Count me in! L-Għanja tal-Poplu
Valleta, Malta
Music
“Count me in!” is all about sharing stories that highlight diversity, equality, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging in the seat of art festivals. In this series you will hear their stories, and see how we can all make a difference by standing up for each other.
The annual festival 'L-Għanja Tal-Poplu' (The People's Song) showcases original Maltese songs. Artists, particularly singer-songwriters, portray the hopes, dreams, fears, and joys of our social lives. The festival encourages the creation of songs with social themes by awarding a special prize to the song with the best social theme.
Here are three socially conscious songs from this year's edition of "L-Għanja tal-Poplu." This year's event began with the song 'Jien Min Jien' (Whom Am I). The song describes how we frequently witness on social media insults or judgements on everything that happens around us! We consider ourselves Christians, yet we make derogatory remarks. We judge others from behind a computer screen.
We consider ourselves experts in everything, and we do not want anybody to associate with us. But who am I to judge you if I don't know what you're really experiencing deep down inside? Another song, 'Nafu nħobbu wkoll' (We also know how to love) depicts a couple with different skin colours and their interactions with others. Although society claims to tolerate diversity, people continue to treat this pair as if they were offenders. Why does skin colour differentiate a person from another, as if coloured people don’t known how to love like everyone else? No, they can they be together even if the other part is not the same colour. Why does society categorise these individuals? Love has no limits. Ask those who are experiencing this situation to recognise how their love is no different from others who are labelled as 'normal'.
This year's award for best social theme went to the song 'Straight' as interpreted by himself. The song is about his personal singer-songwriter experiences through the years as a gay person. Society has always assumed that he is 'the typical man'. However, what was expected of him was not in line with who he is or what he desired in life. 'Straight' discusses the obstacles that Kirkop continues to confront in his life because he is gay. Finally, Kirkop expresses his sense of fulfilment with who he is today. 'L-Għanja tal-Poplu' is a song festival where artists can write songs on any theme.
This festival has a legacy of featuring music that advocates for a better society based on mutual acceptance and assistance.
link: www.facebook.com/GhanjaTalPoplu/ Web: www.ghanjatalpoplu.org
By L-Għanja tal-Poplu
(General editor: Simon Mundy)
