" data-original-title="" title="">Ibrahim Maalouf's parents decided to move to Paris from Beirut in the early 1980s, it was meant to be temporary. The Lebanese civil war was raging and they chose to raise their family away from the violence. But the intention was always to return to Lebanon when the war ended. They did their best to educate their children in the traditional way, and because they were both musicians themselves, music was hugely important to them. They played arabic music in the house, and young Ibrahim studied classical arabic trumpet from the age of seven.

His father, trumpeter Nassim Maalouf had even invented a special microtonal trumpet or "quarter tone trumpet," which makes it possible to play Arabic maqams on the trumpet, and Ibrahim developed his sound and style using that unique instrument.

But as a young boy growing up in Paris in the 80s and 90s, he was also influenced by all the popular sounds around him—Michael Jackson, De La Soul, pop and soul music and dance. In the end, Maalouf's family stayed in Paris rather than returning to Lebanon, and Ibrahim has been processing that distance for much of his life.

Ibrahim's career has been, in many ways, an exploration of his two worlds. He has released 17 albums and became the first trumpet player to headline France's biggest arena. He's collaborated with everyone from