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
3ubwa
Mashrou' Leila Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
تك تك تك تك بوم
تك تك تك فقع البستان
شكلو لحق بوم
و المفتاح بالسيارة
دحوش جثه بالصندوق
في شهيد خلف الستارة
بدو يهيمن على السوق
تك تك تك طلع الأذان
و غطى صوت البوم
و أنا على التليفزيان
وجهي مثل البوم
كيف مفروض إتسيس
لما كلو موخم هون؟
و كلو بيجي متيس إنو دينو أحلى لون
The song "3ubwa" by Mashrou' Leila tells a story of a person who is stuck in a frustrating situation where they feel like their efforts are useless and that they are constantly being drowned out by external forces. The song starts with the sound of raindrops falling on a rooftop, which serves as a metaphor for the monotonous tapping of life's challenges. The lyrics speak of a woman named Im Sultan who is tapping away at something, then a car which has a key inside it and a corpse in the trunk. Meanwhile, someone wants to dominate the market from behind a curtain. These are all examples of the endless tapping of life's inconveniences that the singer is feeling.
Line by Line Meaning
تك تك تك يا إم سليمان
The sound of footsteps, like a knock on the door, gradually increases in volume and urgency, catching the attention of Im Salimans.
تك تك تك تك بوم
The footsteps continue, building up to a sudden loud impact, like a bomb going off, indicating an immediate and drastic change.
تك تك تك فقع البستان
The sound of footsteps turns into the sharp, crisp sound of stomping, as if crushing the garden, suggesting destruction or damage.
شكلو لحق بوم
It seems like the source of the sound caught up with the impact, hinting at an ominous presence or force approaching.
و المفتاح بالسيارة
The key to the car is mentioned, implying escape or fleeing from a dangerous situation.
دحوش جثه بالصندوق
The image of a monster or a beast's carcass in a box is painted, evoking fear or disgust, and possibly implying hidden, dark secrets.
في شهيد خلف الستارة
A martyr behind the curtain is revealed, hinting at a political or social context, and possibly a violent opposition or uprising.
بدو يهيمن على السوق
Someone wants to dominate the market or the society, suggesting competition, conflict, or corruption.
تك تك تك طلع الأذان
The sound of footsteps is interrupted by the call to prayer, a peaceful and spiritual moment that contrasts with the previous tension and chaos.
و غطى صوت البوم
The call to prayer drowns out the sound of the impact, implying a sense of relief or calmness, and possibly connection to tradition or religion.
و أنا على التليفزيان
The singer is watching TV, suggesting a detached and passive stance towards the events and conflicts.
وجهي مثل البوم
The artist's face looks like an owl, revealing their surprised and curious reaction to what they see and hear, and possibly emphasizing their observant and wise nature.
كيف مفروض إتسيس
The singer questions how they are supposed to be complacent or content, when everything around them is chaotic and unjust.
لما كلو موخم هون؟
Why should they accept the reality when it is unfair and oppressive, revealing their desire for change and resistance.
و كلو بيجي متيس إنو دينو أحلى لون
Everyone tries to convince themselves that their religion is the best, implying a critique of religious fanaticism and intolerance.
Contributed by Kaylee C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
alaa hjj
كلوا بيجي متَيّس انو دينوا أحلى لون hehehehe true love it
Al Ectric
روعة بيذكري بالمثل يلي عم بيقول البساطة هي آخر درجات العبقرية
Lobster
the bass lines are DELICIOUS
Hosam Omran
LOVE the lyrics.
Yara Shalata
lovin ur music!!
marsel hamoud
تك تك تك يا ام سليمان
تك تك تك بووووووم
تك تك تك فقع البستان شكلو لاحق بوم
المفتاح بالسيارة تحت..والجثة بالصندوق..في شهيد خلف الستارة بدو يهيمن على السوق..
تك تك طلع الادان وغطى صوت البوم.. وانا على التلفزيان ووجهي متل البوم..
كيف مفروض اتسيس وكلو موخم هون..
كلو بيجي متيس أنو دينو أحلى لون..👍
على البارى
رائعة من روائع حاااامد
ahmed er
عبوة ناسفة "قنبلة"
ali maher
Love it
Sweet Dizaster
AMAZING!