music
‘You escape the slaughter. But there’s a long tail of sadness’: musician Bedouine on the strangeness of Arab life outside the Middle East
With roots in Armenia, Syria and Saudi Arabia, the singer-songwriter now lives in the US. But despite her Carole King-style sound, her homelands are never far from her mind
TL;DR
- Bedouine's new album 'Neon Summer Skin' tackles themes of safety, displacement, and identity, influenced by her family's migrations and Middle Eastern conflicts.
- The album's sound is inspired by 70s soft pop, aiming for greater emotional expression and melodic movement.
- Korkejian's family has Armenian roots, with members born in Syria and Saudi Arabia, eventually relocating to the US.
- The album was inspired by her parents' second departure from Saudi Arabia and Korkejian's final visit in 2019, leading to reflections on separation and loss.
- Songs like 'On My Own' and 'Canopies' delve into personal experiences of sacrifice, loss, and the emotional impact of conflict and displacement.
- Bedouine plans to exhibit her parents' photos to humanize people from the Middle East, countering negative perceptions.