Calma

by Farah Siraj, Andreas Arnold & Adam Maalouf

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about

Calma speaks about the quest for inner peace and calm. Written and performed in Spanish, Calma (calmness) emphasizes the importance of finding peace within ourselves as an integral part of realizing peace on a global scale. This year, Siraj, Arnold and Maalouf have joined forces with The United Nations Association of Greater Philadelphia to spread this message of peace.

Andreas Arnold remembers “The idea for this song came to me amidst the noisy craze of New York City and at a moment when I felt quite overwhelmed by the weight of not only personal, but also global distress. Out of nowhere, the spontaneous visualization of being alone at the beach in El Palmar in Andalusia, Spain quenched my thirst for calmness which then became the central theme of the song”

With music written by Andreas Arnold, and lyrics co-written by Andreas and Farah Siraj, this collaboration is a special offering both musically and visually, with an intimate performance against the backdrop of one of the world's most magical theaters. Built in 1930, United Palace opened its doors nearly 90 years ago and was designated as a landmark building in 2016. In the music video for Calma, this intimate trio performance offers a beautiful contrast with the magnificence of the theater that is amplified by views of its over 3300 empty seats.

The performance includes Farah Siraj on vocals, singing in Spanish and paying tribute to her ties to Spain, Andreas Arnold on flamenco guitar and Adam Maalouf on handpan. Balancing an intimate performance with the message of the importance of finding inner peace, the song invites a contemplative state, questions the self, one’s purpose and recognizes the transience of life. Calma also alludes to the importance of being at one with nature and at peace with our environment as part of achieving inner peace. With the influences of flamenco, Arabic music and more contemporary elements of handpan sounds, Calma offers a timeless window into the search for peace, calm and purpose.

Watch the music video for Calma on YouTube:
youtu.be/1RVWWkSCOY4

lyrics

Mirando al mar
respiro y me llena la paz
Me lleva lejos la calma
Extrañé tanto la calma

Mirando al mar
los pensamientos vienen y van
Me lleva lejos la calma
Extrañé tanto la calma

Y ahora me voy con el viento
hasta nuestro siguiente encuentro
Y ahora me lleva el arroyo
hasta descubrir quién soy yo

Ola tras ola
van pasando horas y horas
Llega la mañana en silencio
paso tiempo a solas con la calma

Bailando en la arena
el viento jugando con mi melena
Mi destino me llama y me lleva
lejos de mi querida tierra

Huelo la tierra y siento el viento
¿Qué es la vida y quién soy yo?
Mis pensamientos van al cielo
perdiendo el sentido del tiempo

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Lyrics (English Translation):
Facing the sea
I take in the breeze
I’m overcome with peace
Calm carries me far away
I’ve longed for this peace

Facing the sea
thoughts come and leave
Calm carries me far away
I’ve longed for this peace

I will leave now with the wind
until we meet again
I drift away with the stream
In search of my true self

Wave after wave
hours pass by
the morning comes in silence
As I sit still, alone and calm

I start to dance in the sand
while the wind plays with my hair
my destiny is calling
carrying me far from my beloved home

I smell the earth, I feel the wind
What is life and who am I?
my thoughts wander off into the sky
time doesn’t exist

credits

released September 21, 2020
Music by Andreas Arnold
Lyrics by Farah Siraj & Andreas Arnold
All rights reserved. ©GEMA 2020

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about

Farah Siraj New York, New York

Farah Siraj balances a career that spans the United States, Europe and the Middle East. Navigating between songs in Arabic, Spanish and English, Farah has performed at some of the world's most prestigious platforms, including the United Nations, Nobel Prize Hall, World Economic Forum, The John F. Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, MTV and Coke Studio. ... more