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Palestinian Jordanian artist was always exposed to music. While at Saint Joseph School in Bethlehem, Lina joined the church choir and would attend The Church of the Nativity every Sunday, hearing hymns and choir songs that inspired her to love music. It’s a familiar story for those from the region, who grew up surrounded by music and melodies.Ěý

Lina describes her love of music as something “spiritual,” especially around this time of year, where the people of Bethlehem would usually be eagerly preparing for the Christmas show and welcoming tourists and pilgrims for Christmas Eve mass.ĚýThis year, however, there will be no tree lighting, Christmas festival, special ornaments, or festive markets.

Despite Boy Scouts packing away their instruments for another year, unable to play for cheering crowds, Lina is determined to bring a spark of light to the season with her Christmas release, . The musician teamed up with London-based musicians for the heartfelt message of hope from the town where Jesus was born over two thousand years ago.Ěý

“Being an artist in Bethlehem is certainly more challenging,” Lina shared, “but at the same time more meaningful. There are so many different challenges to live, feel and share each day. But however challenging these might be, nothing will ever silence the voice of love that speaks even in the darkness,” she says.Ěý

°ż´Ç˛ú±đ°ů´ÚłÜ˛ő±đ’s adds, “From Jesus’ birthplace, in the vaults of the Church of the Nativity in Manger Square, God’s love was born into the world. Lina shows us that when this love is born into our hearts, it silences the noise and chaos around us and offers us a way out of our troubles.”

Lina goes on to describe how people in Bethlehem love life, a joy snatched from them in recent years. “People need to feel hopeful and joyful, and my message is that as long as there is love, there’s still hope. We can overcome dark times and keep up that sense of community. In Bethlehem, we’re all united. We help each other, we’re hand in hand and celebrate together in happy and sad times, laughing, eating and praying together,” Lina adds. “Everyone, from the children to the elderly, deserves these happy moments.”

Music is a vital and perhaps underestimated force for bringing people together, particularly for Lina, who has performed all over the world, including the and for the , in over seven languages. “You can just feel the music without understanding the language, music is sacred,” Lina says.Ěý

“Music is about connecting humans, and a great way for people to know what Bethlehem is really like. We want to show that we love life, and we love to live joyfully and hopefully. People expect Bethlehem to be a war zone, but when you visit, you see the hospitality. You’ll be brought into someone’s home and fed, lunch and dinner. People are so kind, and that doesn’t always show up in Western media,” she reflects.

That doesn’t mean that Lina doesn’t find it hard to create during such difficult times, feeling that music can be insignificant or inappropriate. It might take a minute, but she always comes back to wanting to give back, making music that can be there for people in both the good and bad times. “I can feel hopeless, but people deserve to feel warm,” she says.

From singing in the choir, listening to Fairuz on the school bus and studying violin at the Bethlehem conservatory, Lina’s passion for music has seen her perform and deliver a on her experiences of being a musician in Palestine, spreading her message of love to new audiences.Ěý

As for what love means to her? “Love is caring. Living together as brothers and sisters, one family, one group. Helping one another through happy and sad moments, standing together to overcome any obstacle. We cannot live without love. It’s a gift from God, and sharing it with people makes it more precious.”

Isabella Silvers isĚýa multi-award-winning editor and journalist, having written for Cosmopolitan, Women's Health, Refinery 29 and more. She also writes a weekly newsletter on mixed-race identity, titled Mixed Messages

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