Lebanese artist Yasmine Hamdan's "Hal" enters Oscars race

By Soumaya El Filali

The Middle East has proven to be a strong presence at the Oscars once again.

“Hal”, a love song written and sung by Lebanese singer-songwriter and actress Yasmine Hamdan, has been named one of the 79 tracks competing for Best Original Song at the 87^th Academy Awards next month.

Written especially for the Hollywood movie “Only Lovers Left Alive,” the song is performed by Hadad towards the end of the movie when the vampire couple, Adam (Tom Hiddleston) and Eve (Tilda Swinton) watches her perform in awe.

“Her name is Yasmine. She’ll be famous one day,” Eve tells Adam in the scene.

“I hope not,” Adam replies. “She’s too good to be famous.”

Clad in black leather pants, an embroidered belt and arms filled with bangles, Hamdan sways her body rhythmically to the music in a dimly lit café while performing the haunting, slow-paced tune.

Although it is not unfamiliar to hear the Arabic language in Hollywood movies, it is always refreshing to see songs like “Hal” representing the Arabic language in a new light – as a language of love, peace and purity as opposed to the harsh, skewed representation it usually receives in the news.

Famous Arab singers such as Nancy Ajram, Elissa, and Amr Diab have also proven the worldwide strength of Arabic music through winning Oscars for the “Best Arab Singer” at the international award show, “The World Music Awards.”

Yasmine first broke into fame in the mid-1990s with Soapkills, the duo she founded in Beirut with Zeid Hamdan, which was the first local band to introduce indie/electronic music to the Middle East. In 2006, Yasmine moved to Paris where she collaborated with CocoRosie, teamed up with Mirwais, a former member of the band Taxi Girl, and recorded under Y.A.S. moniker releasing the “Arabology” album in 2009.

After collaborating with Marc Collin, Yasmine’s solo debut album “Ya Nass” was released in Japan and the US in May 2013, leading her to perform in major cities in Europe, US, and the Arab world.

Drawing inspiration from some of the greatest female singers of the mid 20^th century including Aisha El Marta, Nagat El Saghira, Asmahan, Shadia, and Mounira El Mehdeyya, Hamdan has been considered an “underground icon throughout the Arab world” and was described as the “Arab Music’s Modern Voice” by The New York Times in 2012.

The nominations will be announced live on Jan. 15 and the Oscar ceremony will be held at the Dolby Theater and Highland Center in Hollywood on Feb. 22.