1 week ago
4
Fresh off her performance at what many are calling “the wedding of the year”—the extravagant celebration of Netra Mantena and pharmaceutical magnate Vamsi Gadiraju, which also featured Jennifer Lopez—Nora Fatehi joined World Music Views via video call from India. Despite the miles between us, the signal was crisp, and so was Nora’s message: she’s here to make history, and she’s doing it on her own terms.
“If I call you normally, the network is never this good,” she joked at the start of the interview. “But here—it’s perfect.”
With social media buzzing about her background, Nora wasted no time addressing the question everyone has been debating: where she’s really from.
“I’m born and raised in Toronto. I’m Canadian.
My parents are from Morocco, so I’m North African.”
Her journey to India was not some carefully charted master plan but a leap of faith from a 22-year-old hustling through multiple jobs in Toronto. A modeling agency introduced her to India’s entertainment landscape—a world where cinema, dance, and music fuse in ways Hollywood doesn’t.
“I was very ambitious… It didn’t seem foreign for me to go to that part of the world and assimilate.”
Assimilate she did—but only through discipline few could endure. Learning Hindi consumed her life.
“I stopped having a life for many years…
I’d be at home learning the language eight hours a day.”
From reality shows to blockbuster films, Nora transformed from outsider to one of Bollywood’s most admired performers.
Carving a Dual Identity: Bollywood Star & International Artist
By 2019, even as her Bollywood profile soared, Fatehi began investing in a parallel dream: her own international music career.
“I was conscious about making English music—Afro, dancehall, pop influences.”
She collaborated with Rayvanny, Zack Knight, CKay, Jason Derulo, and of course Shenseea—the Jamaican star she had admired long before the collaboration.
“I’ve been supporting Shenseea for years.
I loved her delivery, her persona… I used to post her songs and she’d DM me to thank me.”
Their new track “Just a Girl” isn’t officially part of Nora’s upcoming EP—yet.
“It’s just a single to test the waters.
But maybe I’ll add it to the album… right now there are five tracks, but I may add more.”
In 2022, she performed the FIFA World Cup anthem and at the closing ceremony—her global breakout moment.
Warner Records took notice.
“They realized I’m not just a Bollywood actress…
They were fascinated by how cosmopolitan and multicultural my profile is.”
She signed with Warner via Five Junctions, the label of her manager—one of the most respected women in the industry.
“She broke Priyanka Chopra into Hollywood…
I DMed her and realized she already followed me.”
On Shenseea, Dancehall & Bringing New Genres to India
Nora is an encyclopedia of dancehall culture.
“I’ve been listening to dancehall since I was 15—Vybz Kartel, Mavado…
When I was in India nobody knew what dancehall was. I had to explain it.”
She became a bridge between cultures, helping usher Afro and dancehall sounds into India from 2020–2023.
Her global understanding is why she’s confident no one else from her industry can do what she’s doing.
“There’s nobody from my industry that understands global sound the way I do.
Afro, dancehall, pop, hip-hop, Arabic, Moroccan—it’s my background.”
Upcoming? A dancehall-driven track with Stefflon Don and Ruger.
Jimmy Fallon: A Milestone U.S. TV Debut
Her U.S. television debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon with Shenseea blew up instantly.
“It was life-changing… Cynthia walked me through my nerves.
I had no idea the video had passed a million views.”
The Indian Wedding Performance Phenomenon
Nora remains booked at India’s most extravagant private events.
“This wedding was one of the biggest of the year—Jennifer Lopez, Tiësto…
They take weddings very seriously. It feels like performing at an awards show.”
On her own rate?
“Oh no, I don’t talk money, my friend.
All I’ll say is—they pay well. Very generous.”
A full tour is coming—but not until late 2026.
“I need more music out. I have something with David Guetta and Ciara early next year.”
She plans to headline her own tour but feature past collaborators.
Cracking Spotify, Dominating YouTube
Nora is one of YouTube’s most streamed performers on Earth—over 8–9 billion views under her name.
“People want to watch me. My brand is dance, visuals, choreography.”
The challenge? Teaching fans that streaming audio matters.
“It’ll take time to convert my 40 million followers into streaming without visuals.”
Bollywood, Hollywood & the Global Puzzle
Fatehi sees North America not as a new chapter but as the missing piece.
“It’s homecoming.
My journey can’t end in Bollywood. I have to merge both markets—which hasn’t been done yet.”
And yes—Hollywood acting is on the way.
“That is definitely in the cards.”
Becoming the First of Her Kind
Nora Fatehi is fully aware she is attempting something unprecedented.
“Nobody’s done it.
I was the first Moroccan Canadian to go to Bollywood.
The first non-Indian to break in there.
I guess I’ll be the first Bollywood star to break globally through English music.”
English (US) ·