From Beirut to LA: Kamal Maroon Redefines Pop on “Black x White”

Some songs feel like they were built in a lab while “Black x White” feels like it was built in a diary… then polished in a studio with the lights turned all the way up.

Beirut-born, Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter, and producer Kamal Maroon is stepping into his most honest era yet - and he’s doing it with glossy 2000s energy and orchestral drama that hits harder than expected.

From the first few seconds, you can tell where the inspiration lives. There’s that slick, percussive bounce reminiscent of Timbaland’s golden era. The smooth-but-edgy vocal layering that calls back to Justin Timberlake. And a boldness in the pop delivery that wouldn’t feel out of place next to Lady Gaga. But this isn’t nostalgia cosplay. It’s influence, filtered through lived experience.

“Black x White” dives straight into that exhausting relationship dynamic where you’re trying to fix what feels cracked, while the other person keeps handing you the blame. It’s that push-and-pull of wanting it to work so badly you almost start questioning your own reality. Kamal doesn’t dodge the messy parts. He owns them. And that’s what makes it land.

He takes accountability in the lyrics, openly. Not in a self-pitying way. Not in a defensive way. Just honest. He admits his flaws, his ego, his part in the chaos. But he also calls out the tendency of others to see life in extremes. Black or white. Right or wrong. Hero or villain. The song’s title isn’t subtle, it’s a thesis.

Musically, it’s layered in a way that sneaks up on you. The production knocks - crisp drums, confident pacing, but then the strings rise. And they rise big. That classical background he grew up with? It shows. Massive, cinematic strings sweep in and offset the hard-hitting pop beat, creating this tension between control and chaos. It feels like film music colliding with club-ready rhythm. And then there’s the chorus, it hooks. Immediately.

The melodies open up and suddenly you’re singing along before you even realize you’ve memorized it. It’s that early-2000s pop magic, dramatic but catchy, emotional but undeniable. The kind of chorus that makes you rewind the track just to feel it hit again. Kamal’s upbringing makes the emotional weight feel earned. Raised in a household of professional musicians, classically trained in piano, singing since three, writing since nine - this isn’t a trend-chasing artist. His catalog spans love, lust, ego, pride, heartbreak - and “Black x White” feels like the culmination of all of it. The maturity. The reflection. The willingness to stand in his own contradictions.

There’s also a cultural undercurrent that subtly shapes his sound. Middle Eastern tonal influences blend seamlessly into the orchestration, giving the record depth without overpowering its pop foundation. It’s nuanced, Intentional and personal. At a time when pop can sometimes feel algorithm-designed, “Black x White” feels human. Imperfect. Bold. Willing to admit fault while still demanding to be understood.