The artist and activist will perform the only UK date of her new album tour this November.
Tunisian American singer, songwriter, composer, producer and activist EMEL, also known as Emel Mathlouthi, brings her MRA album tour to London this month. The celebrated musician will appear at The Garage in Highbury on Sunday, 16 November, from 7pm to 9pm. This is her only UK stop, offering fans a rare chance to experience her powerful live presence in an intimate setting.
MRA is EMEL’s first entirely female-made LP and arrives via her own label, Little Human. The title is an abbreviation of “marra,” which translates to “woman” in Arabic. Across the record, she explores identity, resilience and creative freedom, channelling themes of empowerment through a sound that moves confidently between genres. The music blends African trap, batucada, Arabic reggaeton, hip hop and a drum and bass pulse, creating a distinctive language that is both global and deeply personal.
Recent singles capture the spirit of the album. “Nar” featuring Ami Yerewolo, “Lose My Mind” featuring Nayomi, and “Souty” pair elegant melodies with direct, evocative lyrics that amplify the voices of women around the world. Each track arrives with its own choreographed visual, reinforcing EMEL’s holistic artistic vision where sound, movement and message are in sync.
The tour launches in London on 16 November before travelling through Europe and the UAE, and will culminate at La Cigale in Paris on 29 May. For audiences in the region, it is a timely return from an artist whose work has resonated far beyond the stage.
EMEL first rose to international prominence with “Kelmti Horra (My Word is Free),” a protest song that became an anthem of the Tunisian revolution and the Arab Spring. Her 2012 debut album, also titled Kelmti Horra, earned critical acclaim for its fusion of Arabic tradition and Western influences. She followed with Ensen in 2017, bringing electronica into conversation with classical forms. In 2020, the video for “Holm (A Dream),” sung in Tunisian Arabic, amassed several million views within months. “Holm” is an Arabic rendition of the Iranian classic “Soltane Ghalbhaa,” made famous by Aref Arefkia in 1993. Along the way, EMEL has collaborated with Tricky, Valgeir Sigurðsson, Steve Moore and Vitalic, reinforcing her reputation as a boundary-pushing artist.
Tickets are on sale now and are expected to be limited. Early booking is advised.
GO: Visit https://emelmathlouthi.com for more information.