The song of the current Iranian uprising... Shervin - 'Baraye'

 

And what a beautiful song...

Posted on 27 Sept. 2022

Shervin - 'Baraye' | شروین - برای

According to The Guardian:

The lyrics to Baraye by Shervin Hajipour are taken from ordinary Iranians voicing their anger in the wake of Mahsa Amini’s death

As demonstrations against the death of Mahsa Amini enter their third week in Iran, a protest song by one of Iran’s most popular musicians has become the soundtrack to the biggest civil uprising for decades, channelling the rage of Iranians at home and abroad.

The lyrics to Baraye by Shervin Hajipour are taken entirely from messages that Iranians have posted online about why they are protesting. Each begins with the word Baraye – meaning “For …” or “Because of …” in Farsi.

Hajipour released the song online last week and it quickly went viral, being viewed millions of times across various platforms. Videos show the song being sung by schoolgirls in Iran, blared from car windows in Tehran and played at solidarity protests in Washington, 
Strasbourg and London this weekend.

Hajipour, 25, was reportedly arrested on 29 September, days after the song was released. According to messages posted on Twitter by Hajipour’s sister and reverified by Human Rights Watch, the intelligence services in Mazandaran province called Hajipour’s parents and informed them of his arrest on 1 October.

Sources close to Hajipour believe the singer was made to remove the song from Instagram when he was arrested. It has since been registered as having been written by someone else, allowing copyright infringement complaints to be made, resulting in the song being removed by platforms it had been uploaded to. However, the song has already been widely shared and continues to be uploaded by users on YouTube.

“This [song] has broken Persian social media tonight. So many of us have cried listening to it over and over. The artist Shervin Hajipour has summed up the deep national sadness and pain Iranians have been feeling for decades, culminating in the tragedy of #MahsaAmini,” BBC correspondent Bahman Kalbasi said.

(...)

In the song, Hajipour sings lyrics such as, “For dancing in the streets, for kissing loved ones” and “for women, life, freedom”, a chant synonymous with the wave of protests following Amini’s death.

The lyrics to Baraye reflect widespread anger and misery, just as Amini’s death was the tipping point for many after the regime engaged in a concerted crackdown on alleged anti-Islamic activity. Enforcement has included the heightened presence of guidance patrol – also known as morality police – on the streets.

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English Translation:

For the sake of dancing in the street

For the fear in the moment of kissing

For my sister, your sister, our sisters

For changing the eroded brains

For the shame, For the poverty

For the yearning for a normal life

For the sake of the poor child that searches in the garbage, and their dreams

For this authoritarian economy

For this polluted air

For Vali-'asr and the withered trees

For Piruz and his probable extinction

For the innocent forbidden dogs

For the non-stop crying

For the dream of reminiscing about this moment in history

For a laughing face

For the students, For the future

For this mandatory “paradise” 

For the imprisoned intellectuals

For the Afghan children

For all of this, For the lack of repetition 

For all this hollow slogans

For the ruins of these badly-built houses 

For the feeling of peace and tranquility

For the sun after long nights

For the mental illness pills and insomnia

For men, fatherland, prosperity

For the sake of the girl that wished she was a boy

For women, life, freedom

For freedom

For freedom

For freedom

Farsi: 

برای توی کوچه رقصیدن

برای ترسیدن به وقت بوسیدن

برای خواهرم خواهرت خواهرامون

برای تغییر مغزها که پوسیدن

برای شرمندگی برای بی پولی

برای حسرت یک زندگی معمولی

برای کودک زباله‌گرد و آرزوهاش

برای این اقتصاد دستوری

برای این هوای آلوده

برای ولیعصرو درختای فرسوده

برای پیروزو احتمال انقراضش

برای سگ‌های بی‌گناه ممنوعه

برای گریه‌های بی‌وقفه

برای تصویر تکرار این لحظه

برای چهره‌ای که میخنده

برای دانش آموزا برای آینده

برای این بهشت اجباری

برای نخبه‌های زندانی

برای کودکان افغانی

برای این همه برای غیر تکراری

برای این همه شعارهای توخالی

برای آوار خانه‌های پوشالی

برای احساس آرامش

برای خورشید پس از شبای طولانی

برای قرص‌های اعصاب و بی‌خوابی

برای مرد، میهن، آبادی

برای دختری که آرزو داشت پسر بود

برای زن، زندگی، آزادی

برای آزادی

برای آزادی

برای آزادی

Une critique de lecteur : "Vraiment un excellent bouquin de musique !"

 

Nicolino   25 juillet 2022 En dehors de la zone de confort - De Massive Attack à Bansky  de Melissa Chemam ★★★★★ "En dehors de la zone de confort - de Massive Attack à Banksy" de Mélissa Chemam raconte l'histoire de Massive Attack en commençant bien avant que le groupe n'existe, vers le début des années 80. C'est très détaillé, chaque album, morceau est analysé, les séances de studio et les tournées, et surtout les rapports pour le moins surprenant entre les membres du groupe et ceux qui gravitent autour. J'ai été scotché par 3D, sa créativité, pas seulement en musique d'ailleurs, est étonnante. Il y a visiblement un paquet de morceaux inédits, et pas des rebuts ! Comme ça part de 1980 et que ça va jusqu'à début 2016, c'est aussi une autre histoire de la musique anglaise, avec Bristol comme port d'attache, ça change de Londres et Manchester. Sans oublier tout le contexte social et politique. Les carrières de Portishead, Tricky et de quelques autres sont aussi racontées avec brio. L'autrice a visiblement interviewé tout le monde et pour certains, 3D par exemple, à plusieurs reprises. 3D dont le versant d'artiste street-art est bien abordé, et comme il est la principale influence de Banksy, autre Bristolien célèbre, ça parle aussi pas mal de ce dernier. Vraiment un excellent bouquin de musique !

https://www.babelio.com/auteur/Melissa-Chemam/435526/critiques

News // Letter - Summer to Autumn 2022: Back from the road...

 

Dears friends, readers, art/music lovers and fellow journalists,

Greetings from Paris. 

I  hope this message finds you all well, after a restorative and / or inspiring  summer. 

Since my last newsletter in June, I managed to travel back between France, Belgium, England and Italy, by train! 

While in Europe, I interviewed artists, reunited with friends, spent a lot of time in the sun, and unfortunately discussed the state of the UK with sadness and dismay...

I'm thinking of building a group to renew out "Entente Cordiale" and not let the devastating consequences of Brexit ruin a hundred years of friendship.

I'm for now writing about British cinema, and how it's received in Europe, by viewers, film lovers and professionals from different countries.

I also hope to invite British artists to discuss and collaborate here in Paris, and European ones to still come to England.

I must say that during my last few months in England, I didn't feel welcome anymore. All consumed by its identity crisis, Britain has rendered its diversity irrelevant, and that only saddens me. I hope to come back to see better days. 

In the meantime, the world is vast, and other places are calling...

For now, let me share my most recent work.

With my best wishes and hoping to see you all soon, keep me posted !

Cheers,

melissa 

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Focus on Palestinian sound artist 

Maya Al Khaldi 

'Call the Waves': Maya Al Khaldi brings Palestinian rhythmic character to the shores of Wales

Read here:

 https://english.alaraby.co.uk/features/maya-al-khaldi-brings-palestinian-musical-character-wales

TMR Berlin

The Markaz Review is a literary arts publication and cultural institution that curates content and programs on the greater Middle East and our communities in diaspora. The Markaz signifies “the center” in Arabic, as well as Persian, Turkish, Hebrew and Urdu.

In recent years, with the flow of refugees from West Asia and Africa streaming toward Europe, many have struggled to find acceptance and asylum in the UK, Germany, and several Nordic countries, but one city stands out as having become a preferred destination among Arab and other Middle Eastern immigrants, and that is BERLIN.

My feature:

​

The prolific French-Algerian multimedia artist Kader Attia, whose work focuses on colonial and post-colonial history, trauma, and the spaces of repair, had his biggest event in Berlin with the Berlin Biennale. Read here :

https://themarkaz.org/kader-attia-berlin-biennales-curator/

Street Art History: New Stop - Tunisia

A decade after the revolution in Tunisia, urban art has helped transform the nation’s relations with public spaces. Local artists are encouraged to use Arabic as a means of graffiti. Now, a younger generation is ready to bloom, including women.

​

My feature for The New Arab here: 

https://english.alaraby.co.uk/features/leaving-mark-tunisia-hotbed-arab-street-art

Music Column 

An issue each month, around North Africa and South West Asia:

Vocalist Samira Brahmia Bridges France and Algeria with Love

A Palestinian Musician Thrives in France: Yousef Zayed’s Journey

Tunisia’s Imed Alibi Crosses Borders in new “Frigya” Electronica Album

Back to Italia

If you know me, you know I love Italy, and have been more than 25 times, 

from Torino to Palermo.

Because of Covid and Brexit, I had not been able to go again since 2018...

A few images from Milano and Bergamo:

http://melissa-on-the-road.blogspot.com/2022/08/milano-bergamo.html

Conversation with Chinonyerem Odimba on "Black British Theatre"

One of the UK's leading British African heritage contemporary theatre companies, tiata fahodzi is about to celebrate its 25th anniversary with a new season of creative initiatives and productions, supporting the future of Black British artists.

​

The Watford-based tiata fahodzi theatre was founded in September 1997 by playwright and director Femi Elufowoju Jr. It is now under the direction of its fourth artistic director, the playwright Chinonyerem Odimba, for a milestone year named 'Year of the Artist', coinciding with its 25th anniversary.

Read here: https://www.iamhistory.co.uk/home/2022/7/27/i-am-talks-chinonyerem-odimba

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More soon, on my website:  https://sites.google.com/view/melissachemam

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I'd love to hear from you too! 

Please keep in touch.

With my best wishes,

melissa 

Melissa Chemam

Writer, Journalist, Audio Producer

(BBC, DW, Art UK, The Markaz Review, The New Arab, Toute la Culture...)

Music: Samira Brahmia @ IMA, Paris

 

A little recording by myself: 

Samira Brahmia en showcase à l'Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris 5ème, ce vendredi 16 septembre 2022, pour le lancement de son 2ème album intitulé 'AWA'.

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My article on The Markaz Review:

-in English: https://themarkaz.org/vocalist-samira-brahmia-bridges-france-and-algeria-with-love/

-in French: https://themarkaz.org/fr/vocalist-samira-brahmia-bridges-france-and-algeria-with-love/

Vocalist Samira Brahmia Bridges France and Algeria with Love

UK - "God Save The People"

By Mr Brainwash, French artist, "made" by Banksy 

 

ART : Nocturne Rive Droite - Paris - 14 septembre

 

Nocturne Rive Droite, c'est ce mercredi 14 septembre à partir de 17h

Pour la première fois, la programmation est pensée en collaboration avec Thanks for Nothing afin d’ouvrir l’événement à de nouveaux publics : 

• A partir de 17h : Visites privilégiées pour les bénéficiaires d’associations, les scolaires et les étudiants 

• A partir de 18h : Vernissages d'expositions et signatures dans les galeries et librairies, ouvertes aux collectionneurs et au grand public 

• A partir de 19h : Performances des artistes Nasima Omid et Yannos Majestikos, organisées en collaboration avec Latitudes Contemporaines, pour rassembler tous les publics, à la galerie Nathalie Obadia 

• De 19h à 21h : 4 galeries participantes proposent un buffet solidaire, réalisé par le traiteur engagé le Café Coeur 

Inscriptions : https://www.helloasso.com/associations/thanks-for-nothing/evenements/visites-privilegiees-nocturne-rive-droite-a-17h

 — 

Nocturne Rive Droite, this Wednesday, September 14th from 5pm! 

For the first time, the program is conceived in collaboration with Thanks for Nothing in order to bring the event to new audiences: 

• From 5pm: Preferential visits for non-profits, schools and students 

• From 6pm: Exhibition openings and book signings in galleries and bookstores, open to collectors and the general public 

• From 7pm: Performances by artists Nasima Omid and Yannos Majestikos, organized in collaboration with Latitudes Contemporaines, in order to gather all audiences at the galerie Nathalie Obadia 4 participating galleries offer a buffet solidaire, realized by the socially committed caterer Café Coeur 

Join us by registering here: https://www.helloasso.com/associations/thanks-for-nothing/evenements/visites-privilegiees-nocturne-rive-droite-a-17h

@nocturnerivedroite @latitudescontemporaines @nasimaomid @majesyannos @nasimaomi @galerieobadia @cafecoeur

UK: From the Summer of Discontent to the Autumn of Mourning

 

Friends in the UK, I feel for you... 

Trains are hardly working, buses have no drivers, the strikers are exhausted, the pounds is plunging, the bills are sky-rocketing, the crises are deep, the forests are burning, the summer only expressed discontent, the new government is bleak... 

And now you have to cope with official days of mourning. 

"There will be a period of royal mourning for seven days after her funeral."

 https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/queen-mourning-period-days-death-b2021347.html

"On Friday, Buckingham Palace announced that the period of royal mourning will be observed from now until seven days after the Queen's funeral. This means the mourning period will last a total of 17 days."

björk : atopos

 

"Are these not just excuses to not connect?

Our differences are irrelevant

To only name the flaws

Are excuses to not connect"

“Atopos” is the lead single from Björk’s 10th album Fossora. 

The title comes from the Greek word “ἄτοπος” meaning “unusual” or “out of place”, relating to the song’s themes of disconnection and the angular beats and bass clarinets forming a sonic labyrinth throughout. 

The name also coincidentally belongs to a genus of carnivorous, air-breathing land slugs. Inspired by Roland Barthes' book A Lover’s Discourse, “Atopos” is a love song where Björk asks herself various questions about the relationship with her partner in order to show empathy and resolve mutual problems.

 In a brief description of the lyrics in an interview with The Guardian, she said: "Sometimes, when I really love someone, I will have an interrogation lyric and it’s disguised as my doubts, because I want to be nice – but it’s actually their doubts."

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'Atopos' - Lyrics

[Chorus]

Are these not just excuses to not connect?

Our differences are irrelevant

To only name the flaws

Are excuses to not connect

[Verse 1]

I bow to all that you've given me

Thank you for staying while we learn

To find our resonance where we do connect

To find our resonance where we do connect

[Verse 2]

If we don't grow outwards towards love

We'll implode inwards towards destruction

If my plant doesn't reach towards you

There's internal erosion towards all

Pursuing the light too hard is a form of hiding

[Chorus]

Are these not just excuses to not connect?

Our differences are irrelevant

To insist on absolute justice at all times

It blocks connection

[Outro]

Our union is stronger, our union is stronger than us

Hope is a muscle

That allows us to connect

Hope is a muscle

Hope is a muscle

Hope is a muscle

Hope is a muscle

That allows us to connect