You can hear Leila, cascading melts of masculine vocals only suspended with thrusts of violin, beats and bass – attacked by neurotic melody that means no harm – sometimes tender, even sometimes on pause. Through the music, you can smell where Leila has been, in bed sheets, on sidewalks, jasmines in rifles and spilled coffee on dresses as she made you play with aubergines, dancing her dance. Music has constantly been their place to play with things, to match and mis-match, a project.
In the various performances, Mashrouʼ Leila is a constant attempt to taste and produce, more than happy to harvest anyone from the audience as a guest in their encores. They have performed around Lebanon since 2008, playing in various venues in Beirut, taking over supposed public piazzas as well as clubs, pubs, hybrids and the such – they also played in Zahle, Sour, Jounieh, Saida and Deir el Qamar, each of which pushed forward their thinking about how to go about their music, lyrics and performance. It is only when Mashrouʼ Leila goes live, that you can actually catch a glimpse of Leila. As it talks to you of Beirut, the city that tastes of the absurd, the product of its day-to-day experiences, its stubborn security and lack of the latter, its musical bombshells, incoherent sexuality and thrusting pleasure…narcotic pain – as it brings forward hints of Arabic Tarab, rock, to folk pop, electro, you can see Leila in every man and woman in the silent- come-raving audience. In this trajectory, they participated in music workshops and concerts in Amman and Cairo to maneuver their way into a pan-Arab music scene, to know and to announce, more importantly to grow, musically.
In March 2009, Mashrouʼ Leila won the Lebanese Modern Music Contest jury prize and public vote organized by Radio Liban in partnership with CCF, Incognito and the Basement. They released their debut album in December 2009 at what turned out to be Beirut’s biggest alternative (read non-mainstream) event in recent years.
The months leading up to the Arab Spring proved fruitful for Leila as well. In July 2010, Mashrou’ Leila headlined Byblos International Music festival alongside the Gorillaz and Caetano Veloso; this was the first time a Lebanese band was given a headlining post in the festival and proved to be Mashrou’ Leila’s biggest concert yet. Fall of 2010-11 saw Leila pack up her suitcases with shows in Qatar at the Doha Tribeca International Film Festival and at the Vodafone Big Day Out, headlining alongside Hoobastank and Toploader, in the United Arab Emirates at the Du World Music Festival and the Music Room – Dubai’s leading live music venue and in Egypt where the live at the Genaina Theater show saw a sold out crowd with people gathering outside the venue premises for a peek.
In the summer of 2011, Mashrou’ Leila released "el Hal Romancy" E.P., five songs of new material recorded in mountain retreats with cousins and turkish coffee, in the abandoned concrete dome in the Tripoli world Fair and with a quintet of strings on cold winter nights. The release was held at the Hippodrome of Beirut. Mashrou’ Leila also added Serbia and Jordan to the map, with a spot in the 4 day prestigious Exit Festival in Serbia and a 2 night show at the Citadel in Jordan.
After two years, one spent writing the other spent producing, one crowd funding campaign, touring and gigging all around, Mashrou’ Leila released their 3rd Album “Raasük” on 27 August, 2013, recorded at the mighty Hotel 2 Tango in Montreal.
The first hint of new material arrived when the band started a campaign asking the members of their social media pages to submit lyrics and video ideas to be incorporated in the band's upcoming single. "3 Minutes" was released on March 17, 2015.
Contrary to their common method of writing and producing songs, the band decided not to test their new material in live concerts, opting instead for secrecy and mystery about their fourth album. The band recorded the 13 tracks in studio La Frette in France over the summer with French-Lebanese producer Samy Osta, and worked on orchestral and brass arrangements with the Macedonian Radio Orchestra in F.A.M.E's Studios in Macedonia. The band has said that this album is their most pop album to date, and deals with topics that range from the euphoric to the destructive and depressive, all taking place in the politically, socially, and sexually charged spaces of Beirut's night.
The band experimented with drum machines, loops, samples, and several synthesizers in a new method of composition, trying to accommodate for the departure of keyboard player Omaya Malaeb. "Maghawir" narrates a possible version of a club shooting in Beirut, drawing on references to real Lebanese case histories from two different shootings that took place within the same week, both of which resulted in the deaths of extremely young victims, each of who was out celebrating their birthday." During a show in Boston, the band explained that the song "Tayf (Ghost)" is about a shuttered gay club, and "Bint Elkhandaq" tells the story of a friend who learned, "as hard as it is to be a woman in Beirut, it’s just as hard to be brown in the West."
The album is heavily loaded with allusions and references, both to contemporary figures of pop, and to mythological figures of gods and demons.
On the November 28, the band released Ibn El Leil at the Barbican in London with live broadcasting on MTV Lebanon available to the entire world to positive reviews. "In the seven years since Mashrou’ Leila formed at the American University of Beirut, the quintet – whose name, in fact, means 'overnight project' – have won comparisons to everyone from Arctic Monkeys and Radiohead to Roxy Music and Wild Beasts."
On December 1, Ibn El Leil debuted at the number one spot on local iTunes channels, and charted as number 11 on the international world Billboard charts. "It’s such an impressive performance that stadiums seem not only possible but imminent."
The band released a music video for their single "Roman" on July 19, 2017. The single was included on the deluxe version of Ibn El Leil released July 21, 2017.
On February 8, 2019, Mashrou' Leila released a new single, "Cavalry", the first from their upcoming album The Beirut School. The Beirut School was released on March 1, 2019. The album includes some songs from the group's previous album. The group toured North America in 2019 in support of the album.
On Aug. 9, 2019, the band was set to perform at the Byblos International Festival. The concert was banned against the backdrop of widespread rejection and accusation that the lyrics of one of the group’s songs offend the Christian faith.
In September 2022, Sinno announced that the band would be disbanding. Sinno cited harassment and hate campaigns as a reason for the band breaking up, especially because of Mashrou’ Leila’s hardships with bans in Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt. The real reason for restrictions on the band is his declared gender identity, as he defines himself as being queer — something that he believes was behind the attacks on the musical group and their work over the past years.
Many of the group’s songs touch on the issue of homosexuality, namely the 2009 song “Sham El Yasmine,” which speaks of a forbidden relationship and love between two men, and their struggle to lead normal lives together. The band also produced several songs addressing social and political topics in unconventional ways. The group members also touched on love, marriage, sex, religion, emancipation, the reality of Arab cities and revolutions, political assassinations and other thorny issues in the Arab world.
www.mashrou3leila.com
3 minutes
Mashrou' Leila Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
فيي إتخبى بخزانتك، فيي البس كل بدلاتك. بس قول
فيي كونك إذا بدك، فيي غني كل كلماتك. هول
فيي مثّل لك حياتك، لما تسمعني بمرايتك عم قول
بس قول لي مين بدي كون علشان ارضيك
اعطيني ٣ دقائق - داريني ب٣ دقائق
بس قول لي مين بدي كون علشان ارضيك
فيي أوقف إذا بدك، أو اتمدد إذا ما بدك. قول
فيي اضحك إذا بدك، يا ما ابكي إذا انسبلك. بس قول
ليه ليهمني اني كون بدل من اني صير؟
كل الاشياء بتعيش لتنتهي بلحن جديد
الفرق بين الحرية والخضوع تخيير
أنا لي اخترت. أنا لي قبلت. أنا لي قلت
سمي الشيطان بإسمو وسمي الفنان كذاب
نصف الاشياء يلي بحسها بتجي من الخيال
وإذا بناقد نفسي كلنا منحتوي أعداء
أنا لي كبرت. أنا لي قبلت. أنا لي قلت
بس قول لي مين بدي كون علشان ارضيك
اعطيني ٣ دقائق - داريني ب٣ دقائق
بس قول لي مين بدي كون علشان ارضيك
اتركلي مهري علطاولة - شك حلمك بخلخالي
بس قول لي مين بدي كون علشان ارضيك
اعطيني ٣ دقائق - داريني ب٣ دقائق
بس قول لي مين بدي كون علشان ارضيك
اتركلي مهري علطاولة - شك حلمك بخلخالي
بس قول لي مين بدي كون علشان ارضيك
داريني ب٣ دقائق
بس قول لي مين بدي كون علشان ارضيك
شك حلمك بخلخالي
The lyrics to Mashrou' Leila's song "3 Minutes" revolve around the idea of identity, of hiding behind different facades, and of wanting to please others while also questioning the need to do so. The first verse speaks of hiding behind someone else's skin and clothes and being whoever one wants to be. The chorus questions who the singer should become to please the other person and asks for three minutes to reveal the true self. The second verse talks about the different emotions the singer can display according to the other person's desire, and yet, there is still the question of why pleasing the other person is important at all, especially as everything has an expiry date and new melodies come along. The song culminates by reiterating the same questions and asking for three minutes to reveal the true self.
The lyrics speak of a universal experience. Many people struggle with identity, trying to fit into different roles to please others, and often feel like they have to hide their true selves. The song highlights the pressure we put on ourselves to conform and how we often lose sight of our true selves in the process.
Line by Line Meaning
فيي إتخبى بجلدك، فيي البس كل وجوهك. هول
I can hide in your skin, wear every face you have, why not?
فيي إتخبى بخزانتك، فيي البس كل بدلاتك. بس قول
I can hide in your wardrobe, wear all your suits, just say it
فيي كونك إذا بدك، فيي غني كل كلماتك. هول
I can be you if you want, I can sing every word you say, why not?
فيي مثّل لك حياتك، لما تسمعني بمرايتك عم قول
I can act out your life for you, when you hear me in your mirror I'm saying
بس قول لي مين بدي كون علشان ارضيك
Just tell me who I should be to please you
اعطيني ٣ دقائق - داريني ب٣ دقائق
Give me 3 minutes - listen to me for 3 minutes
اتركلي مهري علطاولة - شك حلمك بخلخالي
Leave me the dowry right away - believe in your dream of me wearing anklets
فيي أوقف إذا بدك، أو اتمدد إذا ما بدك. قول
I can stop if you want, or lay back if you don't, just say it
فيي اضحك إذا بدك، يا ما ابكي إذا انسبلك. بس قول
I can laugh if you want, or cry if you unravel, just say it
ليه ليهمني اني كون بدل من اني صير؟
Why does it matter to me who I am rather than who I become?
كل الاشياء بتعيش لتنتهي بلحن جديد
All things live to end with a new melody
الفرق بين الحرية والخضوع تخيير
The difference between freedom and submission is choice
أنا لي اخترت. أنا لي قبلت. أنا لي قلت
I chose for myself. I accepted for myself. I said for myself
سمي الشيطان بإسمو وسمي الفنان كذاب
Call the devil by his name and call the artist a liar
نصف الاشياء يلي بحسها بتجي من الخيال
Half the things I feel come from my imagination
وإذا بناقد نفسي كلنا منحتوي أعداء
If I criticize myself, we all become each other's enemies
بس قول لي مين بدي كون علشان ارضيك
Just tell me who I should be to please you
داريني ب٣ دقائق
Listen to me for 3 minutes
شك حلمك بخلخالي
Believe in your dream of me wearing anklets
Lyrics © Sentric Music
Written by: Hamed Sinno, Firas Abou Fakhar, Haig Papazian, Ibrahim Badr, Carl Gerges
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@moodyk71
Probably the only Lebanese band capable of producing true Art with lyrics that have real depth and meaning.
ليه ليهمني اني كون بدل من اني صير؟
كل الأشياء بتعيش لتنتهي بلحن جديد.
الفرق بين الحرية والخضوع تخيير.
أنا لي اخترت. أنا لي قبلت. أنا لي قلت.
سمي الشيطان بإسمو وسمي الفنان كذاب.
نصف الأشياء يلي بحسها بتجي من الخيال.
وإذا بناقد نفسي كلنا منحتوي أعداد،
أنا لي كبرت. أنا لي قبلت. أنا لي قلت.
#Lifelessons
@hudakhelef5677
غريبة الناس قبل خمس سنين وماقبله ...الناس كلها كانت تسب فمشروع ليلى ...واليوم لما اشوف التعليقات الايجابية (المتأخرة )اشعر بالسعادة والحزن في نفس الوقت (لماذا الاشياء الجميلة يتم تقديرها حين يفوت الاوان) حين مشروع ليلى احتاج الدعم كانو كلهم ضدهم 💔
@otfr2266
للان ضدهم
@najlasaleh9502
لان الآن معجبينهم هم الجيل الجديد ، جيل واعي يفهم الاختلاف سواء موسيقي او فكري او عصري ، تلقي منهم كل الاجناس والالوان والاشكال ، هذا اول واكبر سبب .. اللي اول متبعين كلهم ع مكان واحد ، وبالنادر يكون واحد بين ٢٠ مثل جيلنا الآن
@redhaa1072
@Najla Saleh فعلاً اغلب معجبيهم الي اعرفهم و الي انا منهم كلنا من الجيل الجديد جيل يفهم الاختلاف و يشجع عليه
@_kiuyt34
ايوا هذا المجتمع
@mohammedahmood2988
ينراد ينكتب اسمج بكتاب سماوي ع هذا التعليق
@SuperEzzt
لشي لحلو بأغاني مشروع ليلى انك فيك تفسر معنى الأغنية ككل عحسب وضعك
عحسب الأشيا يللي عم تمر فيها .. عحسب لضغوطات (السياسية,الاجتماعية,الاقتصادية,النفسية .. الخ)
وأقرب مثال هي الغنية ....
@Star__16
حرفييااا
@user-ne6wb1bn6u
فعلاً فععلاً
@husseinbaher4042
they never fail to impress me,getting better and better ! i am very proud that they're Lebanese...