Merna on Gratitude, Healing, and Making Art in a Time of War
Singer-songwriter Merna discusses her project, wartime inspiration, and centering her artistic journey on healing and gratitude.
Palestinian-Canadian singer-songwriter Merna has a lifelong passion for music that began when she was just three years old. At an Arabic concert in Jordan, she stepped up to a microphone and sang a few lines with a featured vocalist. This early experience sparked her lifelong love of singing. Merna has always been drawn to music, recalling her admiration for artists like Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, and the Waiting to Exhale soundtrack.
Her latest album, For Seasons: Love in a Time of War, was created spontaneously during a five-hour piano session when she felt stuck and needed inspiration. She drew on the sounds of traditional Arabic instruments, particularly the oud, to craft her new music. The 15-minute album was distilled down from extensive raw material into its most powerful moments, featuring musicians like Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Larnell Lewis.
Merna emphasizes the importance of gratitude and staying grounded amidst the chaos of war. She sees her music as a means of connecting with her listeners on a spiritual level, rather than simply as a commercial product. Merna's goal is to share her gifts widely, rather than hoarding them for herself.
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