Updated January 03, 2025 at 11:09 AM ET
The Arabic and Hebrew music landscape has been shaken up dramatically by the Israel-Hamas war — first by shock, then silence, and now a burst of new songs.
Israeli music critic Einav Schiff and Palestinian musician Tamer Nafar spoke with NPR's Daniel Estrin about some of the songs on their playlists, reflecting on more than one year of war.
Here are excerpts from their conversations, edited in parts for clarity and length.
Einav Schiff, music critic for Israeli newspaper Yediot Ahronot
Estrin: After more than a year of war, is there a new song you think captures the spirit of what Israelis are feeling now?
- "Always Loves Me"
Cover by Sasson Ifram Shaulov
Schiff: It was written by a rabbi. Basically, the song says that whatever happens, God loves you, and you're good now, and you will be even better tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day. The words — the lyrics — represent the way that Israelis want to suppress the pain, and trust in God. And think that no matter what happens, He loves them and gives them better things every day.
Estrin: We should talk about "Harbu Darbu."
- "Harbu Darbu"
By Ness Ve Stilla
Schiff: "Harbu Darbu" is total war. "We should unite behind the army and let them do the work in Gaza." I'm saying this in the most delicate way. This was the biggest song of the year because that was the sentiment in Israel. It's still the sentiment in Israel.
I think the song is actually problematic. People in Israel care less about civilian casualties — what the army calls noninvolved. The atrocities of Oct. 7 were of a magnitude that nobody in Israel has ever known. And their natural reaction was, "OK, so now we'll do the same. We don't care now for parents and kids. No, no. We just want our peace back."
Estrin: What song speaks to your soul right now?
- "Anthem for the Weak"
By Aya Korem
Schiff: When you watch Israeli TV, and when you listen to the radio, and you listen to most of the popular songs, everyone expects you to be strong. Be strong for the nation, for the families that lost their sons, for the soldiers. Be strong for the hostages. And at some point, Aya Korem came and said, "Be weak. The people who accept that this is a time of weakness, they are the ones who are strong."
Tamer Nafar, Palestinian artist, rapper and screenwriter
Estrin: Can I ask you to go back to the beginning of the war? What was the Palestinian and Arabic music scene?
Nafar: Before the 7 of October, it wasn't all love and pop towards the Palestinians. They were under siege. We were having our lands taken. So sad songs and political songs were always part of the spine of the Palestinian music. And to be honest, a year before the 7 of October, I took a decision where I want to write only love songs. I get inspired by my wife, by my kids, by people I love, so I want to sing to them.
Estrin: So all of those love songs you had written and were planning to release, you put those back on the shelf.
Nafar: The way that humanity works is they put ammunition and guns under the pillows just in case and war happens. So let's say I'm doing the opposite. I'm saving love songs just in case peace will come.
- "Whatever"
By Tamer Nafar
Nafar: It took me a while until I released my first song [after the war began]. I've always had a passion for using happy music and still delivering a message. So the song is called "Whatever." It was just that feeling. You wanna arrest me? Whatever. I'm owing the bank a lot of money? I'll take another loan, whatever. My existence doesn't matter anyway. It's just letting go.
- "That's One Cause"
By Cairokee
Nafar: It's a very smart song. It's about the hypocrisy of the world — that confusion of how to wake up every day and pick the right cause. Which lives are more important? You should be passionate about LGBTQ rights. You should be passionate about refugee rights. And not be selective.
Estrin: Can you tell me about "Law Mara Bas" — "If Only Once" — by Big Sam?
- "If Only Once"
By BiGSaM
Nafar: He lost a lot of friends in Gaza during his lifetime. He's talking about Gaza from experience when he says, "If only once you could rest in my weary soul / If only once the one who slept in your land would find peace / If only once, you would find relief from the enemy's brutality." It's saying, "Be OK so I can sleep at night. If only once you can be OK."
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