Today, alQaws released the first single from its musical project “Singing Sexuality 2” (“Ghanni ‘An al-Ta’rif 2” in Arabic). The song “el-Ossa Hiyyi Hiyyi” (meaning “Same Old Story”) is written, composed, and performed by the artist Yusor.

The single is born out of the experience of many queer relationships, which constantly face social challenges and scrutiny, where one partner is left hesitant and unsure of their situation, considering their same-sex relationship “uncomfortable” and outside of the norm.

(The single cover)

Yusor is an independent Palestinian artist living in Ramallah interested in topics of gender and social influence over the body. She studied Arabic music and learned to play the Qanun at the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music. She also graduated from the International Academy of Art-Palestine with a bachelor’s degree in Contemporary Visual Arts.

Within the first few hours, the single was met with widespread viewership and online interaction, reaching over 2,000 views by evening hours.

“Singing Sexuality” was launched in 2013 with the release of the first album of songs with lyrical content about sexual and gender diversity, and sexuality in general. Since then, the music project garnered a huge audience, with tens of thousands of views and listens on different media platforms.

The launch of “Singing Sexuality 2” will take a different form, focusing on consistent musical production and new single releases every few months. The project will also focus on spotlighting artists from more diverse backgrounds and experiences.

Click here to listen to the single on SoundCloud.