AfroPop WorldWide Review on Mona Miari’s concert at NY’s Habibi Fest 24’

On night two of Habibi Festival 2024 at Joe’s Pub - Public Theatre, the mood was naturally more understandably, more reflective and sometimes somber.

Mona Miari, a Palestinian singer and songwriter who was a sensation at the Habibi Festival at Celebrate Brooklyn this summer.

The audience reaction when Meera Dugal asked who had seen CB show confirmed that point. Miari’s set here was also sensational.
Her agile voice, full of colors and intensities, had the audience enraptured.
The set began on a light note, but when she addressed the audience and spoke about the past year in Gaza, she was fierce, speaking of a 76-year “occupation” and a year-long “genocide.” From there the music deepened.

Miari’s backing ensemble offered a perfect blend of percussion and acoustic sounds—piano, guitar, saxophone and ney flute. She generously invited crowd-pleasing solos from her accompanists all displaying flare and virtuosity. The set ended on a high note with Miari’s passionate performance reaching for a kind of joy, clearly felt by all.