When people hid in the their homes from the cold, I used to run to him and hide in his heart. But life, after it granted us all this joy and smiled upon us, suddenly decided to killed us. And from this time on, life taught us that as much as it gives, it also takes away. Those opening lines of Lebanese bombshell Elissa's latest hit "Awakher Al-Shetah (Last Days of Winter) commences the chanteuse's latest album by the same name that has quickly risen to the top of the Arabic music charts since its release earlier this month. And what a great start it is for, despite its short duration, Elissa has managed to create a perfect romantic pop song better than anything Arab artists and bands have released in the past few months. Elissa has quickly become one of the most popular female singers in the Arab world ever since she made her impressive debut in 1998 with "Betghib Betrouh (When You re Away), a duet with Lebanese heartthrob Ragheb Allamah. The singer's fashion choices caused a stir at the beginning of her career, but her music eventually won over, hence the high album sales. "Winter tells the love story between a man and a woman that eventually ends with the two separating. The subject matter and theme of the song may seem uninspired, but the song is on the contrary quite fresh and memorable. Perhaps it's the gentle lyrics, or Elissa's soft voice, or the fanciful, arresting mood the listener falls victim to. Overall, by the end of the song, the chilled imagery "Winter heavily evokes is ultimately replaced by a warm breeze carrying many memories and old stories. The album includes 12 songs that present the different, sometimes clashing feelings of a woman in love. Pain, pleasure, joy, confusion and regrets make up Elissa's romantic world. The choice of lyrics is particularly commendable, with each song recounting stories and experiences of past relationships and unfulfilled loves. Despite their directness, the lyrics are profound and accurately capture the feeling of defeat and loss over those stories and the men that inhabit them. "Khod Balak Alaya, (Take Care of Me), is the album's other highlight. Elissa assumes the role of a fragile, distressed lover advising her man on how to treat her, reminding him of all her sacrifices and pleading for him to understand her. Elissa's voice skillfully reflects her changing emotions, veering from mild anger to loneliness and dejection. Elissa, at one point in the song, gives the impression that she's about to go mad, but she manages to suppress her anger, overcome by the love she can't dispose of. "Take Care of Me is definitely the most complex song in album. Nearly every track hits the mark. Nevertheless, "Winter, in its entirety, caters to women and it would be difficult to imagine how a man would enjoy or appreciate Elissa's lyrics. Depicting women as brittle creatures, ruminating over love s aches, it is charming in a way that makes it easy to overlook its tendency to be a bit too sentimental.
