Farah Elle’s long-awaited debut album Fatima arrives next month, on October 7th, the day after Farah’s birthday.
Farah has named her album after her mother, Fatima Hamroush ; an incredible woman who returned from Ireland to Libya in 2011 to become Minister of Health in the Libyan Transitional Government after the fall of Gaddafi. You can read more about their amazing family story in Farah’s recent cover feature with the Sunday Times Culture Magazine, here .
Today, the Libyan-Irish singer and composer shares a wholesome, uplifting new single, ‘Laundry’, which is also a tribute to Fatima – but this is for the woman she calls ‘Mom’.
“The thing I really love about ‘Laundry’ is what it represents. It’s one of the only love songs I’ve ever written and it’s about how I learned what real love is from my mom,” says Farah. “I came home exhausted from playing a festival one day, and I knew I already had a huge pile of laundry waiting! When I opened my bedroom door, to my surprise, I discovered that my mom had already done all of my laundry and left it folded neatly on my bed. At the time, I was going through a rough break-up and was wondering what love was all about. That day, I realized what true love is. It’s legit when you come home and find your laundry done – just because someone wants to make your life that little bit easier. This is a song for the people out there who do the most.”
Blending her signature Arabic-inspired, strong rock vocal with complex piano arrangements, Farah Elle makes timeless music with a modern edge reminiscent of Tori Amos, Kate Bush, Kimbra and Asa.
Farah says of this track: “Laundry is probably the most wholesome track on the album. We recorded it last and it was (engineer / producer) Duane Gallagher’s idea to put it as the last track on the album. He is one of the people who made this album come alive and, like the rest of the team, we all poured so much of our hearts into this one. We got everyone involved in the album, as well as my family and a few friends, to meet in the studio and record the sing-along on the track as a sort of finale. Whenever I play this live, I get the audience to do the same sing-along with me and it gets such a great reaction.”
Farah Elle’s powerful cadence is a commanding force amongst instantly captivating cinematic soundscapes. Through songwriting, the North African-Irish artist explores her heritage and upbringing and how it manifests as she experiences life.
On her debut album FATIMA , due for release on Friday 7th October 2022, themes of displacement in the period post-Libyan Revolution coexist with songs navigating the challenges of adulthood. Farah describes this introduction as a “coming of age record”, one across which she hears herself “unfolding in the songs”. Farah Elle has melded her combined North African and Irish heritage to create a sound that is thoroughly contemporary and completely her own.
To date, Farah has played numerous prestigious venues and festivals including Vicar Street, The Sugar Club, Electric Picnic, and All Together Now. In November 2021, Farah collaborated with renowned Irish folk musician Liam Ó Maonlaí for a performance commissioned specially for the RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards. As well as working as an artist, Farah dedicates time to humanitarian aid work and working with young people from ethnic minorities on creative expression through music. She also gives music and wellness workshops to people of all ages and backgrounds.
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