Oh joy! Oh goody, goody sonic gumdrops! ‘Tis music to my ears to hear The National feature Next Music Station, a new series on Al Jazeera that explores the musical soul across the spectrum of the Arab world.
NMS spans 11 episodes, nine countries and 80 musicians to reflect the diversity of Arab music, reaching around corners and behind closed doors to brush with bands and artists who might otherwise have remained undiscovered.
Eleven weekly one-hour shows beam the lesser-known sounds of Sudan, Tunisia, Kuwait, Bahrain and Yemen to a TV set near you, to mingle with more familiar sonic flavours of Syria, Egypt, Morocco and Lebanon.
Join me in joyous hairbrush karaoke and jump up and down on your beds, dear readers: this could get loud…
Read the full post »
“‘Let me grow as an artist or I will become President of Pakistan and rule this country.” – Veena Malik is loud and clear and she sure doesn’t mince her words.
Love her, or hate her and you’d have teeming support from thousands of others on either side of the fence. The fiesta Ms. Malik’s appearance on Indian reality TV Show Bigg Boss has ignited an avalanche of public debate among Pakistani society.
Some, like TV anchorman anchor Kamran Shahid and Mufti Abdul Qavi deem the Pakistani siren the shame of their nation, yet Veena’s defiance and self-defence as a modern, worldly woman have attracted admiration and adoration… after all, let’s face it, she’s not exactly hard on the eye.
V for Vendetta
There’s an interesting analysis of Veena’s turbulent trajectory in the Express Tribune. The big bang came in response to her attitude, attire and interaction with other contestants on Bigg Boss. It sent ripples across her homeland, attracting mud slinging from the moral police and much debate splashed across news headlines.
Read the full post »
Tattoos, handcuffs and Starbucks coffee – is this the way to self-expression? Not likely. But many Arab women can probably relate to the complex issues posed by photographer Abdulaziz Al Qahtani’s latest exhibition, “An Intimate Landscape” which depicts Arab women and the quest for identity in today’s world. This Saudi Arabian artist uses bold images that challenge the observer to examine traditional roles, taboos and his or her place in Western society.
To Want or Not To Want
Pop culture affects all those who live within it and, being based in London, Al Qahtani is at the heart of it. His insightful observations come through in several pieces from the expo, with images of Hijab wearing women in mini-skirts, getting tattooed and drinking alcohol.
Read the full post »
