Canadian-born Egyptian-Lebanese singer NEeMA has been streaming her live album Leave the Light On ahead of its April 8 release, and now she's shared a video for "Masi."
The song is an acoustic blues number with Eastern influences, and the video takes the Montreal-based singer to the desert to dance in front of the pyramids. There's also an undercurrent of political upheaval in the clip.
She offered this statement about the video:
"Masi" was filmed in Cairo, Egypt. I was invited to sing and collaborate with a local band at the Opera House during the anniversary of the revolution. I brought along a videographer, Philippe R Lemieux because I wanted to document the trip, as well as film a video for "Masi." I had always envisioned that video taking place in the desert. I originally wrote this song while living with the Tlicho Aboriginals in the Northwest Territories. All their chief and council meetings began and ended in prayer so I was inspired to write a prayer song of my own. The melody and arrangement ended up having a Middle Eastern feel. While we were in Cairo, huge protests broke out. Although the song was not written about the crisis there, it felt like a really good place to film the video...representing the struggles going on everywhere in the world these days. My parents were born and raised in Egypt so it also felt appropriate to film a video for my prayer song in a country that is such a big part of my lineage. I then found a wonderful editor Stephen Eckelberry from L.A., who put it all together.
Watch the video for "Masi" below.
The song is an acoustic blues number with Eastern influences, and the video takes the Montreal-based singer to the desert to dance in front of the pyramids. There's also an undercurrent of political upheaval in the clip.
She offered this statement about the video:
"Masi" was filmed in Cairo, Egypt. I was invited to sing and collaborate with a local band at the Opera House during the anniversary of the revolution. I brought along a videographer, Philippe R Lemieux because I wanted to document the trip, as well as film a video for "Masi." I had always envisioned that video taking place in the desert. I originally wrote this song while living with the Tlicho Aboriginals in the Northwest Territories. All their chief and council meetings began and ended in prayer so I was inspired to write a prayer song of my own. The melody and arrangement ended up having a Middle Eastern feel. While we were in Cairo, huge protests broke out. Although the song was not written about the crisis there, it felt like a really good place to film the video...representing the struggles going on everywhere in the world these days. My parents were born and raised in Egypt so it also felt appropriate to film a video for my prayer song in a country that is such a big part of my lineage. I then found a wonderful editor Stephen Eckelberry from L.A., who put it all together.
Watch the video for "Masi" below.