Imarhan

Desert blues with electronic dreams: A new wave of Tuareg music. 

When Imarhan released their self-titled debut album in 2016, they stepped into a genre flooded with talent, but they still managed to rise to the top and were heralded as the “new wave Of Tuareg music“ by Fact Magazine and The Guardian. 

Imarhan are sometimes called the little brothers of Tinariwen – and although the bands are quite different in many ways, there is something to it: Imarhans front figure, Iyad Moussa Ben Abderahmane (aka Sadam), is a cousin of Tinariwen bass player Eyadou Ag Leche, and at early stages in their career, Imarhan got guidance from the modern Tuareg legends. 

They have also created a world of their own. On their albums, Imarhan have sought to expand their pallet of sounds, drawing on funk, fuzz, disco and rock, playing ever more raucous, ecstatic live shows, while pushing their studio sound into new territories. Their 2026 album Essam is a bubbling and playful affair, expanding on the band's nimble acoustic sounds with subtle use of electronics and effects. 

Imarhan tries to use their music as a wake up call for unity. Sadam boils down their worldview in this way: “People should love each other, everyone should get to know their neighbour. We need to have the same approach as our elders. You will stumble across an old man who knows the world and he will hand down his knowledge to his children.” 

They have visited Oslo World before, as part of Festival au Desert in 2013. Back then, they had yet to release their first album. In 2026 they return to our festival as seasoned headliners, and one of the highlights of the festival. Do not miss out. 

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