Pinwheel Valley, the genre-defying project helmed by Jordanian-Canadian artist Qais Khoury, makes a striking return with the release of new single ‘Werewolf’, out June 10th via Hot Soap Records. A brooding blend of cinematic depth and raw introspection, the track expands on the sound that’s earned over 2 million streams and praise from outlets including CLASH Magazine, NOTION, and Billboard Argentina, as well as awards for the project’s visually arresting music videos. Formerly known as KAIS, Qais has re-emerged as Pinwheel Valley, drawing inspiration from the likes of Jeff Buckley and Radiohead to craft a sound that touches on Indie Soul, ambient Alt-Rock, and atmospheric Folktronica. With roots stretching from Amman to London, Vancouver, and now Cyprus, Qais brings a globally nuanced perspective to his art—‘Werewolf’ standing tall as both a confessional cry and an anthemic statement from a voice unafraid to blur the lines.
Tell us about you, how long have you been making music? What inspired you to start?
Hey, first off thanks so much for having me. Really appreciate the opportunity. It’s cool to be featured here, especially since I used to spend a lot of time in Shoreditch back when I was living in London. Feels a bit like coming full circle.
So yeah, I’m Qais Khoury. I’ve been making and writing music since I was about 15. I’m 36 now, so it’s been a little over 20 years. I released my first album in 2013, which kind of marked the start of my public journey, even though I ended up taking that album down later. I just didn’t feel like it fully represented me or the level I wanted to be at.
I got into music after doing a few school talent shows where I actually placed first a couple of times. That gave me the confidence to think, “Okay, maybe I should give this a real shot.” And that’s pretty much how it all started.
The music industry is super competitive these days, was there a moment in your life that you wanted to give up on music? How did you manage to stay focused and achieve what you want?
I think music is more than super competitive. The music industry will break your spirit. And that’s because the industry itself is not spiritual.
Music however, is. It’s the pulse of our emotions and the language of our souls. You have to remind yourself almost every day (in spite of the industry’s hunger for profit, not purpose) why you started making music. It’s because you were sitting in your room one day as a teen listening to The Verve’s Bittersweet Symphony or Fix You by Coldplay, and you cried. You cried because the music made you feel real. I second what Jeff Buckley once said about what it feels to sing when he said “ I feel like I am crying! It’s the middle point between laughing and immense joy and crying. I feel the best when I’m singing.” He also stated that “singing is a way to express unspeakable things, transforming people and feeling like he’s revealing secrets”. That’s exactly how I feel about music, and I’m lucky to be a singer/songwriter who can express both my sorrows and joys through the things I write — To pull spiritual gems up from the pits of my soul and say to the world with my heart in my hand “Here’s what I’ve got for you”.
How would you describe your creative processes? Are the music and lyrics written in conjunction, or separately?
My creative process starts by capturing the spark of an idea as soon as it appears. I’ll try to explore it immediately. That could be as simple as humming it into my phone if I’m away from my instruments or the studio. I’ll use my phone to record vocal sketches. It’s a simple habit, but it keeps me in the creative flow and helps avoid the frustration of losing a strong idea to memory. Sometimes, just humming into the phone can reveal melodic or lyrical ideas that end up becoming core elements of a track. And my voice has been a guide to my songs in the early stages of the creative process. It’s led to surprisingly intuitive and inspiring ideas.
When it comes to writing music and lyrics, it really depends on the moment. Sometimes inspiration hits all at once, and both the music and lyrics come together in a single flow. That was the case with my latest release, Werewolf. But songs like that are rare; they feel more like happy accidents than a process I can rely on. Most of the time, I start with my instrument and let the melody guide me. And I try to create a space where the lyrics can naturally rise out of the emotional tone of the music.
Where did the inspiration come from?
I think the inspiration to do music came from a reverence for God. Listening to music always made me feel close to God, but creating it myself sometimes brought me even closer. And I’ve always tried to write from an honest, authentic place, because I never saw the point of making music if it didn’t come from something real.
The next best feeling on earth to creating the music was performing it for others. Sharing that creation and feeling the crowd’s energy reflect it back. Those moments, that connection, feels like God acknowledging it all.
What’s next for you?
As I release a few more songs into the world, my main focus over the next few months is to take the best possible care of my newborn daughter, Florence. I want to see her grow up healthy and strong, so that I can feel at peace if and when my band goes back on tour. Fingers crossed for that.