Elyanna warms up for rest of world tour as she takes Lollapalooza stage
Updated 04 August 2024
Arab News
DUBAI: Chilean-Palestinian music sensation Elyanna has no time to rest as she counts down to the second half of her world tour, which will take her to Europe — but not before she performs a set at the Lollapalooza music festival in Chicago, US.
The singer, who wore a badge representing Palestine on her stage outfit, sang multiple songs from her latest album, including “Ganeni” and “Mama Eh.”
To the crowd’s delight, she also sang a Spanish song, “El muchacho de los ojos tristes,” originally sung by famed Spanish singer Jeanette in 1981.
Last month, Elyanna announced that she is expanding her world tour “Woledto,” with new dates and locations in Europe.
The 22-year-old artist announced on Instagram last month that the tour, from Oct. 5 to Dec. 16, will have 30 stops.
“THE WOLEDTO TOUR from North America to Europe! See you soon,” she wrote to her 1.5 million followers on Instagram.
Her fans quickly took to the comments section, requesting gigs in Lebanon, Dubai, Los Angeles, Australia, Barcelona, Lisbon, Milan and more.
Elyanna, who was the first artist to perform a full set in Arabic at California’s Coachella music festival in 2023, has been normalizing Arabic lyrics in the Western world.
She draws inspiration from artists including Lana Del Ray and Beyonce, as well as Middle East legend Fayrouz.
The Los Angeles-based singer’s music is a mix of Arabic and Western beats, which she attributes to her multicultural upbringing. She is known for her songs “Ghareed Alay,” “Ala Bali,” “Ana Lahale,” and “Mama Eh,” among others.
Elyanna dropped her debut album in April featuring nine songs: “Woledto,” “Ganeni,” “Calling U,” “Al Sham,” “Mama Eh,” “Kon Nafsak,” “Lel Ya Lel,” “Yabn El Eh” and “Sad in Pali.”
Before releasing the album, she wrote to her Instagram followers: “This album is the embodiment of pride to be an Arab woman, to be from Nazareth, to be from the Middle East.
“This is the closest I’ve been to where I come from,” she added. “The only feature on my album is my grandfather.”
In May this year, she made her television debut on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”
The music sensation delivered a medley of hits from her debut album including “Callin’ U (Tamally Maak)” and “Mama Eh,” the first song performed entirely in Arabic on the show.
Saudi filmmaker Mohammed Hammad discusses his satirical dark comedy show ‘Yallah, Yallah Beenah!’
Mohammed Hammad: ‘It’s OK to laugh at ourselves. It allows us to see where our flaws are’
Updated 2 min 45 sec ago
Hams Saleh
DUBAI: An AI-powered robot learning to pass as human — with guidance from a gang of misfit stray animals — is the focus of Saudi filmmaker Mohammed Hammad’s new dark-comedy series “Yallah, Yallah Beenah! The Official, Unofficial Guide Of How To Live In The Modern World.”
The show, slated for release early next year (a platform has still to be confirmed), leans into satire to examine everyday behavior, social performance and the pressure to keep up with trends, while keeping its tone playful.
Hammad tells Arab News the show evolved from a “short experimental art film” of the same name that he created for a group show — “Amakin” — organized by the Saudi Art Council in 2022.
Mohammed Hammad (in black top) on set. (Supplied)
“It was a mix of documentary, comedy, horror and satire,” he explains. “While making the film, through its experimental nature, something clicked, and I got the idea to turn this experimental film into something more commercially viable and suited for mass audiences, while still sharing the film’s satirical and experimental spirit.”
Hammad describes the series as “a mixed-media pop-cultural examination of how to live in the modern Saudi, inspired by meme culture and old-school cable TV.”
For Hammad, that mashup creates room for the show to move between moods — from goofy to unsettling — while still remaining grounded in real life.
At the center of the series is a robot being taught how to live as a human, which allows the story to reflect on the changes happening in Saudi society.
Rapper Slow Mo makes a cameo appearance in 'YYB.' (Supplied)
“As Saudi has gone through a major socio-economic shift in the past few years, it’s mainly about teaching the robot about how to keep up with the times in a light-hearted and fun satire about our past, present and future,” Hammad says. The robot becomes a stand-in for anyone trying to decode new rules, new language and new expectations, while the animals’ guidance pushes the comedy in unexpected directions.
Hamad co-wrote the show with Omar Bahabri. “Omar and I share a very similar humor and have great chemistry when it comes to writing the show,” he says. “We usually start generating ideas in a writer’s room for each episode with a few more collaborators. I would usually do a first pass at weaving the narrative together and arranging the structure of the episode. Omar would then revise and build on the first draft.”
The pair continue revising the scripts through filming, adding improvised lines on set as they work with the actors.
Comedy plays a central role in how Hammad approaches storytelling. “When we stop taking ourselves so seriously, we realize that a lot of human behavior is actually funny,” he says. “It’s OK to laugh at ourselves from time to time. It allows us to see where our flaws are.”
Cast members Salim Al-Attas, Najla Al-Abdullah, Yousef Al-Sheikh, Maria Al-Bar and Amro Al-Sabban on set in Wadi Al Naam. (Supplied)
The show is designed to connect with Saudi audiences while remaining accessible to those from outside of the country and the region.
“The show speaks to local audiences through the content and topics we explore, while it lends itself to a more global audience through the mixed media and aesthetics,” Hammad says.
Hammad’s time in cities including London, Paris, Dubai and Jeddah shaped both the writing and the worldview of the series.
“I’m very grateful to have lived in the places that I have. I’ve been exposed to a lot of film, art, music and life experiences that have not only shaped me as an artist but as a man,” he says. “‘YYB!’carries a bit of everything in that. It’s a compilation of my 15-plus years in the TV and film industry as well as life experience.
“The writing comes from lived experiences. A lot of the sketches are literally pulled from situations from family gatherings and just hanging out with friends,” Hammad adds.
The show shifts between different settings. “The pop-cultural inspiration of the show allows for the writing and content to travel naturally, as it’s inspired a lot by internet culture, which, in itself, is quite boundless,” the filmmaker says. The latest episode, for example, was filmed partly in Paris and AlUla.
“I couldn’t be happier to film an episode in AlUla, as the landscape is so picturesque and really added so much production value to the show,” he says.
Additional seasons of “YYB!” are already in production, according to Hammad. And as Saudi Arabia’s creative scene expands, he is motivated by the opportunity to do his part to shape its future.
“I’m excited just to be able to add my own perspective to the ever-growing identity of the scene,” he says. “Adding to the creative community here, and being able to collaborate with so many amazing, talented peers, and making something we can be proud of, is truly a privilege.”
