Happy Easter!

The day before yesterday was Good Friday in the Christian liturgy. I went to attend the "passion of the cross" at St. Mary's church in Dubai but there was only a service mass in Arabic. It was quite different from what we do back at home, where I come from. However, the hymns that were sung were the same and I really felt my heart rejoice just to the sound of those profound words that made me feel the real meaning of Easter and the reason why all Christians were gathered in the church hall and outside to commemorate the death of Our Saviour!


Easter is much more than a feast to celebrate; it's the essence of the Christian faith. The son of God came to earth to teach us about love and yet the world hated Him... He came to save us from ourselves; our sins and yet we committed the biggest crime by crucifying Him. Easter is the celebration of life; the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, the man who went through the cruelest of all suffering to come out victorious over death. This is what is preached in the Christian faith and what we are taught. However, one will not understand the meaning of this phenomenon without being able to feel it.

The hymns that are sung during the "Holy Week" (last week of lent until Easter) really portray the suffering of Christ and the suffering of our Lady Mary for the horrible things that she witnessed her son going through. Those songs of praise illustrate the events that took place back in the time of Jesus Christ and their signification to us today. It's amazing how words can transport a person from one state to another.

I hope that you can feel the true meaning of this bright and beautiful feast of victory! I pray that God be in every one of your hearts. I pray that the Holy Spirit guides every one of us in the right direction. I pray that Jesus' cross remains the symbol that reminds us of His unmatched sacrifice and gives us HOPE.  

It's a celebration of renewal and rebirth; the religious rebirth of our sin-free souls, the renewal of nature with Spring, the renewal of our hope for our redemption.

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!

Here is a hymn sung by Fairuz in Arabic that is familiar to all those who celebrate Easter in the Middle East:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8n6ETJ4YqI

B-B-Beatboxing... YEAH!

Hi Everyone! So, I come back to you with a lot of energy and motivation...

I'd like to share with you some of the things that I have encountered recently that really made me think about music in a number of ways. Yesterday, I was switching TV stations (something I do rarely these days) and I stopped on MTV Arabia channel. Although the station showcases different programs than the ones in the US and Europe, there are some that are the same like the famous "MADE" program. So, the shy high school girl wanted to be "made" into a beatboxer!!

At first, I thought that it would be really hard to believe that beatboxing could be done by anybody. Then, as I was watching, I tried it myself... It was so cool! At the beginning, I couldn't get one sound correctly. But one time after the other, the sounds I made started to feel right, sound right and fall into place in the beat I was trying to create. So, it turns out that it's as hard as anything else. One just needs to practice. The effort it took to make those sounds though, reminded me of the vocal exercises I do to warm up my voice!! It made so much sense and it was so much fun!

How about you try it yourself! I suggest you listen to a beatboxer on Youtube or the net and try to imitate the boom, tshik, ptst, pouf, pah, etc. and alternate in the frequency and tempo. You'll find it really entertaining and discover you had the ability to do things that you would normally find astounding and weird. You'll also feel your diaphragm move, your breathing increase, and your diction becoming very heavy to form the consonents and vowels of the sounds correctly.

Some people can beatbox, sing and talk at the same time which I consider to be an incredible gift they have. And although it's more generally known that guys beatbox, a lot of girls do it too, a famous one being Butterscotch. Quite an experience... I love beatboxing! ;)

I leave you with something to marvel at, please click on the link below and enjoy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUuCnKBCTyo

 

Butterscotch performing

 

Rahzel performing



Uninspired... but invited

I’ve been in a stale situation recently. I’ve been uninspired!

There are several reasons for that, however, it’s not the first time and I’m not the only one… We all go through a period of stagnancy. Mine is an artistic stagnancy. Since I have started my new job, I have had no time for singing, playing the piano, painting or any kind of artistic activity. I haven’t even had the time to blog, which made me think a lot.

It’s actually not that bad to be disconnected for a while because one only comes back with more determination and more drive. I believe every individual who has a hobby or talent in art never actually stops exercising it or going back to it whether that is singing, painting, photography, sculpting, etc. Art is not a course one takes in a school; it is not an activity to just pass the time. It is rather a passion built-in in ones’ system; distilled in one’s blood.  

At least, that’s how it is to me! It's spring time; a time when nature is transforming which seems to me like a perfect metaphor for my situation. So, my plan is to climb my way back to where I left my artistic self… Don’t lose your edge, that little craziness you’ve got in you. There is a time for everything; just hold on to what’s important to you and enjoy it! ;) Today, you are invited to give priority to your art, your passions, your zeal.