{"id":1881955,"date":"2026-04-14T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-13T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1881955"},"modified":"2026-04-14T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T21:00:00","slug":"wonderland-133","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1881955","title":{"rendered":"Wonderland"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\t\t\tTHE QUIET ENLIGHTENMENT OF ANWAR HADID<\/span>
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Despite his famous family and recognisable last name, the singer and actor is unassuming, unaffected and determined to make his own rules.\u00a0<\/h3>\n
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All images courtesy of Anwar Hadid. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Imagine, for a moment, you\u2019re Anwar Hadid. Your Sunday morning farmer\u2019s market outfits<\/a> constitute sartorial supremacy. Your vocals, complex and gritty with enviable natural vibrato, are so compelling that your friends persuade you to pursue music. Your Palestinian-Dutch heritage practically guarantees an IMG modelling contract. You\u2019re romantically linked<\/a> to some of the world\u2019s most influential women \u2014 all of whom we admire for their discerning taste.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Famous family aside, these are reasons that the 26-year-old sits at the forefront of cultural consciousness, and that he ropes in regions of supporters through merely being himself. Currently, his Instagram advertises nothing \u2013 no posts, no stories \u2013 but seven million followers eagerly await any iota of info. He acknowledges this privilege; visibility is currency, and Anwar gets to decide when it\u2019s worth spending. Until now, he\u2019s been frugal, writing angsty alt-rock anthems for his new band HowVanish, while continuing work on his handcrafted leather accessories brand, Obsidien. Now, with an impending album release, he\u2019s ready to paint over the sketch marks that he was once drawn onto.<\/p>\n

For those who\u2019ve only encountered Anwar through a blurred lens, take it from me: his earnestness may be his greatest asset. He knocks over his phone every time he grows animated. He readily admits to zero social media strategy \u2013 for no other reason than zillennial scepticism. He\u2019s spiritual \u2013 not in the LA virtue-signalling, evangelical sense, but in a genuine pursuit of enlightenment. Below, he gets candid about it all, and so much more.<\/p>\n

Listen to HowVanish\u2019s debut single\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

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Read the interview\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

Between fashion and music, you have a lot going on. How do you creatively structure your day?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Most of the time, I\u2019m focused on one thing at a time. Right now, I have my high beams on with the music stuff. I\u2019m working on all that with the team that we built. So I try not to do too much at the same time. Although I have a lot of passions, I like to go into them fully one at a time. I\u2019m not killing myself to be doing too much because I am very intentional with what I make. I think patience is important.<\/p>\n

Take me back. Was your first album a solo project, or was it with Jaden?<\/strong><\/p>\n

No, I made a project with my best friend. I was 19, and we just made a lot of songs. We didn\u2019t edit any of them; we basically made the song, put it into a folder, and released it. Jaden got on one song from then, but it was a very interesting time. That was the start of our process now. After a long time, you realise there\u2019s not much work that has to be done if you create the right energy. This project we\u2019re about to release was so easy to make. We have another album that felt very difficult and long, stepping out of our comfort zone, which was fun for evolving our sound. But there\u2019s a magic in the freedom of how music comes to people to help them. When I was 19, music came to me at a time when I really needed to express myself. That\u2019s where we are back to now. It\u2019s not about being the best artist or making the best music; it\u2019s about what the music can do for you. We\u2019re custodians of the shit.<\/p>\n

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I was going to ask how much you think about public reception, but it sounds like the catharsis of just creating is the point for you.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yeah. And you hope that it will help people because that\u2019s what moves us forward. You want to give a little bit of whatever we learn and hope people can take from it.<\/p>\n

Has that always been the driving force? Initially, you needed an outlet, but does it feel the same now, seven or eight years later, or has it shifted more towards a career where you want to connect with fans?<\/strong><\/p>\n

No, I think it\u2019s both. I still need it. I had this song just the other day that was inside of me for a week, and I really needed to record it. So we made the song. I still have that feeling, but now we\u2019ve done a lot of exploring. We never let anybody fuck with our sound, but now it\u2019s really about connecting with people and actually releasing what we\u2019ve made. For a long time, we were just in our own bubble.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ve had a lot of proximity to the music industry and people having massive success. Does that add pressure and make you worry about being taken seriously, or does seeing it firsthand make it feel more possible?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019m competitive, and I believe anything is possible. I\u2019m really proud of the work my friends and I put into the music. I believe my music can stand with anybody. If it\u2019s been done, I can do it, especially having seen it around me. I don\u2019t need to be like anybody else; I just want to be the best version of myself. We have a beautiful, different perspective to offer, and I stand by it. I want to believe the thing I gave my life to is going to be of service to people and breathe life into what it can.<\/p>\n

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How does creating a physical product like clothing or leatherwork compare to making music? Does making something tangible feel more like a job?<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the same way I\u2019ve written poetry since I was young, I\u2019ve always worked with my hands. My friends call me Tinker because I\u2019m always crafting things like spears, knives, or furniture. When I\u2019m working on leather, making belts or bags, I can get lost in that flow state for ten hours. It\u2019s super physical with your hands. Music, on the other hand, is an exploration of consciousness.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s so vulnerable.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yeah, music is about how present I can be to express exactly what I want in that moment. Making things with my hands is very free. It\u2019s my wild side. It\u2019s more physical, smashing metal into leather, sometimes even using a rock to smash rivets if I don\u2019t have a hammer. You don\u2019t do that with music.<\/p>\n

Have you ever tried talk therapy? Is that helpful for your songwriting process?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I don\u2019t do therapy anymore. Music is my therapy. Therapy can be helpful for certain situations, but songwriters learn how to make a map of their life through their own words. If I can write a song that helps me come to terms with something bad that happened and give it meaning within something creative, that is therapy for me.<\/p>\n

I feel similarly. Sometimes people become over-therapized and overanalyze their feelings to the point where they can\u2019t channel them creatively anymore.<\/strong><\/p>\n

That\u2019s true. You have to leave some of it for God and leave some of it for yourself to sit with. At the end of the day, even if you have a trainer telling you what to do, you still have to put in the effort on your own to get results.<\/p>\n

Who were you in school growing up? What kind of kid were you?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I was a troublemaker, but I went into different modes. I played football, but I also played World of Warcraft on my computer. I was a bit of a nerd, but also not a nerd, always listening to music. I would get in trouble every day. My heart would race going to school because I knew this one teacher hated me and I\u2019d get pink slips daily. I had this constant fear that I was going to get in trouble.<\/p>\n

So you were a good kid rebelling, but feeling guilty about it?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I was naturally rebellious, and getting in trouble gave me anxiety. But I was a good kid and a nice guy, pretty balanced. Everybody\u2019s a little crazy when they\u2019re kids.<\/p>\n

You have such a nice, easy energy now, whereas a lot of kids who grew up in your world can become quite hardened.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I grew up around a lot of cool stuff. Living in Malibu, I was lucky that the way I grew up allowed me to be a lot of different things. My buddy and I talk about the privilege of being in this world a lot.<\/p>\n

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You\u2019ve always had one foot in fame and one foot out. Since you have the unique choice to take it or leave it, has deciding what you want to do been a conflict for you?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve definitely found a balance. There\u2019s beauty in both worlds. There\u2019s something about normalcy and humanity that I find really attractive, but there\u2019s also so much opportunity on the other side that I don\u2019t want to take for granted anymore.<\/p>\n

How do you handle the attention now? Do you get recognized, or can you step out and just be normal?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I can step out and be normal in some places. Where I live is super cool, lots of families, but in certain cities people notice me more. I\u2019m super chill, though. I don\u2019t roll with security unless I really need it. I\u2019m a low-profile, non-flashy guy.<\/p>\n

It must be a weird juxtaposition getting papped at the farmer\u2019s market, while at the same time everyone is praising your street style.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Honestly, what\u2019s so funny is that I\u2019ll literally roll out of bed so tired in random clothes. People were looking at those pictures saying they were sick, and I\u2019m thinking, I look crazy in these because I wasn\u2019t expecting it. I get my groceries there, it\u2019s right around the corner, and I\u2019ve been dozens of times with nobody taking pictures. But it is what it is. You just have to be present and ready for whatever blessings the universe has for you.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s refreshing because men\u2019s style in LA can be so monotonous. Seeing someone actually mix it up, have fun, captures people\u2019s imagination. You\u2019ve always been like that.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve always had that in me since I was young. I always wanted to make my own clothes, cut things, rip shirts, or wear mismatched socks and shoes. I was a little weirdo when I was a kid.<\/p>\n

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Do you have icons you pull inspiration from?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I don\u2019t really have a specific music or style icon. I\u2019m actually the type to try not to consume too much from the outside so I can do what is truly authentic to me. I believe that\u2019s what God wants from everybody. We\u2019re all made differently with different identities to create in the way we\u2019re supposed to, bringing down things that are authentic. They say authenticity is the highest vibration. By embracing our differences, we make the best possible product. That\u2019s my philosophy. I am inspired by artists and bands based on their energy and feeling, but I don\u2019t feel the need to put posters of them on my wall.<\/p>\n

Have you always been religious or did you come to it later?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019m Muslim, but I think Christianity is very beautiful. I love Jesus. My whole life, I\u2019ve sought God in many different ways. I\u2019ve been baptised and have friends from all religions, Christian, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, and Hindu. I believe God is an all-encompassing figure. I read The Essene Gospel of Peace, which is beautiful. In Islam, we talk about all the prophets, and I believe there\u2019s so much to learn from different places. Islam is about submission to God, the natural prayer. But you don\u2019t have to be in any religion to connect with God; all the laws and connections you need are in your heart. Connecting directly through your own prayers connects you more than just listening to another man\u2019s perception. I\u2019ve always searched for God in religion, people, nature, everywhere.<\/p>\n

What is your relationship with social media like now? You have millions of followers but no posts \u2014 it\u2019s refreshing to see someone who doesn\u2019t succumb to the pressure of constant visibility.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019m leaving a lot of stuff in the past and going on a new journey. I\u2019ll probably start posting pictures when that begins, but right now I\u2019m in a transitional period in my life. I\u2019d rather be potent in the times I\u2019m really needed than be seen constantly but not in the fullness of who I am. I\u2019ve been trying to cultivate that. With the music and how I feel going out into the world right now, I\u2019m happy being seen whenever I need to be. Hearing you say that gives me some peace and ease, because sometimes I feel a little conflicted. But there are a lot of new things coming, so I\u2019m on good time.<\/p>\n

Our culture constantly makes people feel like they are a step behind, so hearing you embrace your own timeline is such a nice sentiment.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I believe in the path. I could have gone down a lot of different roads, but somehow I\u2019m right where I\u2019m supposed to be. That happens when you keep believing and trying, even when you get derailed. You just have to have hope.<\/p>\n

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Your sisters have experienced enormous success in other creative fields. Do they give you advice on how to navigate the spotlight, even though they aren\u2019t in music?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Not really, we don\u2019t talk about that type of stuff. We\u2019re very supportive on an emotional level, but they\u2019ve always trusted my path. I used to cry when people took pictures of me when I was little; I really don\u2019t like it. So the way my life turned out and who I am is not a surprise to my family. They trust my timing and support me. The people who love me know I pursued music to pave my own path, and they let me do that.<\/p>\n

How has your sound evolved since you were a teenager?<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s evolved a lot, but we also held onto the core energy from that first album. Back then, my buddy Joey and I literally felt fireballs in our chests every day; this beautiful light was guiding us. We learned how important it is to remember that magic. It\u2019s not about getting lost in the industry; it\u2019s about expressing yourself, helping people, and playing the music. The songs evolve when you play them for people. That connection is the most important thing. When we made that first album, we just threw it together and put it out because we needed to create. We\u2019re bringing some of that pure energy back now, but in a more evolved, conscious way.<\/p>\n

What is your perspective on solo projects versus playing in a band? Why do you like collaborating?<\/strong><\/p>\n

God likes bands.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s hilarious, and probably true.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A band shows people that a group can do something greater than any individual. My buddy Shavo from System of a Down took us to a show, and seeing them on the biggest stage proved that God put them there to do something greater than each of them alone. Making music with Joey gave me a safe space. When I started, I couldn\u2019t sing at all. I was like a little mouse. Now I feel free to do whatever I want. We created our own sound and earned our place authentically. We could have written standard pop songs, but this is entirely our music and our writing. I did this with my friends, and I\u2019m proud of that.<\/p>\n

That was beautiful.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Oh, wait, look at this. It\u2019s Psalm 23. You brought up Christianity earlier, and I have this tattoo. Even though I\u2019m Muslim, my mom\u2019s side is Catholic\/Christian. It\u2019s all in me. I\u2019m just trying to respect all those parts and the war within myself, being half Palestinian and half Dutch. We all have to learn how to win the war within ourselves. That\u2019s how we can help the world.<\/p>\n

Words by Beatrice Hazlehurst<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

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\n\t\t\t\tRadio Is In Safe Hands With Sian Eleri\u00a0<\/span> <\/span><\/a>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Wonderland THE QUIET ENLIGHTENMENT OF ANWAR HADID Despite his famous family and recognisable last name, the singer and actor is unassuming, unaffected and determined to make his own rules.\u00a0 All images courtesy of Anwar Hadid. Imagine, for a moment, you\u2019re Anwar Hadid. Your Sunday morning farmer\u2019s market outfits constitute sartorial supremacy. Your vocals, complex and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,257],"class_list":["post-1881955","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-wonderlandmagazine-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1881955","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1881955"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1881955\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1881955"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1881955"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1881955"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}