Change your tune for the weekend with BURO’s weekly playlist brought to you by the ‘IT’ artists in town.
Today, look no further than this super-duper playlist curated to take you on a sonic adventure by MATTEO EL KHODR. So, whether you’re looking to jam out with friends or chill this week-end, hit play and let the music take over. Get ready to be transported to a whole new world of sound and enjoy the ride.
The Countertenor Who Can Do It All (And Probably Already Has).
Born in Beirut in 1986, Matteo El Khodr is a triple-threat artist, a self-taught countertenor with a voice that defies gravity, a painter with a patriotic brushstroke, and an actor who’s graced both stage and screen. From a young age, it was clear he was more than just a daydreamer. His parents, quick to spot his flair for the arts, signed him up for piano and painting lessons, the first sparks of what would become a full-blown artistic blaze.
In 2004, El Khodr swapped Beirut for Paris, sealing an exclusive deal with Universal Music France. He dove into formal training at the esteemed École Normale de Musique with operatic ambitions, honing his rare vocal gift under the guidance of legends like Michel Piquemal and Andreas Scholl.
While his voice soared, his feet stayed (mostly) on the ground, thanks to his father, who nudged him to keep up his architecture studies, which he’d started at the Lebanese University. And because one creative hustle isn’t enough, Matteo dipped his toes into fashion too, working as an assistant buyer and rubbing shoulders with the industry’s who’s-who between 2005 and 2006.
But El Khodr isn’t just a voice, he’s a screen presence, too. He charmed audiences in the Lebanese rom-com Khabsa (2018) and the TV drama Shatti Ya Beirut (2021). His breakout moment came in 2020, when he wowed judges and viewers alike on The Voice France, bringing his one-of-a-kind sound to a global stage.
Despite his international journey, Lebanon remains his muse. After returning to Beirut right before the first COVID-19 lockdown, El Khodr reignited his love for painting. The result? Lebanon in Painting, his debut solo show in March 2024 at Kalim Art Space, 20 vibrant acrylic canvases capturing the heart and soul of the nation, inspired by the passion and protest of the 2020 Lebanese uprising.
Opera, canvas, camera, Matteo El Khodr doesn’t just dabble, he dazzles. A true creative chameleon, he continues to blur the lines between disciplines, making his mark wherever art is made.
