Dana Salah, a Jordanian-Palestinian artist, pays tribute to her homeland and Palestinian womanhood in her new single Bent Bladak. The song is a heartfelt reminder to never forget where one came from and be grateful to one’s ancestors, who paved the path for future generations.
Tarweedeh
In her music, Dana enjoys fusing contemporary production with Arab and Palestinian influences, and this song is no different. It is inspired by Tarweedeh, which is a traditional Palestinian form of vocal protest. Women sang publicly as they marched, turning their voices into tools of resistance.
“Something in my soul ties me to these women,” Dana says. “Whether through generational memory or something deeper, Bent Bladak is my offering to them. To the lineage of women who came before me—and to the ones yet to come.”
Music Video
In the music video, they intertwined two storylines. The first is a woman leaving symbolic clues, like a necklace marked with “ل”, to help her imprisoned lover escape. The second is a bride preparing for her wedding in a traditional henna gathering. As the video goes on, the viewer begins to understand that the two women may be one and the same. This duality reflects the two roles Palestinian woman play: protector and nurturer.
Every aspect of the video is a tribute to Palestine from showcasing a group dabkeh scene to wearing traditional clothing. The garments were crafted in collaboration with women artisans, many of whom are Palestinian refugees.
For example, Sarah Abbas created her silk henna skirt, using traditional saya prints while her jewellery is handmade from copper and glass beads by Nadia Dajani and refugee women from the Zaatari Camp. As for the dabkeh scene, it features hand-embroidered scarves by Dajani and a surrealist-inspired handpiece by D by Dalia, centered around a vintage Palestinian coin.
Early Career
Dana first started her career in 2021 with the release of her single Weino. From the beginning, her goal has always been to build a world where the traditional and modern meet. Her viral track Ya Tal3een earned her appearances on global stages, including London, Amsterdam and two performances for Sheikha Moza in Qatar.