It was only the 9th of March that after a playgroup with my baby, I squeezed in an hour of work time during his nap and made a 10 month work plan for my new album. Very ‘on it’ and professional. Now feels like another decade. Would it have occurred to anyone that we would adapt to such a rapid and phenomenal change within days? Succumbed to the fear of spreading virus, I am, like the rest of the world, helplessly trying to redefine everything I knew, all my methods, finding new practicalities, as well as trying to just keep sane and silence the fear that I might not see some loved ones again.
We are now in lockdown and I am watching with fascination the increasing solidarity amongst people, combined with a fear of the dystopia looming up here and there.
As my 10 month plan completely lost touch with the rest of the world, I decided to spend the lockdown recording and sharing the album. New World Songs. 3 words used by my poet friend Johnny Brown to previously described my songs now find their full meaning in this album. Beyond describing a sound, defining how and why I happened to write this selection of songs in the last couple of years.
Over time, as the demonstrations, fundraisers, petitions didn’t stop the brutality in the world, I started feeling alienated. Post apocalyptic movies became painful and self indulgent as I knew they are too close to the reality of some people elsewhere.
Being an immigrant, I am fueled with more difficulty, adding challenges to the sense of belonging. You are shown limits in both your home and adopted countries, against your resentment, demands, involvement. Your desire for ‘better’, driven by love, is likely to place you as an outsider; who ‘left’ or might ‘go back’. A fight you put against prejudice, injustice or any form of supremacy, can be confused with ‘betrayal.’
By the time I was convinced that I am now foreign everywhere, I came to realise that we were now many. With all the respect to the ones who are suffering the worst of this, rivers of people have been on the move, for a while now, some already immigrated, some were constantly nagged by the idea of emigration. Millions only hoping for a safe destination. Millions were uneasy in their secluded corners, wanting justice to reach further. Some people’s homes were shattered into pieces and some lost that sense of home.
These are songs of my restless journey. Trying to contribute to a world of beauty and justice, with a heart and mind that struggles to settle in what I don’t agree with. Hence always on the move; determining what I keep, what’s not welcome. Despite the expressions of resentment and anger, they also encompass little secrets I have to share, towards a better world.
As an incorrigible dreamer, I know that these will connect me to others who want that world. When we come out of this pandemic, despite wherever the world chose to be, we will have defined our ecosystem where abundance, possession, identity have been evaluated under strict rules of love and beauty. We made sure that solidarity is reaching the true victims of the previous world. There are no shady corners that we have forgotten of and sacrifice for the greater good is never again accepted with indifference.
Starting from Friday 10th April, I will release my album song by song, one every few weeks; New World Songs from Lockdown, which I am currently recording with musicians and producers remotely. As opposed to ‘plans’ , the conditions we are recording in will be the characteristic of it’s sound.
This is a hard time for all of us thus, songs will be free for download for everyone. However, if anyone can donate and support the project, I would appreciate it. With the proceeds, I will be able to pay everyone who is involved. Many of us musicians are left without work for the forseeable future. This way of working also will keep me connected to the people whose work I appreciate and will help keeping our creative channels vibrant.
Either way, please do send us love, messages and any secrets you have for the world we want to wake up in, once this is all over. We can together turn some of these to songs. With lots of love