In a recent interview, singer-songwriter Azniv Korkejian, known as Bedouine, opened up about her fourth album 'Neon Summer Skin' and the personal and political themes that shape it. The title track recreates a perfect childhood day, but Korkejian emphasizes it's about the luxury of feeling safe—a luxury not afforded to children in Palestine and Lebanon.
Background and Displacement
Korkejian's family is Armenian, born in Syria, with her brothers born in Saudi Arabia. They lived on a US compound until 1995, when they relocated to the US via the green card lottery, escaping the subsequent Syrian civil war. Despite initial anger, the US eventually became home.
Album Inspiration
The album was inspired by her parents' forced departure from Saudi Arabia after retirement, unable to obtain citizenship. They moved to Armenia, as Syria was unsafe. Korkejian wrote the songs after her final visit to Saudi Arabia in 2019, grappling with the loss of family and places.
Key Track: Canopies
The song 'Canopies' retells her mother's story of being placed in an orphanage during the Armenian genocide to protect her from an abusive husband. The opening line, 'I loved you too much to keep you, so I committed a crime,' captures the devastation with grace.
Musical Style and Influences
The album moves from intimate singer-songwriter territory to a 'middle of the road' sound inspired by Carole King, Elton John, and Todd Rundgren, with guests including the Lemon Twigs and Jonathan Rado.
Korkejian plans to exhibit her parents' old photos from Syria and Lebanon to humanize people from the Middle East, countering negative perceptions. 'In these photos from the 70s, my parents look stunning. They were so hip and so beautiful,' she says.
'Neon Summer Skin' is out now via Thirty Tigers.
