EMAR: Sacred Soul in FutuReale Magazine
"Enlightenment and Entertainment all Wrapped in One"
On October 7th 2008, friends and members of the press gathered together at Foundation Room on Church Street to celebrate the release of local chanteuse EMAR’s third album, Sacred Soul. Foundation Room was the perfect venue to host the party, as its décor totally complemented the eastern influences in EMAR’s music. It was certainly a party worth remembering. EMAR a.k.a. Melissa Rebronja treated her friends and the media to a live performance of some of the tracks from the album. Although there was no band to back her, her voice and movement to the sound of the backing tracks were enough to give the crowd a taste of the delicious etherealness of her album. It made me want to get to know this mystical songstress even better.
EMAR spent most of her life in Toronto, but returned to Belgrade, the city of her birth, and lived there for almost ten years before returning to Canada for good. She has both Serbian and Muslim influences in her blood which greatly contributed to shaping her songwriting and vocal talents on this album. When she moved to Vancouver in 1999 for a short period of time, she discovered her artistry and passion for music. In 2003, she released her debut album “Embrace Yourself” which featured a divine rendition of the hit Oasis song “Wonderwall”. The video for the song can be viewed on Youtube under Melissa Rebronja. In 2007, she released her second album “You’ll be Mine”, which also featured another cover, this time of Coldplay’s “Beautiful World”.
The producers behind EMAR’s latest album include Genie-nominated Sean Eyre, Canadian Music Awards winner Andrew McPherson, and film composer Igor Vrabac. Vrabac’s deep chant-like vocals can be heard on two tracks, “Tebje Poem” and “Sheila, Sheila”. The first song of the album “Smile at Your Heart” really sets the mood for the rest of the album. Of course, all the songs have their own unique character, but the common thread among them is the spirit of love in all its different forms and colours. “Smile at Your Heart” resonates and echoes our yearning to love and to be loved unconditionally. It reflects the divine in all of us, and sees the potential we have to reach inside our own humanity. It’s a beautiful song, and EMAR’s voice is like a gentle waterfall cascading into the mystical depths of our souls.
She includes some chants and mantras sung in Hindi and Serbo-Croatian on songs like “Jamil”, “Tebje Poem”, and “Tumare Darshan”. This is yet another example of EMAR’s versatility as a singer. She sings in a number of different languages including English, Serbian, Hindi, Arabic, and Church Slavonic. There is also diversity in the instrumentation ranging from the very traditional to the ultra-modern. Instruments like the xaphoon, a single-reed keyless wind instrument made of bamboo, the harmonium, a free-standing keyboard-like instrument primarily played in South Asia, the Dumbek, also known as the ‘goblet drum’ is a type of hand drum, also tables, congas, the flute, and the violin are all featured in her songs. This of course is not new to EMAR’s sound. The use of both traditional and classical instruments all add to the velvety layers of voice and sound that are boldly intoxicating and profoundly enlightening. In her previous two albums, the deep organic drone of a cello can be heard on “Wonderwall” and “Beautiful World” under EMAR’s effortless vocals, making both tunes the best ever covers of these songs.
Some of the other gems on the album include a somewhat jazzy tune called “Who Am I”. A more pop-vocal sound can be heard on the ego-ridding tune “As I Am”, similar in attitude to some of Sarah Brightman’s music. “Sheila, Sheila” is a fun song that gets the hips moving and is reminiscent of 60s pop, with the added flavour of the Middle East and hints of Japanese pop.
EMAR gives a nice surprise at the end with the club mix of “Salaam”. This is sure to be a hit at the clubs. It’s funky, groovy, and upbeat. Sure, Madonna’s the queen of remix with her disco-dance beats being played in every club, even her 80s hits. EMAR definitely has elements of the Madonna sound in this tune, but she also infuses it with the right amount of the ‘world’ sound with her vocals. This is probably the path Madonna and a host of other pop divas should take. EMAR is already there.
EMAR inspires unity and oneness through bringing together disparate elements of music and working them into her artistic vision. Her influences are far-reaching, from wise sages, poets, and gurus of the past to loving friends, family, and supporters in the present. This is an illuminating album. There is simplicity in all of her songs, which make them all the more powerful. By Shazia Islam
