25 Arab artists come together for ‘Rajieen,’ a powerful anthem about the Palestinian resistance
Twenty-five artists from the Middle East and North Africa have come together to create a song on Palestine, the proceeds from which will go to the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund.
The eight-and-a-half-minute song, ‘Rajieen’, is described as “an anthem that transcends boundaries, embodying resilience and resistance”. The song is a powerful tribute to the bravery of the people of Palestine as well as a call for Arab leaders to help them.
A haunting refrain in the song echoes, “should I lose my voice, yours will remain.”
The artists involved in the song are Saif Safadi, Dana Salah, Ghalia Chaker, Afroto, Nordo, Saif Shroof, A5rass, Issam Alnajjar, Balti, Amir Eid, Weesam Qutub, Dina Wideidi, Saif Bataineh, Omar Rammal, AlYung & Randar, Vortex, Small X, ALA, Fuad Gritli, Donia Wael, Zeyne, Marwan Moussa, Marwan Pablo and Dafencii.
The music video intersperses real-life footage from Palestine under occupation by Israeli forces and shots of the artists in a darkened studio, all wearing black. The song highlights the plight of the people of Palestine who are not able to voice their frustrations nor live normal lives.
A powerful line from the song — “We do not just stand in solidarity with the cause; we are its custodians” — is highlighted in the music video along with shots of the singers.
Another powerful refrain from the song is this:
“But the key to my home remains in my heart,
And I’m returning with my children in my arms
Even if the whole world stands against me
I am returning, O my country.“
At the end of the music video, the artists paid tribute to the journalists and photojournalists in Palestine and Gaza — Wael Al Dahdouh, Wissam Nassar, Motaz Azaiza, Ali Jadallah, Plestia Alaqad, Bissan Wizard, Mohammed Faye, Zaher Saleh, Mohammed Al Aloul, Ayman Abu Ramooz, Sanad Latifa, Thaer Mounir, Zaher Saleh Hisham Abu Shaqra, Ahmad Hijazi and Hisham Abu Shaqra.