From “lover boy” to symbol of Palestinian resistance, the artistic turning point of Saint Levant since October 7

Lips to the microphone, white tank top, confident look, mixing Arabic, French and English with captivating lyrics, Marwan Abdelhamid alias Saint Levant, first became known through his videos on social networks. He raps, sings, tells stories the history of his country and even criticizes toxic masculinity From the start, his potential suggests a promising omen. land of origin: Palestine His image of. lover boy modern and its appearance, far from virile codes, have become its trademark. Its music embraces the influences of a plural heritage, it draws as much from North American hip-hop as from oriental melodies and the chaabi Algerian, so-called “popular” music of Arab-Andalusian origin.

From committed sex symbol to fervent activist

The artist, born in Jerusalem in 2000 to a French-Algerian mother and a Palestinian-Serbian father, grew up in Gaza until 2007 before moving to Jordan because of the civil war. At 17, he moved to California to continue his studies and build a career. In November 2022, the single that marked his musical takeoff was released, Very Few Friendshe tells of a sensual romance between France, Morocco and Lebanon.

Saint Levant poses with the young people of a village with a Palestinian feel, in the company of the young rapper MC Abdul, who sings with him to music from the album. Source: @saintlevant

On October 6, 2023, Saint Levant blows out the candles of his 23rd birthday. The next day, his life changes. From the dream of offering a croissant to his beloved in the city of love, he has moved on to the dream of returning to the country of his childhood memories. His Instagram account, followed by 1.1 million followers, no longer shows the music that had bewitched his audience. Only images of Deira appear there.

Deira is first of all the hotel built by his father in 2000 on the Gaza coast. Very frequented by foreign journalists, the place was destroyed by the Israeli army a few months ago. It is the family memory of the Abdelhamids which fades, and the memory of four Palestinian children killed in this place in 2014 which resurfaces. The album is a tribute that embodies the attachment to the land and the conviction of one day being able to return and rebuild. It is also the political-artistic act of a man who no longer knows where his place is, but who has never lost sight of his roots.

Since always, with Palestine as a compass

From a childhood dream of becoming president of Palestine to a career as an artist, Saint Levant’s entire trajectory has been dedicated to his home country. Marwan graduated in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Santa Barbara in California, and his ability to express himself and his mastery of the subjects he addresses are evident.

Saint Levant is gradually building the solid pillar of a youth fighting for its dignity. His initiatives have helped strengthen the network of diaspora members with Gazan entrepreneurs. A week before the release of his album, he launched the Fondation 2048 scholarship, whose name refers to the centenary of the Nakba in Palestine. The project will fund projects by artists of Palestinian culture to the tune of $5,000.

“My body in Paris, my heart in Gaza”

For several weeks, Saint Levant has been giving interviews and concerts between Paris and New York. His appearance last April at the Coachella festival in California did not go unnoticed. As usual, he did not smooth over his political convictions; it was by wearing a keffiyeh and dancing the dabkeon striking visuals of Gaza, that he invested this stage not conducive to the expression of divisive subjects. Before going on stage, the artist explains on social networks that he had an altercation with a member of staff about the Palestinian flag he was flying.

Saint Levant with his girlfriend Naika on stage at the Coachella festival, last Saturday April 13. Source: @coachella via the artist’s Instagram

This is not the first time that Saint Levant has shown himself to be subversive: during his speech for the 2023 “Man of the Year” prize awarded by GQ Francehe decrees: “I was told not to talk about Palestine if I won this prize. But one, I am not censored, two, I cannot remain silent, while more than 8,000 Palestinian children have been massacred by the Israeli occupation.”

On the morning of May 25, Saint Levant announced the release of his new album for June 9. That same evening, he was at the heart of an evening dedicated to Palestine held at the Arab World Institute in the 5th arrondissement of Paris. Two days later, the French daily Release publishes his portrait. In the hours that followed, numerous articles documented an Israeli strike that left more than 45 dead and 249 injured in a refugee camp in Rafah. Between the violence of the Israeli occupation and the rise of the singer a terrible mirror game unfolds. Scream Palestine, every day, until deafness collapses in the face of horror.

The embodiment of Western(-ized) Arab youth

What is undeniable is that in Europe, Saint Levant has no competition. He takes a place that until then remained vacant. The investment in Western musical scenes and its musical codes, while remaining faithful to Arab culture, allowed the artist to make a strong impression. From a geopolitical perspective, the saturation of the Western music industry has created a draft in the Arab world, and the tension around the Palestinian issue has made it difficult for artists to have an impact in this public space. ultracleaved.

In this excess, Saint Levant was able to give an artistic and political direction to the children of the Arab diasporas; by the clarity of its commitment and the multiplicity of its cultural roots. This springboard allowed him to focus attention on the Palestinian people and encourage his audience to support Gaza from abroad. It is not just a concordance of favorable factors: beyond his talent and his certain charm, Marwan was able to reinvent himself and deepen his artistic identity during the many months of war which of Gaza a field of ruins. And this, without ever falling into hatred of others.

Cover photo of the album “Deira” showing the facade of the Deira Hotel, built by Saint Levant’s father in 2000 and recently destroyed by Israeli bombing. Source: @saintlevant

If we can obviously give it a dreamy side, Saint Levant was affected by the war, and closely. Far from being disconnected from Gaza, he is indeed the child of his parents and their parents before them. His ability to translate this message into several languages ​​and his unshakeable conviction of return place him directly in the tradition of transmission specific to Palestinians. Deira promises to be the first project in a new phase of his career. Saint Levant recently affirmed, on the social network whole.