The new music video, recorded in concert and released last week, begins with Maraka playing the piano, accompanied by the Syncope Orchestra conducted by George Kolta.
The heart-wrenching lyrics of the new edition of the classic song Mawteni (My Homeland) reference countries afflicted with wars like Palestine and Sudan.
We soon realize that the composition is an ode to the homeland, highlighting the losses that come with wars, people's suffering, and their perseverance.
The video screened at the stage background displays Palestinian singer and guitarist Raji El-Jaru walking through the rubbles of destroyed homes in Palestine, showing children in distress.
El-Jaru is a founding member of Osprey V, a Palestinian rock band from Gaza that remained active since 2017 until the Israeli war on Gaza erupted in October 2023.
Osprey V performed in numerous venues and collaborated with many musicians.
In April 2021, they performed live in the online concert Live for Gaza, with Roger Waters of Pink Floyd in attendance, aiming to raise funds for artists in the Palestinian territories.
As Maraka sings, the Sudanese rapper Alagha enters the stage reciting "Peace be upon you from the land of the black. Hearts hurt. Houses are demolished ...," referencing war in his own country.
Alagha borrows some lyrics from the Kingdom of Kush — a song dedicated to Sudan and released shortly before Mawteni.
The music video shot in Cairo, as footage from the concert, is directed by Beshoy Yassa and features numerous Egyptian instrumentalists.
Aziz Maraka band's line-up includes Amr Galal (drums), Seka (bass guitar), Odai Shawagfeh (electric guitar), and Maher El-Mallah (acoustic guitar), with a Syncope Orchestra under the baton of George Kolta. The orchestration is by Wagdy El-Fiwy.
Maraka, born in 1983, is a Jordanian singer, songwriter, and producer of Palestinian descent, who began his music career by playing the piano.
He received a scholarship to study in the US, where he earned a bachelor's degree in music composition from the University of Arkansas.
While studying, Maraka released several songs, including Bent El-Nas, one of his first hits on his self-titled debut album in 2008.
His success with Bent El-Nas opened the door for a thriving career and helped propagate his music style, which he calls Razz — a fusion of Arabic rock and jazz performed in the Jordanian dialect.
Maraka has performed to large audiences across the Arab region, especially in Egypt, where his fan base has grown significantly.
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