Rihab was born in Homs, Syria into a musical family. Her father, luthier Samir Azar, made her first oud and began teaching her at the age of seven.

She later continued her studies at the Damascus Conservatory, where she trained with renowned Syrian oud masters, including Askar Ali Akbar, Issam Rafea, Mohamad Osman, and Ayman Aljesry.

Her education exposed her to Azerbaijani, Arabic, Turkish, and Western classical traditions, shaping a versatile musical language that spans multiple genres.

In 2014, she became the first female oudist to perform with the Syrian National Orchestra for Arabic Music. That same year, she graduated and began working as a teaching assistant in music theory at the Damascus Conservatory.

From 2006 to 2015, Rihab performed with the Syrian Female Oriental Takht. In 2015, she moved to the UK on a scholarship to pursue a Master’s degree in Music Education at UCL Institute of Education.

In 2016, Arts Council England recognised her as a musician of “Exceptional Promise”, enabling her to continue her career in the UK through the Migrant Talent scheme.

Since 2008, Rihab has performed internationally and collaborated with London Sinfonietta, Royal Northern Sinfonia, Stile Antico, and other leading ensembles.

She has appeared at major UK venues, including Royal Opera House, Barbican Centre, Wigmore Hall, Westminster Abbey, and Victoria and Albert Museum.

As a composer, Rihab creates original works for oud and chamber ensembles, alongside interdisciplinary projects that combine music with visual arts, storytelling, theatre, film, and radio. Her debut album, released in 2026 with support from The Arab Fund for Arts and Culture, received international recognition for its originality and forward-looking vision.

She was also a finalist in the third cycle of the Aga Khan Music Awards 2025.

Alongside her work as a performer and composer, Rihab is an educator, workshop leader, writer, and speaker. Her contributions explore themes including music and social justice, migration, decolonisation, intercultural practice, and equity, diversity, and inclusion. She served as Wigmore Hall’s Trainee Music Leader in 2022–23 and has collaborated with organisations including the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Horniman Museum and Gardens, and the Cheltenham Jazz Festival.

Rihab has also contributed as a musician, panellist, practitioner, and advocate at events hosted by University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, University of Westminster, King’s College London, and St Ethelburga’s Centre for Reconciliation and Peace. She has also published academic work in Migration and Society.