For Boshra AlSaadi, the decision to procreate hasn’t been an easy one—and that made “Homo Sapiens” a tough song to write. “It’s about whether or not to have children in the face of all they might suffer,” she says.
Complicating things for AlSaadi: a battle with muscular dystrophy that began in her 30s. She hasn’t let it slow her down, though her priorities have shifted. Born in Damascus, Syria, and raised in near Pittsburgh, Pa., AlSaadi was heavily influenced by New York City’s East Village anti-folk scene, co-founding cult fave Looker and later joining acclaimed avant-pop trio Teen and Luaka Bop act Janka Nabay And The Bubu Gang. Losing some mobility and her ability to tour, AlSaadi has since focused on songwriting and production, collaborating with Jennifer Vanilla, Jason McMahon and other NYC musicians and producing artists like AJ Lambert (daughter of Nancy Sinatra).
The new Birds Of Paradise, her second album under the Saadi moniker, was co-produced by Chris Coady (Beach House, DIIV). The mostly self-performed affair offsets earthy guitar and vocals with analog synths and programmed beats. Now living in Los Angeles, AlSaadi describes Birds Of Paradise as her “post-truth, post-pandemic, post-mobility, post-person album … born of a quest for meaning in our disintegrating world.”
“Homo Sapiens” is a crucial signpost in that quest. “This song was very painful to write but functioned as therapy for me,” she says. “It has additional synth tracking at Rosen Sound in Los Angeles. While I was there, I was lucky enough to play a Yamaha CS-80, which really added to the emotional quality of the track.”
We’re proud to premier Saadi’s “Home Sapiens.” Look for Birds Of Paradise September 4 on Switch Hit.
—Hobart Rowland; photo by Joe Holt
