Rim Banna
Encyclopedia
Rim Banna is a Israeli Arab
singer, composer
, and arranger
and an activist, who is well-known for her modern interpretations of the Palestinian
Arab songs. Banna was born in Nazareth
, Israel
, where she graduated from Nazareth Baptist School. She currently lives in Nazareth with her three children.
and also children's songs on the verge of being forgotten. Many such songs and rhymes sung by Palestinian Arab families again today, are said to be thanks to Banna's work in preserving them via her recordings.
Rim Banna compose her own songs, and her message is to focus on the Palestinian suffer and injustice occupation, she is resisting the Israeli occupation by her voice which is her weapon against it – music is an important tool for cultural self-assertion:
As such, Banna does not merely mimic the traditional techniques for representation of the pieces she interprets. In her view,
In spite of risking three years in prison, she performs in the West Bank
. She is banned from Palestine
, but reaches audience there through live webcasts. She performed her first concert in Syria
on January 8, 2009.
(2003) and Norwegian singer Kari Bremnes
, who also took part on this production in a duet with Rim Banna, invited her to Oslo
. Banna accepted the invitation, and the two artists did a show together.
The album, dubbed "a musical antiwar message to U.S. President Bush from female singers in Palestine, Iraq, Iran, and Norway," the album brings these women together with others from North Korea, Syria, Cuba, and Afghanistan – to sing traditional lullabies from their lands in duet form with English-language performers whose translation allows the songs to reach a Western audience.
, it features "Western pop
styling" fused with Middle Eastern modal
and vocal structures, and Arabic lyrics. Though the style of this album differs from previous recordings, the subject matter has basically remained constant. The album includes "songs of despair and hope" about the lives of "a struggling people, and even a song about late president Arafat in a way that is both thoughtful and subtle".
Arab citizens of Israel
Arab citizens of Israel refers to citizens of Israel who are not Jewish, and whose cultural and linguistic heritage or ethnic identity is Arab....
singer, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, and arranger
Arranger
In investment banking, an arranger is a provider of funds in the syndication of a debt. They are entitled to syndicate the loan or bond issue, and may be referred to as the "lead underwriter". This is because this entity bears the risk of being able to sell the underlying securities/debt or the...
and an activist, who is well-known for her modern interpretations of the Palestinian
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
Arab songs. Banna was born in Nazareth
Nazareth
Nazareth is the largest city in the North District of Israel. Known as "the Arab capital of Israel," the population is made up predominantly of Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel...
, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, where she graduated from Nazareth Baptist School. She currently lives in Nazareth with her three children.
Artistic philosophy
Banna first achieved popularity in the early 1990s, after recording her own songs PalestinianPalestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
and also children's songs on the verge of being forgotten. Many such songs and rhymes sung by Palestinian Arab families again today, are said to be thanks to Banna's work in preserving them via her recordings.
Rim Banna compose her own songs, and her message is to focus on the Palestinian suffer and injustice occupation, she is resisting the Israeli occupation by her voice which is her weapon against it – music is an important tool for cultural self-assertion:
A part of our work consists of collecting traditional Palestinian texts without melodies. So that the texts do not get lost, we try to compose melodies for them that are modern, yet inspired by traditional Palestinian musicPalestinian musicThe music of Palestine is one of many regional sub-genres of Arabic music. While it shares much in common with Arabic music, both structurally and instrumentally, there are musical forms and subject matter that are distinctively Palestinian.-Pre-1948:...
.
As such, Banna does not merely mimic the traditional techniques for representation of the pieces she interprets. In her view,
Oriental singing techniques are mostly ornamental… But my voice is more two-dimensional, thicker. I try to write songs that fit my voice. I want to create something new in every respect. And that includes bringing people elsewhere closer to the music and soul of the Palestinians.
In spite of risking three years in prison, she performs in the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
. She is banned from Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
, but reaches audience there through live webcasts. She performed her first concert in Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
on January 8, 2009.
Lullabies from the Axis of Evil
Banna's popularity in Europe began after Norwegian music producer Erik Hillestad invited her to participate on the CD Lullabies from the Axis of EvilLullabies from the Axis of Evil
Lullabies from the Axis of Evil is an album collecting traditional lullabies sung by women from Iraq, Iran, and North Korea , as well as Syria, Libya, and, Cuba , plus Afghanistan and Palestine, mixed with Western performers singing translated versions of the songs.It was conceived by Norwegian...
(2003) and Norwegian singer Kari Bremnes
Kari Bremnes
Kari Bremnes is a Norwegian singer and songwriter.She got an M.A. in language, literature , history and theater studies from the University of Oslo, and worked as a journalist for several years before deciding to dedicate herself to music full time.In 1987 she received the Spellemannprisen for the...
, who also took part on this production in a duet with Rim Banna, invited her to Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
. Banna accepted the invitation, and the two artists did a show together.
The album, dubbed "a musical antiwar message to U.S. President Bush from female singers in Palestine, Iraq, Iran, and Norway," the album brings these women together with others from North Korea, Syria, Cuba, and Afghanistan – to sing traditional lullabies from their lands in duet form with English-language performers whose translation allows the songs to reach a Western audience.
Mirror of My Soul
The Mirrors of My Soul, which was dedicated to all the Palestinian and Arab political detainees in the Israeli prisons, the album is a stylistic departure from her previous body of work. Produced in cooperation with a Norwegean quintetQuintet
A quintet is a group containing five members.It is commonly associated with musical groups, such as a string quintet, or a group of five singers, but can be applied to any situation where five similar or related objects are considered a single unit....
, it features "Western pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
styling" fused with Middle Eastern modal
Modal
Modal may refer to:* Modal , a textile made from spun Beechwood cellulose fiber* Modal analysis, the study of the dynamic properties of structures under vibrational excitation...
and vocal structures, and Arabic lyrics. Though the style of this album differs from previous recordings, the subject matter has basically remained constant. The album includes "songs of despair and hope" about the lives of "a struggling people, and even a song about late president Arafat in a way that is both thoughtful and subtle".
Discography
- Jafra (1985)
- your tears Mother (1986)
- The Dream (1993)
- New Moon (1995)
- Mukaghat (1996)
- Al Quds Everlasting (2002)
- Krybberom (2003) Rim Banna & SKRUK
- Lullabies from the Axis of EvilLullabies from the Axis of EvilLullabies from the Axis of Evil is an album collecting traditional lullabies sung by women from Iraq, Iran, and North Korea , as well as Syria, Libya, and, Cuba , plus Afghanistan and Palestine, mixed with Western performers singing translated versions of the songs.It was conceived by Norwegian...
(2003 – Various female artists) - The Mirrors of My SoulThe Mirrors of My SoulThe Mirrors of My Soul is an album by the Israeli Arab artist Rim Banna, released in 2005. Rim Banna, who gained global recognition as part of the Lullabies from the Axis of Evil project returns with a Norwegian band with a decidedly folk-pop recording of Palestinian songs...
(2005, Valley Entertainment) - This was not my story (2006) Rim Banna & Henrik Koitz
- Seasons of violet (2007)
- Songs across Walls of Separation (2008 – Various artists from the Middle East, Africa, Central America, North America, and Europe)
- April Blossoms (2009) an album for children, was dedicated to the children martyrs in Gaza
- A Time to cry (2010), was recorded in one of Sheikh Jarrah's houses which is under a constant threat to be evicted from the part of their house (with 3 Palestinian singers)
- "Tomorrow" (Bokra) 2011, a single song of the American legend composer Quincy Jones, who chose Rim Banna to represent Palestine in this project which will be released in an Album and a video clip in September 2011