Egyptian pop star Sandy has signed with EMI Arabia for the release of her fourth studio album, Ahsen Men Keteer, released last month.

Speaking to Rolling Stone in June, Sandy said she was looking to move away from pop music towards an edgier sound. And, on the phone from Cairo shortly after the album’s release, she says she’s happy with the results.

“I think it’s a success. It’s something new for people,” she says. “I’m really proud of the album. It’s a mix of rock and country, so I’m really happy they understood it.

“The mindset [in Egypt] has changed,” she adds. “That’s why I think my music is right for the times.”

Sandy has also been nominated for the Best Middle East Act award in the MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs), which take place in Frankfurt in November. She’s up against her recent collaborator, Karl Wolf, who guest starred on Sandy’s recent single, “Awel Mara Atgarak” [Never Let You Go].