On Fatima, Farah Elle’s powerful cadence is a commanding force amongst the instantly captivating cinematic soundscapes. She makes timeless music with a modern edge, reminiscent of Tori Amos, Kate Bush, Kimbra and Aṣa.

The album’s focus track ‘Silk’ has gained almost cult status in Irish music circles, but this is the first time it will be available to stream across DSPs and buy online. That the song’s subject matter is so timely, even years after she penned it, is another a reminder that we still have a lot work to do in creating a world where we can speak openly about identity, religion and human rights.

“I was 19 when I wrote Silk, after my family was recovering from a particularly difficult two years post Libyan revolution,” says Farah. “We were all struggling with our mental health and had such strong feelings of displacement, trying to assign ourselves to some form of identity. The truth is that every person knows what it’s like to struggle with wearing a “veil” - some more than others. The truth is that we are all so much more than where we come from and the cultures we grew up in.

“More than anything, the song is an emotional response to the ways that oppression and colonisation have affected our internal states as people. How we all behave as if we are so divided at times, how controlled and fearful we became of each other and our true nature - and how this applies cross-culturally to all faiths and people of this world. Our violent behaviour is not a reflection of who we actually are by essence. For this knowledge, I am so grateful. For my faith, which keeps me going and helps me structure my self-belief and my intuition while choosing to not be oppressed by it. My open hearted spirituality and celebration of how the culture clashes are what brought me to where I am. Music is a beautiful space within all of the chaos, and it continuously gives me a sanctuary to reside in when I need it.”

On Fatima, named after her mother, Farah explores themes of displacement, identity and culture as well as celebrating nature, love and friendship on an album that Farah describes as a “coming of age record,” one across which she hears herself “unfolding in the songs.”
“I’m not even the same person I was when I begun writing this album, which is probably why I’m so fricken excited to set it free. It represents a lot of lessons I learned in the past, nursing intergenerational wounds and all that deep shit – it’s a gift to share those lessons with other people with the dream of positively making a difference to them. Today, I’m so focused on building my present and future based on all the valuable things I’ve learned along the way.”

Farah’s devotion to music developed at an early age. Watching her older siblings playing together, she was inspired to pick up a guitar and experiment unselfconsciously. Soon after, she penned poetry, singing her words to a piano accompaniment. These moments of self-taught musical expression were hugely cathartic for her. Sitting at the piano gave Farah a space to examine pivotal moments in her life with an unfiltered defiance across her delivery: “I do this to remove it from my bones,” she sings on ‘Play It By Ear.’

The album takes the listener through the breadth of Farah’s talent, from her smoky whisper on ‘Curfew’ to the stunning vocal highs of ‘Howl.’ Her piano playing can be delicate, like something out of a music box, on ‘Lunar,’ or as powerful as it is on the fiery ‘Rajeen.’

Songs like Lunar and Sunblock are direct salutes to the Moon and the Sun, how nature plays such a huge role in her life. “We sometimes take it for granted, but hey, we’re human,” she says.

“Hey look, I know that FATIMA is not an album of “club bangers” (or maybe it is). One thing I do know though, is that these songs have allowed me to express myself, unfiltered, during a period where I really needed the chance to do that. If any person gets any kind of release from hearing these expressions, then my work here is done. I just want people to know that they are being understood.

“Most of the tracks are about my family and friends. They are songs from my heart to theirs. Naming the album after our mother only seemed fitting, I needed to honour her and all that she sacrificed for us, her community and the world. Here’s to setting Fatima free! Alhamdulillah."