Palestinian techno DJ Sama’ Abdulhadi acknowledges ‘heart-warming’ Derry support after Celtronic set

The techno DJ and producer was greeted with a massive Palestinian flag draped across the entrance of the Nerve Centre during her recent set at the legendary Derry dance festival.

“It's really heart-warming coming in and finding all the support for Palestine, especially - obviously it's Ireland so there is that special connection -the Irish struggle and the Palestinian struggle are very common in a lot of ways,” she said.

Born in Jordan in 1990, Sama’ is the granddaughter of the late Issam Abdulhadi, whose family were deported from Palestine due to her activism.

Sama’, the first internationally recognised Palestinian DJ, has been an unwavering voice against the occupation and what she views as an unfolding genocide in her homeland.

"Having the support from outside just kind of gives us the energy to continue the fight because we are not screaming into a void any more. There is resonation and it really means a lot,” she said.

"Even in protests, we have music going on and we're dancing because it lets out all the stress and all the energy and you need that sometimes especially when you are in a crowd and you are connecting with each other. You need that bond as well,” she said.

Sama’ first rose to prominence in Lebanon blending Berlin techno with the rhythms and emotions of her Middle Eastern roots in Beirut.

Her journey led her to a legendary 2018 Boiler Room set in Ramallah in the Occupied West Bank, which quickly became a milestone in her career, amassing over 12 million views and solidifying her status in the global electronic music community.

In the years since, Sama has performed at some of the biggest stages worldwide, all while remaining deeply committed to her activism.

A committed advocate, she continuously speaks out against the war on Gaza and works to amplify the voices of the marginalised through initiatives such as Union in Ramallah and Resilience.

She said it was a privilege to play in Derry: “I'm so sad that it's the last Celtronic but I'm very happy to catch it once at least. It's really an honour to be here.”