Newcomer Mo (Mohammed Badawi) has teamed up with Serbian star DJ and Producer Igor Garnier for the hot single “Used 2BU”. Mo has been singing for nearly 7 years, with performances at Arena Stage in Washington, DC and local Washington, DC venues. Although “Used 2BU” is Mo’s first copyrighted song, under Igor Garnier’s watchful production, he has the sound and feel of a seasoned veteran.

The song USED 2BU features a subtle Middle Eastern influence with layered musical elements. The song captures Mo’s tender voice, and the video brings the song alive visually. Check “Used 2BU” out at:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=qJs5ku05wJ8
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/igorgarnier/igor-garnier-feat-mo-used-2bu

1.) What elements and/or characteristics made you say to yourself that you wanted to do music for a living? Who are your influences/heroes/role models?

At first, I never saw myself singing, yet the more I would sing alone, the more I would enjoy the art. When I sang at my middle school talent show for the first time, I felt the passion for the craft, since at the time I loved the applause and praise. However, the main reason I began to perform was the feeling of self-satisfaction I would receive in doing a good job at my performance. I look up to many people in my life: my parents, Bruno Mars, David Dobrik, and many more.

2.) If you could compare yourself to an already established artist, who would that be and why? If you don’t like to compare yourself, then music-wise, what separates you from other musicians?

I believe that I am unique to other musicians because of my culture. I am Arabic, and that is evident in my voice as I have a Middle Eastern kick, which I do not think many other artists have.

3.) Everyone in life goes through adversity of some sort. Is there anything in your life that has any influence on the kind of songs you write? What is the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure on your path to becoming a musician?

The songs I write are usually out of nowhere, because I have still not experienced any true hardships throughout my life. I wish I could say that something pushed me to create more music and put more emotion in, but for the moment there hasn’t been anything of the sort for me. However, being a singer, there are going to be a significant amount of critics. I have received my fair share of criticism, and it is the hardest thing singers and people in general have to go through, because criticism is often hard to listen to, yet a good artist should always listen to feedback.

4.) How do you prepare yourself to write certain songs? What is your song-writing and recording process?

When I write music, I start a beat with my hands and start singing randomly. 90% of what I sing is not useable, yet that small 10% comes out just right. Once I have a melody down for a song, I start writing lyrics. I just try to write about my life or about a life that I wish I had.

5.) Unfortunately the music industry is full of talented individuals who just don’t get any recognition for their talent and/or hard work. What do you plan to do to make sure you stand out and get noticed? Would you rather be on a major label or would you rather stay independent? Why or why not? In regards to the music industry itself, do you think that the traditional music industry model as we know it is dead?

I plan to put my personality out there before my voice, because I believe that my personality could intrigue people enough to eventually enjoy my voice regardless. It would be a dream to work with a record label in my opinion. I just feel like that is a goal that makes someone think “I made it”, and that really is a dream I hope to achieve someday. The traditional music industry model has completely changed nowadays. Before SoundCloud, America’s got Talent, and YouTube, it was a much more difficult field to enter, but the people who worked hard and had the talent would succeed. However, nowadays anyone can succeed as long as they do what the people like as well as being lucky.

6.) Are you able to make a living with your music? If so, how were you able to attain a career doing what you love? If not, what do you do in order to fund your music career? What advice would give to someone who’s interested in pursuing a career in music?

No, I do not make a living with my music at the moment. Since I am not living alone yet, my parents help me with my musical endeavors because they are supportive of my singing. If someone wanted to go into the music business, I would tell them to believe in themselves so others could also believe in them, because a person without any self-confidence will not make it anywhere.

7.) How do you think the internet and social media affected the music industry and how musicians are able to market themselves? Social media is obviously an extremely important element in today’s world, especially when it comes to business, branding, marketing, etc. With that being said, do you think an artist will be able to survive in today’s music industry if they’re not social media savvy?

Social media has made it so much easier for aspiring artists to make it big in the music industry. These apps are helping artists show off their music without having to pay anyone to market it for them. If an artist is not familiar with social media and the internet, he/she has to learn quickly, because it will make the process that much easier.

8.) Artists who try to make music for the general public and make more money are usually seen as “sell-outs.” Do you see it that way and if so, what do you plan to do to make sure your music stays true to your brand and make a good living at the same time without having to “sell out”?

I don’t see it as selling out because making a living is all that matters. As long as someone is making enough money to support themselves and their families then there’s no shame in doing what others enjoy.

9.) Professionally, where do you see yourself 5 years from now?

In 5 years, I expect myself to still be in college getting a Masters degree, as well as performing at local areas to gain experience and maybe one day get noticed by an agent and/or celebrity to help me grow.