About

Amanda Abizaid is driven by a singular ambition: to foster peace and connection through the universal language of song. “I believe in world peace, and I want everybody to feel welcomed and embraced when they hear me sing,” she says. “We all have more in common than we think. We want good lives and we want our children to be safe – that’s true no matter where you live.”

An award-winning singer-songwriter, flautist, pianist and guitarist, Abizaid has defined her career through a unique "indie-pop meets global crossover" sound, often woven with the spellbinding melodies of her Lebanese heritage. While her lyrics frequently navigate heart-wrenching subjects, they never sermonize. Instead, she anchors her messages in rich grooves, irresistible hooks and music that is joyous – often intensely so – all centered around an incandescent voice that remains her most dynamic and communicative instrument.

Born in Beirut to an American mother and a Mexican-Lebanese father, Abizaid’s early years were marked by the striking duality of Mediterranean beauty and the harrowing realities of the Lebanese Civil War. She vividly recalls the surreal experience of singing lush harmonies with her sisters against a grim backdrop of bomb drills, snipers and checkpoints. Following a mass exodus that claimed 150,000 lives and displaced millions, Abizaid moved with her mother and siblings to Poughkeepsie, New York. “It was incredible to come to the United States and experience a new kind of life, but that didn’t make the troubles disappear,” she says. “My father stayed in Beirut, and the ongoing conflicts in Lebanon have made it difficult for me to return. I’ve spent a lifetime worried about him.”

Abizaid had a certain awareness that something was troubling her, but she didn’t know how to articulate it until she heard a soldier speaking about PTSD on the radio. “He was explaining how he felt and how it affected his relationships, and I thought, ‘He could be talking about me,’” she says.

At age 18, her life almost ended as it was just getting started when she was struck by a drunk driver. “I absolutely had an out-of-body experience,” she says. “I remember the message that was given to me in spirit was that what happens in this human experience is very important, and you need to live your life in truth.’ From that moment on, my life became very serious to me.”

In her mind and in private, Abizaid was always a singer (“I knew it as a little girl, but I was scared to death to do anything with it”), but a career as a high-fashion model loomed. She was even offered an invitation to work for Chanel. But at age 30, reaching the literal and figurative “end of the runway” at age 30, she chose to pivot to her true calling. “There was no going back,” she says. “I was going to sing, and I was going to be of service to others through my music.”

Her influences are a broad and intriguing mix, ranging from the vocal power of Aretha Franklin and Whitney Houston to the storytelling sincerity of Fairuz, whom she calls “the very first Lebanese singer.” She has drawn inspiration from virtuoso guitarists Russ Hewitt and Kabir Sehgal (the latter of whom is both a mentor and peer), and the flute- driven rock of Ian Anderson.

Abizaid’s striking soprano voice was never destined to remain a secret. Her definitive breakthrough arrived in 2004 with "A Place In Time," the Emmy-winning theme for Paramount’s sci-fi hit The 4400. The haunting track earned praise from The New York Times and Forbes, effectively launching a prolific career that now spans seven albums and three EPs.

That momentum carried her to stages around the globe and into high-profile collaborations. Beyond performing the national anthem at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion and Jackie Robinson Stadium, she has shared the spotlight with legends like Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter.

Perhaps her most enduring connection is with rock icon Stephen Stills, who contributed to her track "Walking in Twos." For Abizaid, Stills has been both a mentor and a North Star. "He's the one who told me to back up and just keep it simple," she recalls. "He said, 'Tell the story, come up with a couple guitar licks, and the rest will follow.' At first, I thought, 'Isn’t there more than that?' But when I really sat down and thought about it, he was absolutely correct."

For Abizaid, music serves as a vital tool for healing, particularly for those navigating the shadows of PTSD and war. Her creative path took a deeply personal turn following the passing of her grandmother – a spiritual "jolt" that inspired her first song in Arabic. "I felt her spirit, and she shared that melody of the chorus with me," Abizaid says. "What I’m singing in Arabic is what she used to say to me when I was a little girl. It's the story of my upbringing." This reconnection to her roots birthed the acclaimed remix EP Dangerous and Young, a bilingual project that garnered international music video awards and further solidified her reputation as a cross-cultural storyteller.

Abizaid’s versatility extends from the concert hall to the community. A classically trained flautist, she’s performed with the American Victory Orchestra and has sung with the Metropolitan Master Chorale.

She balances her performance schedule with a commitment to global service. As the Cultural Ambassador for HelpPhilippineSchools.org, she works alongside founder and former U.S. Marine Robert Wagner to provide essential resources to children in need. "He asked me to encourage people to learn about the situation in the Philippines – the poverty and the needs of the students," she explains. "I’m able to share that with my fans, collect support, and see exactly how it’s spent on school supplies and lighting. Knowing those kids have what they need because of our efforts – that is what the position is truly about."

Along the way, she’s picked up awards, such as “Best World Music Female Artist 2025” from the Radio Music Awards, and she was inducted into the Indie Music Hall of Fame. She’s a four-time Josie Award nominee, and a U.S.A. Songwriting Competition finalist. She has been featured on Apple Music’s “Holidays Around The World” front page, she charted in the iTunes Top 10, and she has received radio play across the globe.

Abizaid now releases her most ambitious and personal work to date, Singing Soldier. Produced by the legendary Narada Michael Walden (the architect behind multi-platinum hits for Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey), the album is a transformative, bilingual masterpiece. Recording on the same microphone once used by the Queen of Soul, Abizaid tapped into a raw, passionate energy that bridges the gap between pop sensibility and global advocacy.

The album is dedicated to children of war around the world, and the sweeping title track was inspired by a young boy she met years ago when teaching a songwriters’ workshop in the Philippines. “He said, ‘I want to be a singing soldier,’” Abizaid recalls. “He started singing a Journey song, and I was just floored.”

The record is filled with masterstrokes, from the vibrant groove of “Peace War” and the transfixing ballad “Warrior” to the knockout pop-reggae hooks of “Taka Tak Tak.” “That one was so hard,” she says. “I wanted it to be fun, but obviously what I’m singing about isn’t lighthearted at all. ‘Taka tak tak’ – that’s what it sounded like when I saw bullets flying.”

“Love is the Vessel” is epic and achingly beautiful, a song Abizaid started from a dream but found too painful to complete until she saw an image of Palestinian girl with a man reaching out for her hand. “She was so stunned she didn't understand how to grab his hand,” Abizaid says. “This made me finish the song and dedicate it to her.” The fiery rhythms of “Red Sun” are dizzyingly sensual and hypnotic, and the song’s broad-appeal message hits home: “It’s about unity and equality, how we all bleed the same and love the same,” she says. “We’re all human and war affects us all because we live under the same sun and on the same earth that will respond the same when we destroy it.”

For Abizaid, working with the multi-talented Walden was a dream come true. “I’m so over the moon about working with Narada,” she says. “I grew up singing so many of the songs he’s produced, but I didn’t know it, so it was remarkable to be in the same room with him. Because he’s a brilliant musician himself, he knows how artists feel and respond. He knows pop, but he’s adventurous. He doesn’t want to settle, and neither do I. In so many ways, he brought out the best in me, and I’m so thankful.” She laughs, then adds, “And to think that I sang on the same microphone that Aretha Franklin used. What an incredible experience!”