something that’s always given me the confidence I need wherever I go and whenever I’m performing abroad. I’m proud to call myself a Bahraini singer-songwriter.” While performing in New York, Reem had the chance to watch a Broadway Sings performance before taking to the stage herself. “Seeing the performers right before me really gave me the confidence I needed and the push to truly pursue music as a full-time career,” she remembers. One track on Reem’s debut album tested her confidence before it was released and almost did not make the final cut. “I was scared it was too vulnerable and that people would not like that,” she admits. “After sharing it with an audience, however, I found out it was one of their favourites.” As she continues to write, Reem hopes her music keeps resonating with listeners. “I hope people can find comfort in the lyrics and music I write,” she reflects. “I think humans go through a lot of similar emotional experiences. pursuing your passion, you’re truly living.”
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy Mjk0MTkxMQ==