EMEL

Coinciding with the exhibition Arts of the Maghreb: North African Textiles and Jewelry, the CMA is proud to present award-winning, internationally acclaimed musician and producer EMEL.

New York City–based Tunisian American art-pop musician Emel Mathlouthi, also known as EMEL, rose to fame in 2012 with her protest song “Kelmti Horra” (My Word Is Free) from the album of the same name and was subsequently called the voice of the Arab Spring. In 2016, she performed “Kelmti Horra” at the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony, marking a climax in her journey with this powerful song. 

EMEL continued her exploration and developed a sound that is unique to her. An electronic music loaded with North African references, including complex rhythms and light-dark atmospheres, was revealed in 2017 with the release of her album Ensen (Human). 

In constant evolution, EMEL pushed her frontiers even further in 2019 with the release of Everywhere We Looked Was Burning, a prophetic third album in which she embraces her taste for the English language and experimental and cinematic music. Released on Partisan Records, this concept album and cycle of videos clarifies the purpose of the musician, confirms her talent as a producer, and puts her at the forefront of the international scene.

EMEL released her latest record, MRA, in April 2024. Its name stems from the word woman in Arabic, and it is entirely produced with female and queer collaborators from around the world. MRA is the embodiment of sisterhood as well as the musical form of the fight against patriarchy in a male-driven world and industry. With strong sounds of pop and hip-hop, and swaying between Arabic, English, and French languages, EMEL allows both herself and her listeners to step into an even more committed journey toward embracing one’s own authentic life.

More information about EMEL can be found on her website.

The views expressed by performers during this event are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Cleveland Museum of Art.