The Palestinian musicians Charlie Rishmawi and Miguel Khair collaborate with the London-based duo Ooberfuse on a poignant song ‘Dying Son’ which is about the emotional impact of losing a beloved child in the Holy Land’s conflicts.
In less than 3 minutes, these great musicians were able to deliver a strong message that equals thousands of words. As an Egyptian who is close to what’s happening in the beloved Palestinian and against all the so-called state actions which lead to genocide with all the meaning of the word. The song ‘Dying Son’ combines alternative pop and dubstep elements with oriental and Middle Eastern influences, capturing the profound grief felt by a mother’s broken heart. The track conveys the intense sorrow and deep distress caused by the loss of a cherished child, expressing emotions that words cannot fully articulate. In fact, it’s the best musical output so far that supports the Palestinians, in my opinion.
Hal St John and Cherrie Anderson from Ooberfuse, and Charlie Rishmawi: a Palestinian multi-instrumentalist, along with Miguel Khair: a Palestinian musician and producer were capable of delivering our thoughts, tears, sorrow, pain, and love to the Palestinian lands and its great people. Miguel Khair (percussion and vocals) said, “We met Ooberfuse in Jordan’s capital Amman a few days ago to film the music video. After Egypt, Jordan has the lowest level of yearly rainfall. Yet on the day of the shoot a literal monsoon deluged the streets of Amman. It was as though the combined tears of mothers and fathers, grieving the loss of their children brutally killed in the savagery of the present war, were falling from skies to remind us of their pain. To escape the rain we drove an hour from Amman to the Dead Sea. The video concludes with a capture of the sun setting on Jericho and Jerusalem on the far bank. Working with local videographer Momen Jarrar on the video adds another dimension to the audio inspiring empathy, fostering understanding, and advocating for peace in a world plagued by conflict and division.”
In addition, according to Cherrie Anderson, from Ooberfuse, it’s the most fitting song for Easter/Mother’s Day/Current events. added: “This Easter season provides a parallel narrative to the recent events that have been unfolding in the Holy Land. The quest for retribution and the relentless cycle of hatred and violence must be broken if peace is to return to the Holy Land. Through the up-close portrayal of a mother’s grief that is depicted in our lament Dying Son, it is possible to discern that hatred has no future and that only love, even love of an enemy, is the pathway to lasting peace.”
Also, Hal St John from Ooberfuse explores forgiveness in the face of tragedy, with a mother expressing love for her enemies despite grief and the desire for revenge. Charlie Rishmawi highlighted the impact of modern warfare on the defenceless and collaborated with London musicians to explore music’s role in finding hope amidst destruction caused by bombs.
Hopefully, as Easter approaches at the end of the month, all world leaders will take concrete action to bring an end to these challenging times.