logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2024
53m 35s

Nai Barghouti | Singing Palestine at the...

AFIKRA
About this episode

Nai Barghouti joins us for a very special episode of Quartertones ahead of her performance at the Toronto Palestine Film Festival on September 27th which will be her Canadian debut. Speaking from the heart, Nai shares how Palestine underscores the music she makes and performs, her journey to becoming unapologetically Palestinian, and learning the nuanced language of Fairuz's music. She tells us of the raw grief, hope and joy she finds come out of each performance and each audience she connects with, how her flute is her trusted companion on stage, and the step changes that have come for her as a Palestinian musician since October 7th. Mikey also asks her how she maintains integrity, authenticity and fidelity with herself ⁠— especially when it comes to balancing her career.

Catch Nai in Toronto on the 27th September 👉https://www.tpff.ca/events-all/naibarghouti

Nai Barghouti is a Palestinian singer, composer and flute player. At the age of 14, she launched her professional singing career and completed her studies in classical flute performance at the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music in Palestine, where she discovered a passion for composition.

Connect with Nai 👉 https://www.instagram.com/naibarghoutiofficial/?hl=en

Hosted by:

Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu

FOLLOW & RATE THE QUARTERTONES PODCAST:

» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/afikra-quartertones/id1646407556

» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/26VHvC6yVOxlRFjeOts6uf

» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1044639452

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK

Explore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl7FiLcdH_iSgv4RiXEy4GAh

ABOUT AFIKRA

afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.

📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters

🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts

⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership

🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_

🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official

🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

Up next
Sep 17
On the 78-Stringed Instrument | Syrian Qanun Player Maya Youssef
Musician and composer Maya Youssef takes us on her unique journey with the qanun. Currently based in London, Maya delves into her early musical upbringing in Damascus to challenging traditional perceptions of the 78-stringed Instrument and developing her own innovative approach t ... Show More
56m 56s
Aug 20
Decoding Empires: Akala on Hip Hop & South-South Solidarity
Rapper, writer, and thought leader Akala joins us on Quartertones live at Sole DXB to talk about his early career steps in London, the city's unique blends due to its history, and his drive to connect with diverse audiences. He shares insights into the impact of colonialism and t ... Show More
32m 15s
Aug 6
Palestinian Singer Lina Makoul: Unmuted, Radical & Community-Built
Palestinian singer Lina Makoul delves into the responsibility of artists to translate public sentiment, the worsening situation in Gaza and the West Bank, and the impact of the 900 new checkpoints added by the occupation on day-to-day Palestinian life. Makoul talks about her jour ... Show More
1h 10m
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2024
Palestinian Music in Exile: Voices of Resistance | Louis Brehony
In this episode of This Is Not a Watermelon, we talk about positioning Palestinian music within a global music scene, cassettes as precious as diamonds, music and resistance, and reiterations of traditional folk music. Global scholar of Palestinian music, activist, and musician L ... Show More
1h 19m
Jan 2025
Palestine in Every Melody | Rola Azar
In this episode of Tarwida, we talk to Palestinian singer Rola Azar, whose music beautifully balances the past and present, blending the traditional with the modern. For Rola, music isn’t just art—it’s life. She shares memories of growing up in Nazareth, where she’d lose herself ... Show More
47m 46s
Oct 2
Dana Salah: Falahi Pop, Tatreez & Cultural Resistance | Sumud Podcast
🎙️This week on the Sumud Podcast, recorded live at ADC’s ArabCon, we welcome Jordanian Palestinian singer, songwriter, and producer Dana Salah. Known for blending traditional Palestinian folklore with global contemporary sounds, Dana has pioneered a genre she calls Falahi Pop. H ... Show More
26m 4s
Sep 12
This Palestinian Singer Was BANNED for Being Arab And Now She is Back To Reclaim the Narrative
In this powerful episode of Habibi House, we sit down with Palestinian singer-songwriter, director, and cultural force Lina Makoul — the first Palestinian winner of The Voice I*rael — who’s redefining what it means to be a “radical” artist. From rejecting a conventional path in b ... Show More
20m 7s
Oct 2024
S2E5. Researching Palestine through Tatreez with Amita
S2E5. RESEARCHING PALESTINE THROUGH TATREEZ WITH AMITAAMITA KHURANA IS A PALESTINIAN-INDIAN TATREEZ ARTIST, RESEARCHER, AND ACTIVIST WITH ARTISTS AGAINST APARTHEID (@AMITASTATREEZ / @AMITA.KHURANA). Through personal exploration and academic research, she developed a deeper connec ... Show More
56m 4s
Sep 15
The Brush that Carried a Homeland - Sliman Mansour (Arabic Episode)
Few artists have captured the soul of Palestine the way Sliman Mansour has. His paintings featuring olive trees, stone terraces, mud, and the steadfast women of the land have carried Palestine across generations and borders. In this conversation, Mansour looks back on his childho ... Show More
50m 42s
Sep 2024
24. The Palestinian Museum with Amer Shomali
Today's guest, Amer Shomali, was appointed as the General Director of the Palestinian Museum on October 5, 2023. Two days later, we all know what happened. Amer Shomali is a visual artist who directed one of the most innovative documentaries we have seen as of late. The Wanted 18 ... Show More
42m 34s
Jul 10
S4E7. From Tatreez to Texts with Tala Fahmawi
TALA IS A CHILDREN’S BOOK AUTHOR AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OR GOOD RAIN PUBLISHING, AN INDEPENDENT PALESTINIAN OWNED CHILDREN'S PUBLISHER (@tala.loves.books; @goodrainpublishing). She shares her family’s roots in Umm al-Fahm and how her identity as a Palestinian in the U.S. shap ... Show More
44m 40s
Sep 26
Day 721 - Lazar Berman: Who's afraid of a Palestinian state?
Welcome to The Times of Israel's newest podcast series, Friday Focus. Each Friday, join host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan and diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. On Sunday, the tally of the 193 UN members wh ... Show More
18m 46s
Apr 2025
S3E11. Fashioning Palestine’s Identity with Natalie
NATALIE TAHHAN, A FASHION DESIGNER, ILLUSTRATOR AND INSTRUCTOR AT BIRZEIT UNIVERSITY (@natalietahhanofficial/@ntstudi0). Natalie shares her unique life journey, growing up in Doha after being born in Jerusalem, and the deep-rooted pull that eventually led her to return to Palesti ... Show More
1h 18m