EMEL on Soundtracking the Revolution

A Deeper Listen

Emel Mathlouthi is a Tunisian musician whose song “Kelmti Horra” went viral in 2011 and became an anthem for the Tunisian Revolution during the Arab Spring.

Her new album, ‘MRA,’ calls for the continued fight for freedom on a global scale, but through an explicitly feminist lens. It was made by an all-women cast, from producers to musicians to engineers, and includes features from Malian rapper Ami Yerewolo, Brazilian producer Lyzza, Swedish-Iraqi rapper Nayomi, and more.

Emel talks with KEXP’s Isabel Khalili about why she chose to work exclusively with women on this album, what it was like being called “the voice of the Tunisian Revolution,” and the role of artists in social movements.

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