Mohammed Assaf, a Palestinian pop singer known for winning the second season of “Arab Idol”, a television competition show, will be bringing a taste of Palestinian music and culture to Albuquerque in a live performance on Sept. 6 at Popejoy Hall.
As the ongoing war in Gaza continues to make headlines overwhelmed by a sense of hopelessness, music can bring people together, preserve cultural identity and celebrate perseverance, Albuquerque Palestinian-American activist Samia Assed told the Daily Lobo.
Assed and her son Mohammed Jaber, a UNM alum, helped organize the performance through their family’s business, Zahriah Events.
“We’ve had so much love and appreciation, especially from Albuquerque, with so much support for Palestine, and I think it’s about time to start bringing in some positive stories about what’s come from Palestine instead of the horror, the genocide constantly weighing down on our minds all the time,” Jaber said.
People from different cultures listen to Assaf’s songs to identify with Palestinian heritage, Assed said.
“A lot of the Palestinian community and allies, quite frankly, have been broken by all the images that we saw from Gaza. We’ve all gone out in protest, we’ve done the work, and I think we all feel a sense of hopelessness,” Assed said. “So this opportunity to have a release and a moment of joy is really important for our community.”
One of Assaf’s most famous songs, “Ana Dammi Falastini,” meaning “my blood is Palestinian,” has over 15 million streams on Spotify.
Assaf was born in Libya to Palestinian parents and grew up in the Khan Younis Refugee Camp, where he attended a United Nations Relief and Works Agency elementary school in Gaza. The 36-year old later served as UNRWA’s Youth Ambassador from 2013 to 2017 after winning Arab Idol.
“Mohamed Assaf is an icon in the (Middle East and North Africa) area,” Jaber told the Daily Lobo. “You know, you joke and you say he’s the ‘Drake of the Middle East.’”
Jaber said he hopes that students get to learn a lot more about Palestine through Assaf’s Popejoy performance.
“There are other ways of resilience, too, for us Palestinians in this community; surviving, living, enjoying music, food, culture,” Assed said. “It’s a big part of who we are and our identity, and we definitely want to spread that joy with all of our community in New Mexico.”
Leila Chapa is the photo editor for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at socialmedia@dailylobo.com or on X @lchapa06
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Leila Chapa is the photo editor for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at socialmedia@dailylobo.com or on X @lchapa06
