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Mehdi Bahmad

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Mehdi Bahmad
Mehdi Bahmad - Rouge a Levres - Music Video Outtake - 11
Mehdi Bahmad - Rouge a Levres - Music Video Outtake - 11
Background information
BornRabat, Morocco
Genres
Occupation(s)Singer, Songwriter, Producer, Director, Visual Artist
Years active2018-present
Websitemehdibahmad.com

Mehdi Bahmad (Arabic: مهدي بحمد) is a Moroccan-born Canadian singer, songwriter, producer, director, and visual artist.

Early life

Bahmad was born in Rabat, Morocco, from a Moroccan mother and an Amazigh father. Before moving to Canada, Bahmad and his family lived in Antibes, France, and Agadir, Morocco.[1][2][3] In addition to French, he speaks English and Derija.

Music career

Coming from a visual arts background, Bahmad controls all creative aspect of his work, and incorporates dance and movement into his art.[4][5][6][7]

He cites as influences artists of the likes of Lana Del Rey, Mashrou’Leila, Nancy Ajram, Shakira, and Rosalía, along with Arab and Amazigh culture, religion, politics and Baladi dance.[8]

On February 6, 2018, he released a self-directed aesthetic short clip titled "Intro"[9] in which he stars, alongside two completely veiled entities, symbolic of the duality of his Eastern and Western identities.[7][5]

Bahmad' self-produced and home-recorded debut single "Rouge à lèvres"[10] was independently released on 17 April 2018.[11] On 12 July 2018, iHeart Radio Canada premiered the music video directed and conceived by Bahmad.[3] Using the cosmetic product (lipstick) as a symbol of femaleness, Bahmad questions the paradigms of gender expression.[1][12]

On June 28, 2019, he released the single "H.E.N.N.A.",[13] addressing the challenges of growing up as a millennial in a Muslim family, and the broader generational gap in North-African and Middle-Eastern societies. With his song, Mehdi shares the difficult relationship he has long maintained with his entourage, especially with his father. He uses henna, a plant formerly cultivated by his father in the Moroccan desert, as a distraction. The bush that ''grows in paradise'' is very symbolic of the Maghreb and Middle-Eastern culture, and especially of female seduction.[14] The plant is considered sacred and the flower would have been, according to the legendary stories of the Quran, the favorite of the prophet Mohammed. The self-directed and conceived music video[13] for it was released later in August and premiered by Booooooom TV.[15] In November 2020, the music video was selected as part of the Official Selection of the 10th anniversary edition of Aesthetica Short Film Festival.

On August 16, 2019, Bahmad performed on the main stage of The Montréal Pride Festival, the largest gathering of the Sexual and Gender Diversity communities in the Francophone world. Performances included international acts such as Ciara and several Rupaul's Drag Race contestants such as Sasha Velour, Detox, Latrice Royale, Brooke Lynn Hytes, Naomi Smalls, Yvie Oddly, as well as many Canadian acts like Marie-Mai, Ariane Moffat, and Safia Nolin, among others.[16]

On August 23, 2019, he released the single "Lay".[17] On September 30, 2019, he released the music video[17] he directed and conceived for it, premiered by the Angelo fashion publication Flaunt.[18] With this title, Bahmad invites everyone to experience a connection to the Earth and to one another. In the intro of the music video, Bahmad emerges from clay. According to the legendary stories of the Quran, God created man out of clay. Yet Mehdi had to create himself : giving birth to his artistic persona. What follows is a game of telephone, with Bahmad and his co-stars whispering the lyrics to one another, connecting them and expressing a sense of plurality.[18][19]

On October 25, 2019, Bahmad released his debut EP titled Khôl.[20] Of the title "Khôl", Bahmad states, "I transpose this simple mineral powder into a symbol of union, harmony, and equality. Originally, it was worn by all : women, children, and men from all social classes, rich and poor. It allowed among other things to protect from the sunlight's reflections and refractions. This image is so powerful: the same eyes, smudged with black, glazing the same burning sun".[4][5][7] Speaking on his inspiration, Bahmad shares, "This EP literally represents the creation of my artistic persona. This alter-ego that silently ruled my secret garden, a vital space I instinctively created when I was younger and more fragile. All the songs explore and express the journey that sculpted this persona. Today, I proudly speak for that young boy who felt he didn't have a voice."Khôl" is essential in understanding my story. It's like my first words. This is the first chapter".[4][5][7][6]

On March 12, 2020, he released the self-directed and conceived music video for his single ''Buy Me (a Bird)''.[21] The music video was premiered by Vogue Arabia,[8] the Arab edition of Vogue magazine, along with an interview on his artistic process.

On March 25, 2020, Olof Dreijer, originally from the Swedish electronic duo The Knife, released a remix of "Rouge à lèvres".[22] Bahmad' song was inspired by The Knife's 2003 single "Pass This On". In the lyrics we can read: We are fighters, we are fighters, we are fighters. Tonight we reign. Cheap string lights on, put The Knife on, rolled back eyes Mon Rouge à lèvres stains.[23]

On November 20, 2020, Mehdi Bahmad released the single "Sukkar".[24] The cover artwork he created is inspired by the sugarloaf, used in Morocco to prepare traditional mint tea, and that is said to symbolize joy.[25]

Discography

Singles

Title Year Album
Rouge à lèvres[10] 2018 Non-album single
H.E.N.N.A.[13] 2019 Khôl
Lay[17] 2019 Khôl
Buy Me (a Bird)[21] 2020 Khôl
Sukkar[24] 2020 Non-album single

EPs

Title Year Track List
Khôl[20] 2019 1. Lay (Intro)

2. Lay

3. H.E.N.N.A.

4. Buy Me (a Bird)

5. Khôl

Khôl (Remixes)[26] 2020 1. Lay (P.A.F.F. Remix)

2. H.E.N.N.A. (King Arthur Remix)

4. Buy Me (a Bird) (LUXXURY Remix)

5. Khôl (GOLDHOUSE Remix)

References

  1. ^ a b "This Arab artist is fighting for 'gender freedom' in the Middle East". StepFeed. 2018-08-08. Retrieved 2018-08-14.
  2. ^ "Mehdi Bahmad". Genius. Retrieved 2018-08-14.
  3. ^ a b Média, Bell. "REGARDEZ : Mehdi Bahmad célèbre la liberté des genres" (in Canadian French). Retrieved 2018-08-14.
  4. ^ a b c "L'électro pop sans barrière de Mehdi Bahmad". Le Courrier du Sud (in Canadian French). 2019-11-12. Retrieved 2019-11-15.
  5. ^ a b c d Genest, Catherine. "À découvrir : l'électro arabisant et engagé de Mehdi Bahmad". Voir.ca (in Canadian French). Retrieved 2019-11-15.
  6. ^ a b Radio-Canada.ca, ICI Radio-Canada Première-. "ICI Radio-Canada Première | Émissions, horaire, fréquences radio". Le 15-18 | Radio-Canada.ca Première (in Canadian French). Retrieved 2019-11-15.
  7. ^ a b c d Radio-Canada.ca, ICI Radio-Canada Première-. "ICI Radio-Canada Première | Émissions, horaire, fréquences radio". Pénélope | ICI Radio-Canada.ca Première (in Canadian French). Retrieved 2019-11-15.
  8. ^ a b "Feeling Like a Caged Bird? Watch This". Vogue Arabia. 2020-03-12. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  9. ^ Mehdi Bahmad - Intro, retrieved 2019-11-15
  10. ^ a b Rouge à lèvres - Single by Mehdi Bahmad, retrieved 2019-11-15
  11. ^ Rouge à Lèvres - Single par Mehdi Bahmad (in Canadian French), 2018-04-17, retrieved 2018-08-14
  12. ^ "مهدي بحمد يلوّن الشفاه". My Kali (in Arabic). 2018-08-28. Retrieved 2019-11-15.
  13. ^ a b c Mehdi Bahmad - H.E.N.N.A., retrieved 2019-11-15
  14. ^ "حنة". My Kali (in Arabic). 2019-10-22. Retrieved 2019-11-15.
  15. ^ "Mehdi Bahmad – "H.E.N.N.A."". tv.booooooom.com. 15 August 2019. Retrieved 2019-11-15.
  16. ^ "Artists". Fierté Montréal. Retrieved 2019-11-15.
  17. ^ a b c Mehdi Bahmad - Lay, retrieved 2019-11-15
  18. ^ a b "Flaunt Premiere | Mehdi Bahmad "Lay"". Flaunt Magazine. Retrieved 2019-11-15.
  19. ^ "Mehdi Bahmad – "Lay"". tv.booooooom.com. 7 October 2019. Retrieved 2019-11-15.
  20. ^ a b Khôl - EP par Mehdi Bahmad, retrieved 2019-11-15
  21. ^ a b "Mehdi Bahmad - Buy Me (a Bird)". YouTube.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  22. ^ Rouge à Lèvres (Olof Dreijer Remix) - Single by Mehdi Bahmad, retrieved 2020-03-31
  23. ^ Mehdi Bahmad – Rouge à lèvres, retrieved 2020-03-31
  24. ^ a b "Sukkar by Mehdi Bahmad". Apple Music. Retrieved 2020-12-01.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  25. ^ "Mehdi Bahmad". nataal.com. Retrieved 2021-03-01.
  26. ^ "Khôl (Remixes) - EP by Mehdi Bahmad". Apple Music. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
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