Mira Awad Arab-Israeli World Music Folk Singer Announces UK Tour Dates
Born to a Palestinian father and Bulgarian mother in Rameh, a Palestinian village in Galillee, north of Israel, Mira Awad has been defying convention and expectation from an early age.
Today she is pleased to announce she will return to the UK for a run of dates supporting viral internet sensation and virtuoso guitarist Jon Gomm in May and June this year - see below for full dates.
Awad's music addresses the importance of the natural environment as well as promoting dialogue and co-existence among people, raising a call for human solidarity everywhere in the world. She is a relentless peace activist, and believes in anti-violence activity to build bridges towards resolution.
Reputedly singing before she could talk, at the age of 13 she started writing her own songs, and from the age of 17 she sang with Israeli rock band Samana with her lyrics tackling the taboo issues of women's rights and domestic violence, defiantly shaving her head along with the male members of the band – much to the chagrin of the conservatives around her.
After a stint in the city of Haifa studying Fine Arts and English Literature, she decided to quit and move to Tel-Aviv where she studied Music at the Rimon School for Jazz and Contemporary Music.
"I was the first Arab in an all Israeli school, they didn't quite know how to handle me, they did not know what to expect, as if I landed from outer space” explains the singer, before adding with a smile “But to be fair, I think at the time I also did not know how to handle me."
Throughout her career, Mira has developed a unique fusion of influences, combining the East with the West, weaving the Arabic language and its oriental infusions with Western harmonies, creating world music that combines many styles into a rich tapestry of sounds, as she notes "I guess the fact that I myself am a fusion of cultures reflected on the music I make.”
Mira has collaborated with a wide range of world-famous musicians including a duet with superstar tenor Andrea Bocelli, representing Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2009 alongside Noa (Achinoam Nini), and performances alongside world music artists Idan Raichel, David Broza, Joca Perpignan, George Dalaras, La oreja de Van Gogh and Bobby Mc'Ferrin.
Her debut solo album ‘Bahlawan (Acrobat)’ was released May 2009, produced by Israeli guitarist Amos Ever-Hadani , before she was signed to Sony Records in 2011 and released her second album ‘All My Faces’ with Spanish producer Carlos Jean. In December 2012 she decided to leave Sony and establish LabelFree, an indie world music label and production company.
As if she wasn’t busy enough already, Mira is also a prizewinning musical theatre composer and famous actress in her home country, appearing on the hit TV series Arab Labor as well as in a host of movies including Al'Zindiq, The Bubble, Zaytoun and Farewell Baghdad.
"I just do not understand why people cannot see that they are the same” Mira concludes “We cannot keep on hurting each other like this, and violating the environment. It makes me laugh when I hear we should be saving the planet. It's not the planet that needs saving, this planet will do just fine after we're all gone. It's us who need saving; from ourselves.”
May/June 2014 UK tour dates (click dates for tickets):
14 May – London, JW3
16 May – London, 100 Club w/ Jon Gomm
17 May – Leeds, Holy Trinity w/ Jon Gomm
3 June – Brighton, Sticky Mikes Frog Bar w/ Jon Gomm
4 June – Milton Keynes, Crauford Arms w/ Jon Gomm
5 June – Maidstone, The Rafters w/ Jon Gomm
Today she is pleased to announce she will return to the UK for a run of dates supporting viral internet sensation and virtuoso guitarist Jon Gomm in May and June this year - see below for full dates.
Awad's music addresses the importance of the natural environment as well as promoting dialogue and co-existence among people, raising a call for human solidarity everywhere in the world. She is a relentless peace activist, and believes in anti-violence activity to build bridges towards resolution.
Reputedly singing before she could talk, at the age of 13 she started writing her own songs, and from the age of 17 she sang with Israeli rock band Samana with her lyrics tackling the taboo issues of women's rights and domestic violence, defiantly shaving her head along with the male members of the band – much to the chagrin of the conservatives around her.
After a stint in the city of Haifa studying Fine Arts and English Literature, she decided to quit and move to Tel-Aviv where she studied Music at the Rimon School for Jazz and Contemporary Music.
"I was the first Arab in an all Israeli school, they didn't quite know how to handle me, they did not know what to expect, as if I landed from outer space” explains the singer, before adding with a smile “But to be fair, I think at the time I also did not know how to handle me."
Throughout her career, Mira has developed a unique fusion of influences, combining the East with the West, weaving the Arabic language and its oriental infusions with Western harmonies, creating world music that combines many styles into a rich tapestry of sounds, as she notes "I guess the fact that I myself am a fusion of cultures reflected on the music I make.”
Mira has collaborated with a wide range of world-famous musicians including a duet with superstar tenor Andrea Bocelli, representing Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2009 alongside Noa (Achinoam Nini), and performances alongside world music artists Idan Raichel, David Broza, Joca Perpignan, George Dalaras, La oreja de Van Gogh and Bobby Mc'Ferrin.
Her debut solo album ‘Bahlawan (Acrobat)’ was released May 2009, produced by Israeli guitarist Amos Ever-Hadani , before she was signed to Sony Records in 2011 and released her second album ‘All My Faces’ with Spanish producer Carlos Jean. In December 2012 she decided to leave Sony and establish LabelFree, an indie world music label and production company.
As if she wasn’t busy enough already, Mira is also a prizewinning musical theatre composer and famous actress in her home country, appearing on the hit TV series Arab Labor as well as in a host of movies including Al'Zindiq, The Bubble, Zaytoun and Farewell Baghdad.
"I just do not understand why people cannot see that they are the same” Mira concludes “We cannot keep on hurting each other like this, and violating the environment. It makes me laugh when I hear we should be saving the planet. It's not the planet that needs saving, this planet will do just fine after we're all gone. It's us who need saving; from ourselves.”
May/June 2014 UK tour dates (click dates for tickets):
14 May – London, JW3
16 May – London, 100 Club w/ Jon Gomm
17 May – Leeds, Holy Trinity w/ Jon Gomm
3 June – Brighton, Sticky Mikes Frog Bar w/ Jon Gomm
4 June – Milton Keynes, Crauford Arms w/ Jon Gomm
5 June – Maidstone, The Rafters w/ Jon Gomm
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