Fairouz’s music is famous in Lebanon. Hsan Mroue/AFP via Getty Images Hide caption
Toggle caption Hsan Mroue/AFP via Getty Images
If you hear music walking down the street in the morning in an Arab city, there’s a good chance it’s Fairouz singing.
For many, her voice is synonymous with their morning coffee or the bus to school, and in Lebanon she is considered a national treasure.
Lebanon is considered one of the most important musical centers in the Arab world. It is a cultural hub that beats like a drum and is home to some of the Middle East’s most iconic and far-reaching musicians.
Still, few artists are as highly acclaimed as Fairouz.
Fairouz performs in a church in Beirut during Good Friday services in 2004. Haitham Moussawi/FP via Getty Images Hide caption
Toggle caption Haitham Moussawi/FP via Getty Images
Among her most famous songs is “Li Beirut”, which translates as “For Beirut”.
The song is an ode to the city, its homes, the Mediterranean coastline and the scent of bread and jasmine. The song also speaks to a painfully dark chapter in the country’s history: the devastating civil war from 1975 to 1990.
Fairouz’s “Re-Beirut.''
YouTube
“It’s become this kind of anthem, a very dark national anthem,” says Dany Hajjar, a Lebanese writer who covers music and art in the Arab world.
“In fact, this song is only played in times of crisis. It’s a trigger for a lot of people right now, because they know it means something is wrong. , I can’t hear that song anymore.
As the conflict in the Middle East escalates, the Lebanese people are currently facing a new moment of crisis.
Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has intensified in recent weeks, with Lebanon’s Hezbollah starting firing rockets at Israel after a Hamas-led attack on Israel last October. Israel launched a ground invasion into southern Lebanon and stepped up air strikes. More than 1,500 Lebanese have been killed since mid-September, including civilians, medical workers, and Hezbollah fighters, and more than 1 million have fled their homes.
Since the Lebanese conflict has escalated in recent weeks, Hajjar has been in contact with Lebanese musicians in the diaspora and at home. This is what they told him about how they are reacting to this moment.
Sandy Bow Assy / DEE
Sandy Bou Assy is an up-and-coming Lebanese pop and R&B singer who goes by the stage name Dee.
Dee currently lives in Dubai but has family in Lebanon, and says she feels stressed watching the war unfold from afar.
“2ate3 Rawabet” by Dee and Zeusaeed.
YouTube
“It got to the point where I didn’t even know if I could make music anymore. It paralyzes your every thought, every being,” she said.
“People talk about artistry and creativity and using pain as a muse and a vehicle for creation, but when people’s lives are at risk, that’s when your parents, your family and your country are at risk. What do I do when I feel like I can really express myself and write about it? ”
blue feefer
Blue Feifer is a Lebanese-Mexican musician and producer who became famous for her song “Sint el Ew”, which means “year of ew” in English.
The song was released in 2020 and sums up an incredibly difficult year for Lebanon, as the country struggled with a prolonged economic crisis and a devastating explosion at the port of Beirut.
“Sint el Ew” by Blue Feifer.
YouTube
When I spoke to Hajjar in early October, Blue Feefer was still in Beirut, where he said the ongoing war had put a halt to his creative abilities.
“To be honest, I’m scared that if I go into a session and put on my headphones, I’ll probably hear an explosion nearby or set my phone to silent in case there’s news or something I need. . You should know,” she said.
“We’re just trying to stay very, very vigilant. So being able to disconnect and go to a place of vulnerability and creativity, like we’re so far away right now,” I can feel it.”
Hadi
Lebanese rapper HADI is attracting attention for his sharp lyrics. His provocative style can be clearly heard on his debut album, Al Sadd 8, where he raps about resistance. He says this is an important theme in his lyrics.
“Kawa’ed” by HADI.
YouTube
“Maybe not all music is based on criticism, and not all music is based on opposition, but for me, for what I listen to, what I enjoy, what I think is valuable art, it’s “It was always a challenge to the status quo,” he said.
HADI is from southern Lebanon. But as fighting intensified in that part of the country, he and his family fled to Beirut.
“I’m always in a double state of emotions because I don’t really know what I’m going through,” he says. “You’re either feeling very angry or you’re feeling very humorous because you’re in the middle of a war. You haven’t processed anything yet.”
Talia Lahoud
Talia Lahoud is a singer-songwriter who makes music in both English and Arabic.
She is currently in Beirut and, despite the war, has managed to release a new song titled “3alli sawtak” or “Raise your voice.”
“3alli sawtak” by Talia Lahoud.
YouTube
According to Lahoud, the song was originally written in solidarity with Palestine. However, given the war’s spread to Lebanon, the song’s dedication spread even further.
On Instagram announcing the song’s release, she wrote: “To Lebanon, Palestine, and all Middle Eastern countries suffering from war. My song “3alli sawtak” is officially yours. ”
The audio version of this story was provided by Scott Detrow, produced by Megan Lim, and edited by Adam Rainey.
