Starting over: Mashrou’ Leila celebrate 10 years in music

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Hamed Sinno and Firas Abou Fakher of Mashrou' Leila perform at The Roundhouse in London on March 7, 2019. (Getty Images)
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Mashrou' Leila: Hamed Sinno, Carl Gerges, Firas Abou Fakher, and Haig Parpazian (clockwise from left). (Tarek Moukaddem)
Updated 05 April 2019
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Starting over: Mashrou’ Leila celebrate 10 years in music

  • The acclaimed Lebanese indie band closed out a hugely successful decade last month. But, frontman Hamed Sinno explains, they nearly didn’t make it

DUBAI: For 10 years, Mashrou’ Leila have been at the forefront of the underground music scene in the Arab world. Their songs — from their indie-folk roots as a seven-piece to the polished electro-pop of their current work as a quartet — have provided an alternative soundtrack to the watered-down ‘habibi’ pop that dominates the mainstream music industry in the Middle East and their socially conscious lyrics have addressed the concerns of their generation. They are, arguably, the most potent force in Arabic music, as they will prove once again in Dubai on Friday, April 5, when they play the Wasla music festival alongside several of their peers.

Last month, they marked their anniversary with their biggest European tour to date and the release of their fifth album, “The Beirut School” — a sort of ‘Greatest Hits’ compilation that includes just three new tracks.

As singer Hamed Sinno explains to Arab News, that was not the original intention. The record should have been an entirely new one, the first since their 2015 album “Ibn El Leil,” which saw them grow from a regional success story into an international one, garnering widespread acclaim from European and North American media and performing a huge number of shows around the world. And they’ve done all of this out of a region in which independent, alternative musicians receive little-to-no support and, indeed, are often hindered from pursuing their careers for social or political reasons.

But the three-plus years since the release of “Ibn El Leil” have been, Sinno says, “a constant hurricane.” Despite his energetic, charismatic stage presence, Sinno — offstage — is basically an introvert. And the amped-up media attention, driven by his position as the frontman in a band that was increasingly being hailed as a driver for cultural change in the region, began to feel overwhelming for him.

“And regardless of that,” he adds, “the pace at which things started moving over the past three years — and I mean the good and the bad — you kind of lose track of what it is that you’re doing, what you want to be doing, and what you want to get out of your career. And I feel like those are things you can’t forget when you’re a musician. They need to factor into every damn decision. Really. Every other minute of your day has to be based on those things. And it just got really difficult to keep our eyes on the target.”

So difficult, in fact, that six songs into what was meant to be the new album, the band effectively split up. “We’d had a couple of long tours, but we’d also had a lot of time off, to reflect on whether or not we even wanted to still be doing this. We hit a bit of a rough spot. We started fighting about things that weren’t even our concern to start with. Honestly. It was like we brought other people’s expectations, or other people’s rubrics for what success is, into the studio, and it just felt really difficult to make any kind of decision, even about how to write a song. We had a big falling out and decided to stop,” Sinno explains.

For around nine months, the band members — Sinno, multi-instrumentalist Firas Abou Fakher, violinist Haig Parpazian and drummer Carl Gerges (bassist Ibrahim Badr recently left the group) — were, Sinno says, “under the impression that the band was over and we were just going to have a few more shows and call quits.”

Partly this was down to the inevitable internal disputes that almost every group that’s lasted as long as Mashrou’ Leila have will eventually face (as Sinno says, “I think it’s kind of miraculous that we only had our first major falling out with our fifth album rather than our second”). But it was also caused by factors way beyond the band’s control.

Following their performance at Cairo’s Music Park Festival in September 2017 a number of audience members who had been waving rainbow-colored flags in recognition of the band’s open support for LGBT rights were arrested. And the band were officially blackballed by the Egyptian musician’s syndicate, meaning they are not allowed to perform in Egypt again.

It was not the first time Mashrou’ Leila had been banned from performing in an Arab country, but it was the first time that authorities had targeted the band’s fans. Understandably, the “Cairo incident,” as Sinno refers to it, caused some heartache and serious soul-searching for the musicians.

“For a while, I felt completely defeated, for all the obvious reasons. It really did feel like a political and emotional defeat,” Sinno says. “The vibe in the band started to get really challenging; we started arguing with each other about stuff that we didn’t need to be arguing about. And I decided that maybe this wasn’t what I wanted to be doing anymore.”

Sinno used one of the new tracks, “Cavalry,” to address the frustrations that arose after the Cairo concert. “It’s really a turning point for me in how I felt about the situation,” he says. “It’s basically about embracing that defeat and just going for it anyway. It’s about not expecting to win, necessarily, but to fight anyway. Out of all the tracks we had written and had on standby, it was one that felt very valuable to us on several levels; professionally and emotionally.”

Thankfully, it seems that Mashrou’ Leila are now past their “rough spot.” The band even managed to write and record an “uncynically happy” song — “Radio Romance” — for “The Beirut School.”

“It’s a very big departure for the band — it’s very different from anything we’ve done before. Because we sort of sat down and agreed that it wouldn’t be a song that was about something horrible. It was honestly quite challenging, in the context of the last three years, to write something positive,” Sinno explains.

“We’re still negotiating how to move forward, but I think everyone’s on the same page, at least as far as intention goes, which is the most important thing at this point,” he continues. “It’s been pretty intense. But I think it was a necessary period to basically remind ourselves why we’re doing this and what it is that we’re hoping to get out of it.”

Their European tour last month has helped the band to refocus. “It was a really great tour to play. It was the first round of shows we’d played since we decided to get back together, and the nature and caliber of the venues we were playing in was kind of its own reward,” says Sinno. “It was like the cherry on top. Like, ‘Oh, this is what we’ve been given.’ Places like L’Olympia (Paris) and the Roundhouse (London). It was technically very difficult, and stressful, but it was cathartic.”

And on Friday they perform their first Middle East show since resolving to continue the Mashrou’ Leila journey. Wasla — an annual festival celebrating Arabic alternative music and now in its third year — is the kind of event that the region needs more of, Sinno suggests.

“It’s not about exposure as much as it is just sort of grouping some things together as these little monuments to what is going on in the region,” he says. “I feel like the Middle East has a history of not properly archiving and not properly looking at the work that it produces and the history of that work, so it’s always healthy to have things like festivals that you can look back at.”

To conclude, I ask him if he’s a fan of any of the other bands performing at Wasla.

“I’m actually a fan of all of the acts,” he replies without hesitation. “If for nothing else then just because I completely recognize and understand how difficult it is for anyone to still be making music in the region. I know first-hand how hard it is to devote yourself to this line of work, and the amount of negativity that comes with it. So I completely respect all of these musicians and I’m a huge fan of all of them.”


‘Bridgerton’ actress says she was warned not to campaign for Palestinians

Updated 26 April 2024
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‘Bridgerton’ actress says she was warned not to campaign for Palestinians

  • Nicola Coughlan: Hollywood insiders told her advocacy could harm her career
  • Irish star feels ‘moral responsibility’ to campaign for ceasefire, continue to fundraise 

LONDON: Irish actress Nicola Coughlan has revealed that she was told her Palestinian advocacy could harm her career.

The “Bridgerton” and “Derry Girls” star told Teen Vogue she had been warned by people in Hollywood not to be openly supportive of Palestinian rights, but has continued to campaign for a ceasefire in Gaza and still publicly wears an Artists4Ceasefire pin.

“You do get told, ‘you won’t get work, you won’t do this,’ but I also think, deep down, if you know that you’re coming from a place of ‘I don’t want any innocent people to suffer,’ then I’m not worried about people’s reactions,” she said.

“My family lived in Jerusalem back in the late ‘70s, early ’80s, before I was born, so I heard first hand stories about them living there.”

She said her father, who served in the Irish military, went to a “lot of war-torn regions after the conflict and try and help rebuild,” and this had left a profound impression on her.

“I’m so lucky I’ve gotten to this point in my career, and I’m privileged as a white woman, first off.

“Then the fact that I get to do the job I love and travel the world and meet amazing people, I feel a moral responsibility to give back.”

She has made a point of continuing to campaign and raise money around the issue, adding: “To me, it always becomes about supporting all innocent people, which sounds oversimplified, but I think you’ve got to look at situations and just think, ‘Are we supporting innocent people no matter where they’re from, who they are?’ That’s my drive.”

Coughlan said social media plays a role in driving advocacy but it requires nuance. “More of us should be trying to understand how upsetting and traumatising this is for Jewish people, and how horrific it is that all these innocent people in Palestine are being murdered,” she added.

A number of Hollywood figures have faced repercussions for their open support of the Palestinians or criticism of Israel.

Mexican actress Melissa Barrera was fired from the latest “Scream” film over social media posts in support of Palestine, while director Jonathan Glazer caused controversy for using his acceptance speech at the Oscars for his film “The Zone of Interest” to criticize the Gaza war.


‘Game of Thrones’ star Liam Cunningham says world will ‘not forget’ those who stayed silent on Gaza

Updated 26 April 2024
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‘Game of Thrones’ star Liam Cunningham says world will ‘not forget’ those who stayed silent on Gaza

  • Irishman has been vocal advocate for Palestinian causes for decades

LONDON: Irish actor Liam Cunningham has said the public will “not forget” those who have not voiced support for Palestinians during the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza.

The “Game of Thrones” star has been a vocal advocate for Palestinian causes for decades. Speaking during a demonstration in Dublin led by Irish-Palestinian Ahmed Alagha, who has lost 44 family members in the recent Israeli assault on Gaza, Cunningham said he has been commended by his peers in the past for his activism.

“What concerns me is that the people who do care and are not doing anything are, in my opinion, worse than the people who don’t care,” he said.

Cunningham was asked if he had spoken to other actors to convince them to show support for the Palestinian cause, but responded by saying he could not speak for others, The Independent reported.

However, he added, “The internet doesn’t forget. When this comes around, when the ICJ (International Court of Justice) and ICC (International Criminal Court) hopefully do their work honorably, it is going to come out,” he said.

“And the people who didn’t talk — it is not going to be forgotten. It’s livestreamed, this genocide, and (saying) you didn’t know is not an option. You did know. And you did nothing. You stayed quiet. I need to be able to look in the mirror, and that’s why I speak,” he added.

A month after Israel launched its onslaught on Gaza in response to Hamas incursions on Oct. 7 in Israeli territory in which nearly 1,200 people were killed and around 250 hostages were taken, Cunningham said that for Irish people to ignore the treatment of Palestinians would be to “betray” their history.

“If we allow ourselves to accept this behavior, then we allow it to happen to us,” he said at the time. “We have to stand up for standards. We have to stand up for international law and it reduces us as human beings if we don’t.”

Israel’s assault on Gaza has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, around two-thirds of them children and women, according to Hamas-run health authorities in the enclave.


Saudi Film ‘Hajjan’ wins 6 nominations at Critics Awards for Arab Films

Updated 26 April 2024
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Saudi Film ‘Hajjan’ wins 6 nominations at Critics Awards for Arab Films

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia-based film “Hajjan,” directed by Egyptian filmmaker Abu Bakr Shawky, is nominated for six categories at the eighth Critics Awards for Arab Films.

The movie is competing in the best feature film, best screenplay, best actor, best music, best cinematography and best editing categories. 

“Hajjan” tells the story of Matar, a boy who embarks on a journey across the desert with his camel, Hofira.

The movie is a co-production between the Kingdom’s King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, or Ithra, and Egyptian producer Mohamed Hefzy’s Film Clinic. 

The movie, which is written by Omar Shama from Egypt and the Kingdom’s Mufarrij Almajfel, stars Saudi actors Abdulmohsen Al-Nemer, Ibrahim Al-Hsawi, among others. 

The awards ceremony, scheduled for May 18 on the sidelines of the Cannes Film Festival, is organized by the Arab Cinema Center in Cairo and assessed by a panel of 209 critics representing 72 countries. 

Sudanese director Mohamed Kordofani’s inaugural feature film, “Goodbye Julia,” and Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania’s Oscar-nominated documentary, “Four Daughters,” scored nominations in seven categories. 

Jordanian filmmaker Amjad Al-Rasheed’s “Inshallah A Boy” and Palestinian-British director Farah Nabulsi’s “The Teacher” have six nominations.


Emirati designer Hamda Al-Fahim dresses Anya Taylor-Joy for Tiffany event

Updated 26 April 2024
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Emirati designer Hamda Al-Fahim dresses Anya Taylor-Joy for Tiffany event

DUBAI: US actress Anya Taylor-Joy this week was spotted at the Tiffany & Co. celebration of the launch of Blue Book in Beverly Hills wearing a dress by Emirati designer Hamda Al-Fahim.

The actress from “The Queen’s Gambit,” who is the ambassador for the American luxury jewelry label, impressed her fans in a head-turning dark golden brown dress that featured a corset-styled bodice paired with a fitted velvet skirt that flowed down, culminating in a short train trailing behind her.

The dress is called the Velvet Canyon and is from Al-Fahim’s Earthy collection.

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Al-Fahim took to Instagram to share pictures of the star championing her design with her 498,000 followers.

“Anya Taylor-Joy (looks) stunning in our Velvet Canyon,” she wrote on her Stories. 

For her jewelry, Anya chose a glitzy diamond necklace embellished with red rhinestones, accompanied by matching earrings and a ring. She completed the ensemble with a statement chunky silver bracelet.

She styled her blonde hair with a side part, which cascaded in soft waves past her shoulders.

Taylor-Joy was accompanied by a star-studded lineup of celebrities, including Olivia Wilde, Emily Blunt, Gabrielle Union, Quinta Brunson, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Reese Witherspoon, Laura Harrier, Suki Waterhouse and Aimee Song, among others.

Wilde flaunted a black figure-hugging dress with a plunging neckline, Blunt was radiant in a white sequin dress, Union opted for a custom-made Staud dress in black and white, Brunson wore a black velvet midi-gown from Roland Mouret and Huntington-Whiteley chose a white Carolina Herrera dress.

Al-Fahim is an Abu Dhabi-based designer known for her elegant and ethereal aesthetic, often featuring intricate embellishments, delicate fabrics and flattering silhouettes. Her creations combine femininity and sophistication, blending traditional craftsmanship with modern sensibilities.

Seen on red carpets, premieres and high-profile events worldwide, Al-Fahim’s creations have captured the attention of international celebrities including Rihanna and Jennifer Lopez.

Al-Fahim has also previously teamed up with US luxury handbag designer Tyler Ellis on a limited-edition capsule collection in 2022.


REVIEW: Sofia Boutella’s heroic efforts can’t save ‘Rebel Moon — Part Two’

Updated 26 April 2024
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REVIEW: Sofia Boutella’s heroic efforts can’t save ‘Rebel Moon — Part Two’

DUBAI: “Rebel Moon — Part One: A Child of Fire” drew scathing reviews (our writer described it as perhaps “the most discombobulating collection of mismatched sci-fi tropes ever committed to film”). “Part Two: The Scargiver” simply adds to that legacy.

The story: Former Imperium soldier Kora and the surviving band of ragtag warriors she’s recruited return to the moon of Veldt — home to simple farming folk in danger of being blown to bits by the mighty Imperium for failing to supply the unreasonable grain quota demanded of them. With just a few days before the deadline, Kora and her band must train the villagers to fight (and harvest the grain in just three days to provide a bargaining chip). What Kora doesn’t know is that Admiral Noble, the bad guy she ‘killed,’ is still alive. And bent on vengeance.

Before the enemy arrives, the warriors tell their life stories in a trust-building exercise — one of the clunkiest pieces of exposition ever written. There are slow-mo shots of the harvest gathering and a brief interlude to show that Kora and farmer Gunnar are very much in love.

Then, thankfully, we’re into the battle(s). Here, at least, director Zack Snyder doesn’t disappoint, even giving an original twist to the ‘spaceship plummeting from the sky’ trope by staging a showdown between Kora, Gunnar and Admiral Noble on a floor that becomes increasingly vertical. Below them, the villagers fight heroically against odds very much stacked against them, even with the help of Nemesis and her two flaming definitely-not-lightsabers.  

The well-constructed battle scenes, though, aren’t enough. Not even with a cast fighting as heroically as the villagers to salvage something. Sofia Boutella, as Kora, emerges with most credit, proving herself a convincing action hero who deserves better than this material to work with (spoiler alert: perhaps even material that allows the heroine to kill the bad guy herself, without the intervention of her boyfriend).

Yes, no one’s sitting down to watch an “epic space opera” in the expectation of thought-provoking dialogue, but “Rebel Moon” is like the result of forcing a seven-year-old to watch all things “Star Wars” and “Star Trek” in random order, then asking them to write down what happened. The best thing to say about “The Scargiver” is that it finishes — but even that comfort is tainted by Snyder’s cynical setting up of a potential part three. Possibly because that seven-year-old fell asleep before writing an actual ending.