There comes a time in many a diasporic artist’s life when they set aside their adopted language and turn to their mother tongue. Music can do that - it can force you to dig deep, reflect and search for your own sense of authenticity.
We’re not 100% sure whether Rasha Nahas went through this pseudo-existential process, but she has arrived at the same destination. The Berlin-based Palestinian artists latest release, 'Al Madini’, is her first foray into Arabic writing and offers a glimpse into upcoming Arabic-language album, Amrat, her second after Desert.
Language aside, Nahas has never been shy of stepping out of her comfort zone, something reflected in her eclectic sound. She describes ‘Al Madini’ as "a story written in Berlin about an encounter between rooftop," though there's more at play in the album, as she is said to explore themes of home, belonging, spirituality, freedom and doubt, all feeding into her relationship with the Arabic language and Arab culture at large.
The minimalist track paints a melancholic picture, but this is not a melancholic song, per se - it’s a reflective, introspective one, and it has made the prospect of her upcoming album all the more intriguing. Unfortunately, we’re going to have to wait till 2022 to hear it.
