- artist:Farah Siraj, Andreas Arnold, & Adam Maalouf
- featured artist: Farah Siraj, Andreas Arnold, and Adam Maalouf
- release year:2020
- style(s):Latin, Acoustic
- country:USA
- formats:Audio File / Digital
- record posted by:Pryor, Tom
- label:Independently Released
- publisher:Farah Siraj & Andreas Arnold
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Calma speaks about the quest for inner peace and calm. Written and performed in Spanish, Calma (calmness) emphasizes the importance of finding peace within ourselves as an integral part of realizing peace on a global scale. This year, Siraj, Arnold and Maalouf have joined forces with The United Nations Association of Greater Philadelphia to spread this message of peace.
Andreas Arnold remembers “The idea for this song came to me amidst the noisy craze of New York City and at a moment when I felt quite overwhelmed by the weight of not only personal, but also global distress. Out of nowhere, the spontaneous visualization of being alone at the beach in El Palmar in Andalusia, Spain quenched my thirst for calmness which then became the central theme of the song”
With music written by Andreas Arnold, and lyrics co-written by Andreas and Farah Siraj, this collaboration is a special offering both musically and visually, with an intimate performance against the backdrop of one of the world's most magical theaters. Built in 1930, United Palace opened its doors nearly 90 years ago and was designated as a landmark building in 2016. In the music video for Calma, this intimate trio performance offers a beautiful contrast with the magnificence of the theater that is amplified by views of its over 3300 empty seats.
The performance includes Farah Siraj on vocals, singing in Spanish and paying tribute to her ties to Spain, Andreas Arnold on flamenco guitar and Adam Maalouf on handpan. Balancing an intimate performance with the message of the importance of finding inner peace, the song invites a contemplative state, questions the self, one’s purpose and recognizes the transience of life. Calma also alludes to the importance of being at one with nature and at peace with our environment as part of achieving inner peace. With the influences of flamenco, Arabic music and more contemporary elements of handpan sounds, Calma offers a timeless window into the search for peace, calm and purpose.