By Margaret Adams
D.C.-based artist Husam has joined forces with Isreali singer, Shai Portugaly, to release his new single, “Hummus on the Beach.” The thought-provoking song illustrates what a peaceful future could look like between Israel and Palestine, as the two states have a violent history of conflict.
“I am what you get when you mix lyrical hip-hop, speakeasy jazz, film, and rock music in a pot sprinkled with some Arab magic,” Husam said.
Since Husam discovered his talent at a karaoke bar, singing a Frank Sinatra rendition, he has released two mixtapes, two albums, and many singles.
The duet between Portugaly and Husam, who is Syrian, is a beautiful exercise of love and acceptance, representing their hope for peace. Their complementary voices along with excellent production and cinematic strings makes this single a standout.
“Whether drawn from personal experience, family tales (many of my extended family are Syrian refugees who fled to Turkey) or inspired by art, each one of my songs tells a meaningful story,” Husam shares. “Making music is not only my favorite means of self-expression, but also a form of therapy: I try to bring out what I’ve experienced into the light.”
The emotional music video for “Hummus on the Beach” shows how the conflict has impacted so many families and cities with great magnitude. Due to the graphic content in the video, viewer discretion is advised. The call to peace is accompanied by the duo on the beach together, dreaming of harmony between the nations.
“Our whole life we’ve been told
It’s either us or them
But really we all just wanna live
Salam aleikum akhwani
Ohavim ot’hem ahim (we love you siblings) אוהבים אותכם אחים
Time for peace
We want peace”
This song and many more by Husam are available on all major streaming platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, Bandcamp, SoundCloud, and YouTube Music.This track has been added to our Alchemical Weekly YouTube Playlist.
Margaret Adams is a Psychology major and Rhetoric and Writing minor at The Catholic University of America from New Orleans, Louisiana. In addition to her work with Alchemical, she writes for CUA’s student newspaper, The Tower, and has recently been named Quill Editor. She enjoys reading, writing, and looking at pictures of her dog, Bella.
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Alchemical Records is a Washington, D.C. based music publication. We cover the Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Richmond, VA metro area music scenes, including band interviews, articles about your favorite musicians, new music and concert dates.
