Make Music Matter has touched thousands of lives around the world. It would be impossible to create such a widespread impact without our local leaders who are spearheading the Healing in Harmony model and helping trauma survivors become artists in their own right.
Meet Bshr Zaiter, our Healing in Harmony Music Producer and Program Coordinator based in Gaziantep, Turkey. He has worked on a number of MMM projects with youth in both Syria and Turkey, helping them to process the trauma experienced as a consequence of war, displacement, and most recently the 2023 earthquake in south east Turkey. Bshr is a trained sound engineer, accomplished producer, and founder of FluRhymez Unit Records. His resilience, passion, and dedication to this project have inspired all of us at MMM, and we’d now like to share his story with you.
Please enjoy Bshr’s life’s story written in his own words in addition to his answers to our most burning questions.
A Journey from Damascus to Healing through Music
I was born in Damascus, Syria in 1994, and my relationship with music began at the age of 10 when I first picked up the violin. It wasn’t long before I was performing at cultural events and centres across Syria, not just in Damascus. Those early days on stage were where my dreams of a life in music truly took root.
At 18, I had the incredible opportunity to work behind the scenes at SpaceToon TV, the iconic children’s television network beloved across the Middle East. I began to explore music production in a professional setting, laying the foundation for my future. However, in 2011, the Syrian revolution interrupted everything. I became deeply involved in the popular movement and was later arrested. In 2013, I managed to flee Damascus, wounded both physically and emotionally, and sought refuge in Raqqa. A year later, escaping further threats, I crossed into Turkey.
Despite these hardships, I found a way to keep moving forward. I was accepted into the Department of Optical and Acoustical Engineering at Gaziantep University, where I graduated in 2019. During my studies, I balanced my engineering coursework with a growing passion for music. In 2014, I began rapping under the name “Flu”—a name that reflects how creativity often emerged for me from a place of suffering and struggle, as both a refugee and a rebel.
While studying and working in Gaziantep and Istanbul, I honed my skills as a producer and audio engineer, collaborating with various studios and radio stations. In 2019, my journey with Make Music Matter (MMM) began. I contributed as a music producer to their Healing in Harmony model in Gaziantep, working with 40 children with disabilities. Initially, it was an emotionally difficult experience—I carried my own traumas and felt uncertain about how to guide others through theirs. But as the sessions continued, I witnessed the children begin to open up, and I found that I too was healing through the process.
One of the most unforgettable moments came when a child with autism, who barely spoke, helped me create the rhythm for the group’s song during a period of artistic block. It was a powerful reminder that healing and creativity flow in both directions. After one session, the children told me, “We are like a bee—strong and beautiful.” That simple sentence has stayed with me ever since.
In 2021, I took a major step forward by founding FluRhymez Unit Records, an independent label dedicated to creating meaningful music and fostering social impact. We are still in the early stages, but I am proud of the projects we have completed, collaborating with international organizations and artists, while continuing to develop my craft and support emerging talents.
In 2023, after the devastating earthquake in Turkey, I co-founded Harmony, an independent initiative focused on trauma recovery through music for children affected by disaster and displacement. Harmony was brought to life through a collaboration with MMM, Spaces of Culture, and Kids Rainbow Center. Working on Harmony has been one of the most rewarding chapters of my life so far—watching children turn pain into songs, and silence into voices, has been truly transformative.
What inspires you musically?
My inspiration comes from the resilience of people who have faced unthinkable challenges, and from my own journey through conflict, exile, and reinvention. Sonically, I draw from classical Arabic melodies, contemporary hip-hop, and the raw sounds of underground and alternative scenes across the region and globally.
What have you learned through the Healing in Harmony model and working with Make Music Matter?
It has taught me that music is not just art; it is medicine. It is a bridge for connection, healing, and empowerment. I learned to listen deeply, not just to melodies, but to the stories and emotions behind them. The model gave me a new perspective on my role—not just as a producer, but as someone who can hold space for others to process and release their pain through sound.
What is the role of music in bringing people together?
Music transcends language and background. It allows people to express the unspeakable and to find common ground. In conflict zones or communities affected by trauma, music can be a powerful unifier, creating bonds where words might fail. For me, music has been a passport, a therapy session, and a form of resistance.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
After everything I’ve been through, it’s difficult to make predictions. But I trust that wherever I am, I’ll be creating—both for myself and for others. I hope to see FluRhymez Unit Records grow into a platform that continues to amplify unheard voices, and for Harmony to expand and touch more lives across borders. Most importantly, I see myself staying true to my purpose, wherever it may lead me.
We’d like to thank Bshr for championing the Healing in Harmony model and introducing it to his community where together we are creating lasting change. With music anything is possible – and we can’t wait to see what the future holds for this project.
To support Bshr’s work with the youth collective entitled Harmony – stream their debut EP “Echoes of Light” now.
