This article appeared in the GDN on April 20th 2008

It’s rare to find a true musical talent, but every once in a while a new star is born. But for one Bahraini young musician, breaking into the local and international music scene might not be that impossible a dream.

It’s easy to see why. He’s developed himself over the years and finally releases his first record last December, titled ‘Hums’, an EP containing five wonderful songs that he had recorded and produced during his time in Boston, USA.

Ala Ghawas (www.alaghawas.com) is venturing into a new territory, a place no other Bahraini has dared to before. His love for the music of Bob Dylan, Pink Floyd and Jeff Buckley has led him to take up the guitar and make his own.

Folk music is a very challenging genre of music, taking into consideration the great legends it had produced over the past few decades. It’s certainly more than just music for the sake of entertainment. It’s a documentation, a statement and a storytelling.

When we look at what Dylan’s music had achieved for his generation, and the many generations that followed, one can’t help but feel overwhelmed by its power, be it songs about politics, religion, love or personal suffering.

It’s perhaps something that is unheard of, to have an Arab making western folk music, but Ala is a person who believes that it is a form of storytelling unlike any other and that is evident in the songs he makes. The songs on ‘Hums’ are very personal, heartwarming and, at times, sweetly delicate.

We’ve had artists, writers, poets and filmmakers breaking into the international scene with their creative work and I think it’s about time that we have a Bahraini name with the potential to launch themselves beyond the border. Because if there is one thing about music, it is that it is far more accessible and popular that any other art form.

Though the challenge that is laid ahead of Ala, like many other musicians, is great. There are no foundations for a proper music industry in the region, finding studios, production companies and record distributors is near impossible and any musician will have to depend on their own resources to try and make it happen.

But when it comes to music, especially in our modern times, there are many methods in which one can find their foothold by utilizing technology. Over the years we witnessed many new artists emerging globally thanks to the internet and through various websites.

One look online and you will find a plethora of Bahraini musicians doing their bit to create new music and putting their talents out their to share with the rest of the world; from hip-hop to pop and from traditional to heavy metal. One such effort that is worth noting is a new website www.bahraintelent.com which sheds light on some of the country’s hottest new talents in the music scene.

Word of mouth and generating a following is the key for any newcomer and I think that Ala is on the right path in that respect. There is no doubt in my mind that in time he, and others like him, will succeed.

In the meantime, do your part – and do yourself a favor – go out there and get ‘Hums’!