Songs have long been used as a medium to call for peace and bring comfort in troubled times, such as Judy Garland’s Somewhere Over the Rainbow, which was sent to soldiers during WWII. Other tracks such as John Lennon’s Imagine and Michael Jackson’s Heal the World have called for peace in a turbulent world.
It has already been over eight months since air strikes and ground attacks in Israel and Gaza began, and since then, a number of artists have released music in support of Palestine, calling for a ceasefire. These tracks are a creative outlet to raise awareness about the ongoing bloodbaths in the country, and several of the songs will also see their proceeds donated to various humanitarian aid funds.
From international artists such as Grammy winner Macklemore as well as artists from our home ground such as the ever-outspoken Namewee, scroll on and listen to the six tunes.
God Send (Ishaqie ft. Yazmin Aziz)
Together with Palestinian artist Ishaqie, singer Yazmin Aziz who is of Filipino and Malay descent recently released their track God Send. With lyrics such as “Don’t worry about the missiles lighting the sky, family gone but God still by your side” according to Yazmin, the song is a “reminder that God is always with us and highlights the resilience and courage of affected children.” In an Instagram reel where the duo record the song, Ishaqie is seen tying the keffiyeh scarf on Yazmin, an emblem of solidarity and a symbol of Palestinian nationalism.
Hind’s Hall (Macklemore)
View this post on Instagram
American rapper Macklemore’s representative song used to be Thrift Shop but now its Hind’s Hall which has made waves for being one of the first major music artists to explicitly condemn the US government’s continued aid to Israel. Named in honour of a six-year-old girl killed in Gaza after waiting days for aid, his video shows snippets of clips from Gaza and protests worldwide. Malaysian radio station Fly FM also played the song for 24 hours straight recently in solidarity with Palestine. In addition, Macklemore has announced that all proceeds from streams of the track will be donated to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees.
We Are Everyone (Namewee)
The Malaysian hip hop recording artist, composer, filmmaker, and actor has never been one to shy away about speaking up on various issues. Last November, the 41-year-old released a song titled We Are Everyone from his album Weenomenon in solidarity with Palestine. He sang, “Apart from you, there are thousands of others who stand unyieldingly with you. All around the world, they are fighting with you. You know you are not alone.” He also pledged to donate US$1 for every 1,000 likes it received within 24 hours to a foundation providing aid to affected civilians.
Next 2 U (Kehlani)
Another rare mainstream artist who has made her stance on the war through music, the American R&B singer has been consistent in their outspoken support of Palestinians since October and even marched at a pro-Palestinian rally in Los Angeles. The video features an energetic dance sequence, keffiyeh-inspired clothing, and the brandishing of Palestinian flags. At the end of the video, the text reads, “We tried to make a scroll honouring the names of thousands of deceased children. The list was so long that our fastest scroll at three minutes was illegible.”
Let it Rain (MC Abdul)
Born and bred in Gaza, Abdulrahman Al-Shantii, better known as MC Abdul is a 15-year-old prodigy who currently resides in Los Angeles to work on his music. He acts as a powerful voice for his people, freestyling about the depth of his experiences and painting vivid portraits of harsh realities endured by his people including memories of his grandparents seeking refuge at the borders of Gaza.
Hold Your Fire (Kadim Al Sahir)
The legendary Iraqi singer known as the most romantic singer in Arabia has shifted his attention away from love songs to the ongoing global crisis. Teaming up with the United Nations Chamber Music Society which promotes the values of the United Nations through the universal language of music, he performed a rare song in English. The track aims to raise awareness about the increasing death toll in the conflict in Gaza with lyrics such as “Our frightened children running for their lives, violence steals their innocence.” All earnings generated by the song will be donated to the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund.
Featured image: @kehlani / Instagram