ONE SMALL SEED MAGAZINE Issue #28 Digital 03 | Page 40

I read in an interview you did with Spiegel that
you’d like to play in countries that are less
prejudiced against non-English singing bands,
such as Eastern Europe, China, India, South Africa
or Germany. How important is language in music
when it comes to connecting with audiences?
How much can be said without words?
Music transcends all barriers and languages.
Plus, being a band from the Arab world, we were
adamant to have our lyrics, or rather our native
language remaining intact. We can listen to a great
hit from China and understand nothing, and that’s
the same with listeners from various cultures who do
not understand our words. Yet, we find that we can
connect with remote audiences with the feel and
the vibes that our songs give off instrumentally. Music
is our universal language, Arabic is our first.
Tell me more about your debut 180 Degrees?
What was the biggest challenge making it?
Our first album, 180 Degrees, as the name indicates,
really emphasizes how we, as musicians, evolved
throughout the process of making it. We were looking
in one direction when we started our first project as
Tanjaret Daghet in Syria. Our move to Beirut gave us a
new outlook on our music and where it could go. The
energy of the city and the detailed guidance from
Raed El Khazen, our producer, helped us develop
our project as it went 180 Degrees off its original
course to what it is today. The biggest challenge
was accepting the need to improve – to change
and to let go – in order to connect with audiences
across the globe. Another challenge we faced was
the crucial need for us to remain focused on our
music, in a time where our country was aflame. That
intense motivation to get our message out there
via peaceful means, such as music, was our driving
force.