Who is the singer EMEL?
As the latest release of an accomplished career highlighted by a Nobel Peace Prize performance in which she performed her protest song “Kelmti Horra,” Emel Mathlouthi, known by her mononym EMEL, has dropped her fourth album, MRA, via her label Little Human.
The Tunisian-American artist is known for wearing multiple hats in front of and behind the scenes, whether acting as lead singer-songwriter, performer, producer, or all the above. However, in the case of MRA, Mathlouthi enlisted the help of an entirely female team, connecting back to the album’s title, which is the Arabic word for woman.
“I’ve come to discover the true meaning of sisterhood. I’m not interested in the inherited feeling that other women are my rivals anymore,” said Mathlouthi. “I want us to change the system from within by and through women. We are building a new structure, writing a new story where we reclaim the women’s voice and her power.”
While keeping her creative voice the primary focus, EMEL has proven herself as a composer and producer whose ear for talent results in a wide-ranging album.
Lead single “Souty” opens with a piercing high-pitched noise akin to a banshee scream, eventually settling in a soothing bed of strings. The slight trap inflections and backing vocals, in the hands of another artist, could have clashed against each other yet come together in unexpected harmony. The cherry on top is Mathlouthi’s vocals, giving the track a welcomed angelic feel.
The heavy synth line at the start of “I’ll Leave” shows off the sonic variations heard on MRA. Mathlouthi’s ghostly voice carries the same operatic energy as the production and evolves at the same rate over the course of the song. By the second half, the synths eventually expand into what could be the searing soundtrack to a dystopian movie.
Along with having an all-female lineup behind it, the collaborators on MRA come from multiple countries, representing nearly every single continent on the planet. In addition to those who worked directly on the album, which includes Nigeria’s Eva Alordiah and Iraq’s Nayomi, filmmakers/artists like Shirin Neshat Laurie Anderson also rounded up the international team.
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The decision to gather women from around the world for the album is fitting, considering Mathlouthi herself has garnered several international achievements over the years. Most notably, she performed “Naci en Palestina” last year in East Jerusalem for a Palestinian audience despite the backlash that followed.
“I don’t create things to be consumed,” said Mathlouthi. “I hope it transcends time, transcends boundaries, transcends cultures. Music can change the world.”
Words: David Sosa
MRA by EMEL is out now on all streaming services. For more on the new album and potential live shows, follow her on Instagram, TikTok, and her website.
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