Shadia Mansour releases new song, Navil tours the Middle East

The scene of music for the Palestinian cause is not as huge as it should be, but it is vibrant and alive with an energy that surpasses the scope of its relatively limited audience. This undoubtedly heralds a growing adherence and increased exposure among supporters of Palestine, and a bigger role for music in the Palestinian narrative.

Shadia Mansour has released a new song featuring Omar Offendum called ‘Lazem netghayyar (We have to change)’. According to the post on her Facebook page, this song is in the memory of Juliano Mer Khamis, born of a Palestinian father and a Jewish mother, who was the director of the Freedom Theatre and was assassinated by a masked gunman in Jenin on April 4 2001.

As usual Shadia raps in Arabic, to a powerful and penetrating beat that blends oriental melodies with Western rhythms in a way that would move even the coldest of hearts. The lyrics call for a structural change in attitude, a return to the struggle but with compassion, dedication and unity. As usual, Shadia’s charismatic presentation and captivating voice make for a track that you simply don’t want to miss, and that is rapidly becoming a hit on Youtube.

Although the lyrics are in Arabic, the total presentation of the song with its powerful video clip and its mesmerizing melody is bound to reach audiences who perhaps do not literally understand what is being said, but can still feel the music and its meaning.

In other news, Palestinian musician ‘Navil’ from Barcelona, whose real name is Nabil Mansour and sings and composes songs about the Palestinian struggle in Spanish, Catalan and Arabic, is set to tour the Middle East soon. He is known for songs like ‘Yasmin’ and ‘Shams el aghani’ and captivates his audiences with his charismatic and sympathetic presence and the Iberian touch in his voice, usually accompanying himself on guitar.

He will perform in Gaza on April 16th and 19th, and will also give a concert at the Landmark Hotel in Amman, Jordan on the 1st of June, at the 8th annual event of the PII (Palestinian International Institue). Click on the thumbnails to enlarge the posters and see for yourself!