The Musical Genius Behind Disney’s Kizazi Moto, Amir Hedayah
Egyptian award-winning composer Amir Hedayah is creating music for Disney’s “Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire” series, premiering July 5, 2023. You might recognize his work in popular productions like Ala Gothety, Dufaat Beirut, and Apocalypse. Hedayah studied theory of music, guitar, and piano at the Musical Conservatory in Alexandria, but his love for music began long before. Raised in a household where music was a way of life, it was love at first melody for him.
Kizazi Moto is an African sci-fi anthology consisting of 10 episodes, each of which is an individual short animated film set in a different African country. This series takes you on a wild ride into Africa’s future. Inspired by the continent’s diverse culture and history, these sci-fi-fantasy stories present progressive visions of advanced technology, monsters, spirits, and aliens imagined from African perspectives.
Hedayah credits the Walt Disney Company for contributing to his passion for animation music for as long as he could remember, and he’s more than thrilled with the collaboration. He explains that his experience on the project was a beautiful reminder of why he decided to get into the industry in the first place. For Hedayah, the most challenging aspect was combining Egyptian authenticity, the signature Disney feel, and the sci-fi element all in one consolidated, harmonious piece.
When asked, what is your favorite composition? Hedayah, “One of the hardest questions in the world, most of John Powell’s work has inspired me tremendously and brought joy to my soul”. He highlights that the most essential element in a musical score is to be honest in what you tell through music and to get away from the need to impress, prove anything, or serve yourself. Stay committed to serving only the audience and stay true to the purpose of the story. Hedayah draws Inspo from nature, listening to music to increase his emotional vocabulary, and the people he meets along the way.
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