The world is a large
melting pot, and Samira Brahmia is a fine example, a good illustration of what
that global blend often generates.
The young singer,
who has Algerian roots and resides mainly in that country, was born in France.
As a musician, she acknowledges the influence of several elements on her
artistic work: the Anglo-Saxon culture, the pop-rock songs, the Celtic
traditions, the sound of the southern area of Algeria, and even Greek songs
sometimes, like Dromoi Pou Agapisa by Eleni Vitali, that she interpreted with
French lyrics. The result is exquisite, creative music, delivered with her
unique style and beautiful voice.
اضافة اعلان
The
French-Algerian vocalist sings in Amazigh (Berber), Arabic, English, and
French. Judging by the playlist of 10 songs found on Spotify, she seems equally
comfortable in any of these four languages, and even in mixing them in the same
song.
I ran the playlist
twice, in a continuous loop, and enjoyed every minute of it every time. The
variety of the songs, and the sweet, soothing, and balanced tone of Brahmia’s
voice did the trick.
In her
productions, she often blends traditional instruments, used in the mainstream
pop-rock world, with the string and percussions instruments typically used in
the south of Algeria.
She sings with taste and restraint. She is self-assured and does not feel she has to shout to show how well she can sing.
Brahmia does a
superb rendition of Harramtou Bik Nouassi, a great Algerian ballad. She sings
it in Arabic. The subdued atmosphere, the minimalistic set of instruments, the
slow tempo, the charming and gently swinging melody, result in a very fine kind
of what I would call “Arabic blues”. The song actually manages to render blues
and enchant at the same time. It is my favorite on the playlist; it
particularly enhances the soft, ear-pleasing voice of the singer.
With the track
named Laila, Brahmia shows that she can do energetic, rhythmical numbers too.
It is precisely this large variety of sounds, tempi and sonic atmosphere in her
songs that make listening to her a pleasure — there is never a dull moment.
Although she
covers a rather wide vocal range, the musician never overdoes it. She sings
with taste and restraint. She is self-assured and does not feel she has to
shout to show how well she can sing.
Mama is her latest
release, and one of the titles on her first, and new, album Awa. The attractive
video features Penda Niang and already is available on Spotify, YouTube and on
most streaming platforms. The African string instruments give the music a
subtle color that is reminiscent of the great Khadja Nin.
Jdoudna (our
forefathers) is built on an intricate African rhythmic pattern. Fabuleux
Destin, despite its French title, is a curious mix of Amazigh and English
lyrics.
The music may not
be on a par with the other tracks on the album, but it remains pleasant.
Brahmia is a
newcomer on the music scene, and not yet a star, but she certainly has the
potential to be one.
Jean-Claude Elias is a
computer engineer and a classically trained pianist and guitarist. He has been
regularly writing IT articles, reviewing music albums, and covering concerts
for more than 30 years.
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