Leila's Project: Dubai's Serenade

We caught up with the talented Beiruti band ahead of their upcoming gig at the Music Room in Dubai (Thursday, 5^th of May). Here’s what they had to say about all that’s new in the Mashrou3 Leila world.

Hey guys, we’ve interviewed you back in July of last year – and we’re ecstatic to talk to you again ahead of your Music Room gig.

What’s new with Mashrou3 Leila?

We’re preparing to release our new EP this summer. We’ve worked a lot on trying to create new sounds and textures on the new music, and we can’t wait to share it with everyone else. It’s not a full album – and we consider it more of an extension to the first one, but it’s much more mature. We’ve worked on the recordings, and the mixing – testing different sounds on different instruments to have a good dose of something new.

What are you planning for the upcoming Dubai gig – should we expect to hear new material?

We have an extended set list including some of the tracks from the album, some tracks we performed last year at Byblos festival, and some of the new material that will be released this summer. After our concert at the du world music festival in dubai last march, we’re very excited to come back and perform in dubai.

How have you been receiving and dealing with all of the recent success and accolades?

We’ve been working harder! It’s been surreal honestly, but it also feels like a lot of responsibility. It has its cons but not a lot of people get to say they’re doing exactly what they always dreamed of doing.

Do you prefer being an ‘underground’ band – or do you enjoy tapping into the mainstream?

we don't really see things as underground or mainstream...  It’s more along the lines of successful and unsuccessful. We are willing to do what it takes to get our music across as long as it doesn't entail compromising on the dignity of the work. And I guess we all feel the labels are unnecessary. We grew up listening to, and still listen to all sorts of stuff. If a song speaks then that’s enough, whether it’s coming out of someone on the street or someone on the radio.

Do you find any specific inspiration in the current regional events/news?

A lot. It’s amazing being around such a huge negotiation of power. The events don’t necessarily have to inspire us to write related songs, but it’s beautiful being able to witness people changing the world to their favor, especially when for a lot of people there's always been the assumption that things will never change in the region.

Your live shows are always engaging and interesting. How do you go about breathing new life into old material show after show?

We don’t stop believing in what we’re doing. As cliché as it sounds, that makes every song matter in spite of the play count, and everytime we perform our songs – things just move forward – it’s never the same.

Mashrou3 Leila Live in Dubai: 5^th of May 2011, The Music Room – for more information click here.

Mashrou3 Leila - Ghadan Yawmon Afdal