Palestinian artist Saint Levant has scheduled a performance in Portugal this December. This concert is part of his international tour titled 'Layali Al Afandi,' which is inspired by the golden age of Levantine cabaret in the 1990s, according to the promoter.
Musical Work and Origin
Saint Levant was born in Jerusalem. His mother has Franco-Algerian origins, and his father is Serbian-Palestinian. He spent his childhood in Gaza, which became a source of inspiration for his debut EP 'From Gaza, With Love,' released in 2023. This release preceded the launch of his first album 'Deira' in 2024.
The musician blends elements of traditional Arabic music with R&B and hip-hop genres, reflecting 'the multiplicity of his cultural heritage, the Arab community worldwide, and the Palestinian struggle in the diaspora,' according to the concert description.
International Resonance and Criticism
During a stop in Melbourne, Australia, last June, the British newspaper The Guardian noted that Saint Levant 'sings and recites poetry in Arabic, English, and French in a soft 'pop R&B,' mixing vintage aesthetics with modern influences of North African Rai music.'
The Guardian also pointed out that although Saint Levant's music 'could remain apolitical in content,' given that 'Gaza is still occupied by Israel, which continues its destruction,' his songs, despite incorporating 'escapist pop music,' also reflect darker realities.
Concert Program and Support
In Melbourne, a reporter for the British newspaper covered the start of the concert with the track 'On This Land,' which was inspired by footage shot after October 7, 2023. In this video, journalists in Gaza were singing the Arab Spring anthem 'Sawfa Nabqa Hawa,' and during the performance, Saint Levant made 'subtle and explicit' calls for solidarity between Arab peoples and oppressed people worldwide.
Nevertheless, the Guardian reporter emphasized the absence of a 'dark atmosphere' at the Australian concert, noting that Saint Levant 'performs even his most politicized songs with the effortless charm of a cavalier.' After concluding the performance, which included his own tracks, Lebanese classics, and covers of George Michael, as well as a Shakira remix, Saint Levant was accompanied by a DJ who turned out to be the musician's father—an architect and former owner of the Al Deira hotel in Gaza, which was attacked and destroyed by Israeli forces.
Tour Scale and Influence
Promoter Last Tour reports that Saint Levant's songs have gained a global audience. The release of his debut album 'Deira' is seen as a project that laid the emotional and sonic foundations of the musician's artistic universe, expanding his influence in fashion and culture among a generation that rethinks Arab art on its own terms, guided by an unwavering sense of identity.
Last Tour describes Saint Levant's concert as a narrative experience, presenting a cinematic journey through the atmosphere, rituals, and emotional world of that era, inspired by the golden age of Levantine cabaret in the 1990s. The concert aims to recreate the 'glamour' of Beirut's legendary nightlife while evoking the cultural memory left by this period in the Arab world.
Saint Levant's tour includes cities in the USA and Canada, France, Ireland, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden, Italy, and Spain before reaching Lisbon. After that, he will head to Morocco, Greece, Turkey, and Oman, according to the musician's website. Tickets for the Lisbon concert are available at Lasttour.org/pt and Feverup.com.
