On The Up: Kurdish-Kiwi singer Nouri on her journey from refugee to rising through the Gospel charts

From being born in a Syrian refugee camp to featuring on Billboard’s prestigious Gospel Charts, Vivian Nouri is a living, breathing example of On The Up. The Kurdish-Kiwi singer takes every day as a blessing, using her music to inspire, connect, and ultimately heal the world through song. Mitchell Hageman hears how her New Zealand upbringing and quiet determination helped pave the way for success.

“It’s bigger than music,” the quote on Nouri’s Instagram bio reads. After just 17 minutes of speaking to the humble songstress, you’ll start to see why. As her family learned to speak English and adapt to a new country and way of life in Aotearoa, Vivian Nouri grew up idolising ballad icons like Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston.



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