Madonna wrote her new single “Come Alive” with Morocco on her mind. The legendary artist has visited Morocco several times. In 2018, the Queen of Pop even celebrated her 60th birthday in the Agafay Desert. These experiences inspired the filming for her latest music video, Come Alive. The song was filmed in Marrakech. In an interview, Madonna explained “Come Alive was inspired by the music of North Africa. It is called Gnaoua.” As a storyteller, she recognized the importance of the Krabkeb, a world-old percussion instrument used in Gnaoua music.
“Shackles were worn (by slaves) so they couldn’t escape,” said Madonna. Krakebs represent the sound of horse’s hooves hitting the ground, slaves being carried away in grain sacks, and the rattling of shackles capturing them. “Once they were free, they turned what enslaved them into music. I wanted to bring that instrument into the story.” The Krakeb is infused throughout the track.
The music video for “Come Alive” also features Maalem Omar Hayat. The Gnaoua music maker is part of a new generation of maâlems who carry on Morocco’s tradition and with a twist of performance art. Omar Hayat is recognized for his unique style that incorporates diverse musical genres like reggae. He is well received at Essaouira’s annual Gnaoua and World Music Festival.
The “Come Alive” Single is part of Madonna’s 14th Album, Madame X. The album was released on June 14th, 2019. Although the music highlights important topics such as women’s rights, it remains quite intimate.
The collection of songs are “about bringing together the music of the soul and of the universe. I recognize that it’s all connected. I love technology but there always has to be an essence of humanity in everything that I do. I like to think that even if all the electricity ran out and nothing was left, I could still sit with a candle, play my guitar and nobody would get in the way of that. No matter what horrible things we do to each other as human beings, the one thing that connects us, lifts us up, and gives us hope is, music.”