(Picture & opening picture: constructed organza prom dress with a matte satin bodice and hand pleated silk bow detail, metallic suede slingback court shoe with branded buckle detail, Karen Millen. Stella pearl cuff, earrings and necklace, Coast.)
In a city that has a multi-cultural society; that unites and welcomes different talents, backgrounds and beliefs. It is all present in its two-sided modern and traditional culture and music; while some musicians are more westernized like Hana Malhas, The Final Wish and Dinosaurs and Astronauts, that beautifully express individual emotions, showing great talent and sharing love, other bands like Masar Egbari, Toot Ard, Salalem, Akher Zapheer and Fareeq El Atrash, express more culture based issues. Corruption, sexism, homophobia, religion… Recently, music in the region speaks of escapism, rage, anger and rebellion due to the political circumstances; serving as a historical recording machine that expresses individuality, emotions and politics and reflects on our cultural phenomena.
Who were once called Flower Children of the counterculture during the 60s are resurfacing on the other side of change that is heard through Hamed Sinno’s, lead vocalist of Lebanese band, Mashrou’ Leila, lyrics “We can shake till the cage that we have become collapses”.
Music in the region has a certain depth that is similar to the way John Lennon’s ‘imagine’ spoke of a better world, the depth is there because it reflects the youth of our Arab societies, the realism of it away from the stimulated commercial hits that the mainstream pop industry provides which has an influence on its listeners like no other could speak to their hearts and reality.
The End