Heavy Is the Crown: A Talk with Abdullah Miniawy

Abdullah Miniawy embodies the term multifaceted: his work encompasses poetry, songwriting, composition and, overarching them all, revolutionary activism. The Egyptian artist has made a place for himself in the experimental music scene through the use of his harrowing, deeply political claims and his nuanced calls for hope and fraternity.

Equal parts a writer and a singer, the alchemy between both sides of his creative self fosters a synergy that defines his persona and output. “There’s an ongoing interplay between the writer and the composer within me. The composer is drawn to sounds, while the writer seeks meaning. Nowadays, my focus is on harmonising these aspects […]. I aim to reach people’s instincts and hearts rather than their intellect.”

He is now presenting his first solo project, in which only he and his trumpet take the stand in yet another compelling story, directly pointing at the convergence of religion, modernity, identity, and spirituality. “It’s essentially a journey narrating the story of an ex-Muslim individual who’s on their way to a final court hearing, armed with compelling evidence. […] In simple terms, I’m questioning various aspects of modern society, with a focus on rediscovering simplicity and helping people break free from materialism to connect more deeply on a heart-to-heart level.”

With this project, he visits a wide array of musical influences. Composed during his residency at the Intonal Festival in February of this year,”… it blends elements of poetry, Egyptian chanting, baroque, and blues styles and shows different skills at once […] a freeform creation, featuring extended improvisations and field recordings, resulting in an immersive audio-visual healing experience.“

This versatility is a trademark of his trajectory, which spans from jazz to hip-hop. Abdullah’s career includes collaborations with numerous artists, like DJ and producer Simo Cell, rapper Marc Nammour, the German band Carl Gari, trumpet player Érik Truffaz, and oud player Mehdi Haddab among others. His most recent production, the awarded Le Cri du Caire, is a joint album created alongside sax player Peter Corser, cellist Karsten Hochapfel, and trumpet player Erik Truffaz.

Once again, “religion, revolution, and freedom” is the motif that marks Miniawy’s work, whose stance on the topics is firm and critical. The chaos and lack of direction that characterises modernity is challenged by the artist in the show: “In the absence of a unifying belief system, our values become precarious, fostering a fragility that leads to societal division—a reality we currently grapple with. Capitalism, though influential, lacks the spiritual depth of a religion. There exists a pressing need for humanity to converge around a shared idea. While numerous concepts abound, the challenge lies in navigating the chaos of the present world, to identify where and how to begin.”

Miniawy’s Sufi singing stands out by interacting with a diverse range of very complex emotions. He succeeds at evoking images that visit the grey areas of the soul and conveys them to an audience with whom they resonate intimately. Grief touched by strokes of wonder. Hopefulness, corroded by the intimate awareness of an unforgiving reality. Mourning. Relief. Eeriness. Sorrow. Reverie.

Building cultural bridges between his past experiences and the crowd, Miniawy reveals himself as an honest believer in a common element of human existence. In something indissoluble that prevails at the bottom of every individual, which he tries to reach by the communicative power his work holds. “In the core of our being, we are all bound by our humanity. Our backgrounds may seem like intricate layers, but once we open our hearts, we recognize our shared essence. […] The real work lies in gently peeling away these layers to reveal the inner flame of acceptance, love, and kindness that resides within every person. Our backgrounds, they’re like unique codes, each representing a tapestry of experiences.“

After moving from Cairo to Paris in 2016, the singer found himself in a radically different context that moved him to adapt without compromising. Though his work also contains some songs written in French, most of his lyrics remain in Arabic, an element of his past that preserves a sense of continuity in his artistic identity.

“What I’ve discovered, especially in France, is the beautiful synergy between the audience and me. Together, we’ve constructed our own dictionary and vocabulary. Much like my experience in Egypt with the audience during the revolution, the connection is effortless. People resonate with the emotions embedded in my work. […] I envision myself as a sculpture, and the stage has become the sole space where I express myself in Arabic. It’s a profound experience.”

Leaving his country was a decision made after the frustrated Egyptian revolution, in which he had an active role. His voice shook to their core both crowded squares and clubs in an Egypt where collective action was inevitable and solidarity blossomed in despair. His work cannot be understood without its highly political context: Abdullah keeps holding a mirror up to society. Carrying these defining experiences within, Miniawy’s stance today is one of hope:

“My revolution takes a different form today. It’s a global movement, momentarily at rest after the traumatising events of the Arab Spring. Rest is natural after such a battle. Yet, I believe in its resurgence. One day, it will reawaken, spreading its message of understanding and unity far and wide. I hold this certainty in my heart.”

“In the midst of today’s turbulent political climate, I find myself playing a significant role. I am acutely aware that my presence and performances serve as a catalyst, encouraging people to question the narratives spun by the media and politicians. The truth, I believe, is far simpler than the complex arguments that surround us. […] However, governments and media outlets worldwide keep [the people] entangled in webs of hatred and intense thoughts.”

These words I write are drunk in anguish. In the last days, we bear witness to degrees of violence we had assumed only belonged to History books. Images of unimaginable pain swarmed our screens and pushed the world into an uncomfortable position where silence is no longer an option. Still, little to nothing escapes the immobility of the scrolling and a sunken wish for a real sense of fairness in the world.

“My mind operates like a relentless engine these days, fueled by a profound sense of sorrow. […] The tools employed for activism are now heavily regulated—a deliberate effort by governments, a legacy of the Arab Spring, transforming our only remaining free space, the Internet, into yet another societal prison. In an unpublished piece of work from last year, I wrote, ‘The war behind screens will achieve no goal.‘”

Today, more than ever, it is necessary to give the stage to those who will use it to echo the indignation of the oppressed and denounce the passivity of those who preach the sanctity of the monopoly of violence. Abdullah, like many others, pursues a sense of justice with the use of his creativity marked by a relentless hopefulness for the future. As he puts it, “In these times, dreaming is not a luxury but a necessity. It stands as our only solution.”

Ok, my eyes are teary, dropping in the wide ocean.
The wood under my feet is solid,
unlike the softness I’m faced with,
The waves.
Experience everything you said you would, look to what’s ahead!

Ok, de mes yeux des larmes tombent dans l’immense océan.
Le bois sous mes pieds est solide,
au contraire de la douceur à laquelle je suis confronté,
Les vagues.
Faites l’expérience de tout ce que vous vous êtes promis de faire,

Abdullah Miniawy will perform live at pluto (Planeta Za) on October 22 at Deviant x Shoes off. Presale tickets are available for purchase here.