Tunisian/American, New York City-based artist, producer, and activist EMEL (Emel Mathlouthi) sat down with Velvet Einstein to discuss her latest album, MRA, ahead of her upcoming show at Freight & Salvage on February 16th. Tune in on Saturday, February 1st at 4pm to hear their conversation.
On MRA, meaning “woman” in Arabic, EMEL deconstructs to rebuild, boldly pressing forward her vision of a female-driven paradigm shift in a world in desperate need of one. That is why every single collaborator on MRA, from producers, featured artists, musicians, and beyond, is a woman — marginalized in recognition, but outsized in ability.
With the help of artists such as Camélia Jordana, Nayomi, and Alyona Alyona, the result is a multi-genre meld where African trap, batucada, Arabic reggaeton, hip hop, and drum n’ bass rub shoulders seamlessly with vibrant melodies and empowering lyrics sung in 5 different languages & 3 dialects.
EMEL isn’t interested in being typecast as an exotic North African. For people who still haven’t heard her ground her honeyed vocals in heavy, distorted electronics, and whose theatrical stage presence and arresting visuals call to mind the likes of Kate Bush and Björk — it’s still useful to know how she rose onto stages across the world and become an anthemic voice during the Arab Spring.
Photo: Amber Grey
