When Ara Malikian draws her bow, the note-shaped “arrows” she shoots from her violin reach and leave a lasting mark. In her hands, the four-string instrument comes to life and “speaks” in the universal language of music. This Saturday, the Lebanese artist will take to the stage of Axerquia Theater tell new stories, those of a ‘Intruder’himself, who has finally managed to come to terms with his multicultural identity.
-After two years without coming to Cordoba, he returns with this new tour. What has Ara Malikian prepared for this concert?
-I return to Cordoba very happy, excited and eager to present the songs of this tour released very recently, with new songs that are not even recorded. It is a lucky to be able to play here again, It’s almost like being at home. Relive the energy and passion of your audience; the way they listen to you, look at you and feel you is very motivating.
In the show, I will also perform songs by artists who were “intruders” in their early days, like him. Paco de Lucia or Jimmy Hendrixand then they changed the world of music.
In this new exhibition I tell how, after so many years of traveling around the world, I realized that many of the things I learned were precisely due to the fact that I was an “insider”; I immersed myself in different styles, different cultures that I was lucky enough to know. I saw myself in many places that were inspiring.
-How did the songwriting process for this tour go?
-The germ of the show was born from an album that will be released at Christmas, with songs in which my violin is the “intruder” in the music of different cultures. From there, I began to compose by letting myself go. I am lucky to be able to work in the creative process without any pressure. I do it with the live show in mind.
-Where are you going to turn with ‘Intruso’?
-We will be everyone; We will tour all over Spain with a very full agenda, and we will also go to Latin America, Germany, France, Italy… It will be a long tour, I think it will be like the previous one, which lasted almost four years.
-As an “intruder” he had a long and difficult road to travel as a sort of “outcast” from the world…
-Well, it was hard, but also a lot of fun. At first, when I found myself alone in Germany at the age of 14, I felt out of place, out of place. But all the experiences became a learn like hell. There was no margin for error and I was lucky; In addition, the passion for music and my violin helped me. I had to survive in a country that was not mine, but it was wonderful because I have beautiful memories of experiences, friends and all the places that, from that moment on, I began to know.
-Even if you feel like a citizen of the world, I imagine that the land where you were born particularly affects you. How do the latest events in Lebanon affect you?
-With great concern. But not only in Lebanon, but in the whole region. It is very sad and at the same time disappointing, because there is no solution; we do not see that those in power want to resolve anything and all these conflicts. they can extend an entire life. I remember my childhood in Lebanon, when the war started in 78, and now, according to what my uncles, who still live there, tell me, the situation is even worse: with electricity cuts, a lot of insecurity and poverty.
At the same time as we hear about prosperity in the West, we see all the misery that exists in many parts of the world; a inequality It’s getting bigger and bigger. And you can complain, talk about it, but what can you do? It’s all about economic and political interests, and disasters don’t seem to matter to anyone.
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“My style? It’s hard to define; I would say it’s all-terrain.”
-His passion for the violin comes from his father. How did you develop such a strong bond with this instrument?
-My father was a violin fan and he wanted me to touch it before he was even born. He forced me to play and thank God I fell in love with this instrument. I thank you for letting me live your passion because it has brought me this far.
-In your style there are touches of flamenco, jazz, rock, classical… How would you define it?
-It’s difficult to define. I would say it’s a style off road. I didn’t have a planned or calculated career; it developed as it progressed and things happened as it went along. Having to survive, playing in the street, bars, restaurants, weddings exposed me to different environments than the conservatory, where I initially studied.
-And after this tour? Any new projects, in addition to the album you plan to release?
-Well, I have a Christmas Concertbut for now, with this wonderful tour, I will already be very busy.
