Those who have followed my blog in the past seven years will know who I am referring to. One of the thrills of the new artists I have gotten to listen to during that time were Omnia and Leila, twin sisters hailing from Staten Island, New York. You see, they are the nieces of my good friend Diane Tarantino Hegazy, who I grew up with and have known since fourth grade. Before I get into their exciting new song, for those unfamiliar with these great talents, let me catch you up.
Back in early 2011, Diane told me about her niece who had cut a record and a video. Going by the first name of Leila, the song, "Hush Little Baby", was the top debut on my blog of February 21, 2011 coming in at #66. Leila has a smooth pop sensibility and I had compared her to soulful singers like Corinne Bailey Rae as well as old-school R&B singers. The song made it up to my number one position. She followed it with some more great songs: "Mirror Mirror" (#6, 2012); "Monday" (#5, 2013), and "Maybe If We Try" (#3, 2015). Music that's easy on the ears and soulful to boot.
After she hit the top with "Hush...", Diane told me there was her twin sister Omnia who is as equally talented. She too, had her own separate career direction. Unlike Leila, she took on a more world-music, exotic approach to the music, with more social commentary/activist slang to her songwriting. "What's Become of Us", her first single, from her EP Jailbird, was also the Top Debut award winner, entering at #67 on September 26, 2011. This is what I wrote at the time:
"...Their genes are really the only thing they have in common. While Leila's style is in the jazzy mode of Corinne Bailey Rae or Norah Jones, her sister's work probably defies comparison, although she can, at time, approach bluesy proportions, while at other times, has influences from the other side of the planet."
"What's Become of Us" also hit #1 and was followed in close succession by "Change This Place". Omnia, who, with her sister is half Egyptian descent (their dad, their mom is Italian-American), wrote the song in response to the revolution that had taken place in that country around that time. The song reached #4 in early 2012. Her next single "Aziza" is another topical song dealing with a young woman with career aspirations, who was forced to sacrifice her dreams for a more traditional, old-school life, which involves getting married and being subservient to her husband who is suppose to be the bread winter while the young woman unhappily stays at home and raises a family. "Aziza" hit #3 in 2013.
Omnia's most recent single was "Dust", about a woman who is sexually harassed by men's "cat calls" as she walks by, minding her own business. The song, with a decidedly rock approach, became her second SNS #1 in 2015.
Being raised Muslim and due to her musical messages in her songs, she has listened to much criticism, as she had tackled the traditional values emanating from her faith, especially with the current immigration and terrorism issues of the day involving that community. She has also written op-ed pieces for various blogs, and had attracted national attention defending her religion from the wave of Islamophobia. She had endured some hatred as a result. And while this remains a sensitive issue, Omnia has held her ground. And as she maintains she does not want to be known as a "Muslim singer/songwriter" but just as a "singer/songwriter", she has maintained her feminist stance and has been empowered to write songs in that vein.
It is perhaps that pride that she maintains, that she, along with her sister, a few years ago, started using their last names in their releases. (It should be added that there were other acts around the world that shared their first names).
With that negative publicity encircling around her, Omnia hit a wall, both artistically and emotionally. But the emotions would come to a head in late 2015. The twins' father had passed away and Omnia couldn't handle things much more. But, when the chips are down, take time out, regenerate, regroup, and that is what the two Hegazy sisters did. Originally going to separate schools and going down a separate path, upon graduation they reunited and contacted one another and helped each other in songwriting. Her sister, Leila, who often performed during Omnia's gigs (as well as vice versa---they have played places like The Apollo, and Bitter End in Manhattan many times as well as some places in their native Staten Island---came up with an idea; Why not pool their talents together and form a band? The two sisters being the main focus, with backing musicians. They decided to call this endeavor "Hegazy", showing pride and unity. It's something that their late father always wanted And while the two twins' directions may have been varied, they were still able to meld their sound neatly into one.
Which brings us to the here and now: The sister have released the first single from their new, forthcoming album, "Alive". Written shortly after their father's passing, and right after Omnia quit her job, the song deals with that struggle to push forward and move on. It is a song of self-awareness and awakening, and disregarding the naysayers who get into their way, for it is them...and you...who control their destiny. It's a perfect lead-off single for the "new" duo combination.
And while the song, which debuts at a lofty #42 this week, is a perfect example of the harmony that these two sisters bring together to the table, it also retains the soul that had been present in Leila's recordings. While those features alone is more than enough, the arrangement, and especially the keyboard work clinches it. In a sense, that has a retro-soul feel, similar to Nick Waterhouse's recent SNS #1 "It's Time", although much more in a laid back groove, owing to Leila's style.
So, how are the song's prospects? After all, we've seen other artists such as Phoebe Ryan and Christina Taylor on the cusp of success, can Hegazy be far behind?
With the current political situation being what it is, not to mention the turmoil in Hollywood with sexual harassment claims and admissions, there should be much discussion brought to the table, given Omnia's activism, especially with the immigration and harassment issues front and center, and the song does deal with self-awareness. And this is a unique band: With the exception of Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart, and maybe another set of Wilson's (Brian Wilson's daughter Carnie and Wendy) how many bands can you quickly name with sisters in it? Pointer Sisters? Sister Sledge? Add to that their New York experience and that town's scene, and they should pick up some buzz. The only thing, however, working against them is of course, the current (and seemingly endless) state of Top 40 radio focusing on hip hop, and sparsely arranged pop songs, that don't seem take into account, at least in my opinion, much artistry in song craftsmanship. But if Adele was able to crack through into the mainstream, then why can't Hegazy? And if pop radio, which has embraced songs like "Despacito", for example, can't embrace a song like "Alive", then they are hypocritical.
But bottom line, this song is a winner, as are Leila and Omnia. Look for a quick rise next week, possibly into the top 10.
Click the link below for more on the sisters as well as their new song: Hegazy Brings Twin Musicians Together
CONVERGING AT THE TOP: Beck maintains a second week at #1 with "Up All Night", but several songs are within close range to the top. As predicted a couple weeks back, Cold War Kids advance to the #2 and #3 position with "So Tied Up" (with Bishop Briggs), and "Invincible". You have to go back to 2011 to have an artist with two songs in the top three, which is what Adele did back then ("Rumour Has It", "Someone Like You". No artist has ever had the top two songs, but it's a real possibility that Cold War Kids could do it next week. "Invincible" wasn't a single, but was an album cut that I had added as my geocaching friend Lynzie had this on her satellite radio player during a caching hike. I was blown away by the song and expressed frustration that the band---one I liked early on---didn't release the best songs as singles. Of course right after I thought that, "So Tied Up" was released and was a knockout, passing the former song on the list this week.
But a CWK top two is no guarantee. That's because Offguard jumps 9-4 with "Strawberry Moon" topping the #6 position of their debut single, "Maybe". And don't discount The Palms, who jump 13-6, with "Levitate" in a quest for a second straight chart topper. Any of these songs could top the chart next week.
"Feel It Still" by Portugal. The Man, drops 2-9 this week, mainly due to it dropping on the Billboard Hot 100 from #4 to #6, and is dropping on other formats as well. However, the follow-up "Live In the Moment" jumps 32-12 and should be in the top ten next week. BORNS and The War on Drugs debut into the top 20, the second for BORNS and the first for The War on Drugs.
Meanwhile, two male singer-songwriters are competing in the mid chart. Ed Sheeran is going for top 20 song number four with "Perfect" (moving 84-56) which recaptures that excitement of "Thinking Out Loud" and "Shape of You", that the last single "Castle on the Hill" lacked. Sheeran gets the Mover of the Week award, just inching out Phillip Phillips' "Miles" (76-51).
As for debuts, aside from "Alive", Beth Ditto's "follow-up" to her current top five song "I Wrote the Book", which was from 2011's EP, returns with "Fire", a song from her current Fake Sugar set. I had added the older song as it was mistakenly on alt-rock station WEQX's playlist (it was corrected to "Fire" the next week, but I loved "I Wrote the Book"). "Fire" is just as good a song, less of a retro-trance sound on this one. Bishop Briggs, the London songstress who hit my top 30 earlier this year with "Wild Horses", and who is featured on the #2 song by Cold War Kids, debuts on her own with "Dream". Yet another Phoebe Ryan song enters, this time it's "Be Real" which has a spare hip-hop feel to it, and finally, Foster the People go for their ninth top 20 with "Sit Next To Me", the third single from their third album Sacred Hearts Club.
IT"S NOT WHAT YOU KNOW, IT"S WHO YOU KNOW: It's not unusual to have friends tell you about an artist worth listening to, but it's pretty rare to actually have friends who know or are related to (or in a couple cases even perform) who record music. Such as the case this week. I've already mentioned Leila and Omnia Hegazy, my Facebook friends who formed Hegazy, as well as their aunt, Diane Tarantino Hegazy. But also on the SNS 100 this week are artists recommended by the following friends: Annette Weiss (Offguard, fronted by her son Matt Weiss), Mary Anne Reed Nolan (Christina Taylor); Meg Hunsicker (Matthew Koma); Merrill Kenny Butler (Phoebe Ryan); Tom Corea (The Hounds of Winter, of which he is the drummer); and finally my wife Barbara Sheldon (King Tappa, who was a co-worker of hers). And that doesn't count Paul Czekaj who is between releases. A big thank you, and if you or anyone you know, know a performer that I need to check out, please let me know!
Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100
November 5,
2017
| This Week | Last Week | ARTIST-Title | Weeks on List |
| 1 | 1 | NUMBER ONE: 
"Up All Night"
Album: Colors
(2 weeks at #1)
|
8 |
| 2 | 7 | Cold War Kids f. Bishop Briggs - So Tied Up | 8 |
| 3 | 6 | Cold War Kids - Invincible | 10 |
| 4 | 9 | Øffguard - Strawberry Moon | 5 |
| 5 | 4 | Beth Ditto - I Wrote the Book | 11 |
| 6 | 13 | The Palms - Levitate | 5 |
| 7 | 5 | The National - The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness | 14 |
| 8 | 3 | Iration - Borderlines | 11 |
| 9 | 2 | Portugal. The Man - Feel It Still● | 27 |
| 10 | 8 | Christina Taylor - That Girl | 13 |
| 11 | 12 | Joywave - It's A Trip | 11 |
| 12 | 32 | TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:
"Live
In the Moment"
Album: Woodstock
|
3 |
| 13 | 17 | Pink - What About Us | 9 |
| 14 | 20 | Pageants - Chai ('n) | 5 |
| 15 | 19 | George Ezra - Don't Matter Now | 11 |
| 16 | 10 | Tennis - In the Morning I'll Be Better | 14 |
| 17 | 22 | The War on Drugs - Holding On | 8 |
| 18 | 21 | BØRNS - Faded Heart | 8 |
| 19 | 11 | The Cranberries - Why | 10 |
| 20 | 14 | Nick Waterhouse - It's Time● | 19 |
Tremors:
101. Front
Bottoms, “Peace Sign”
102. Blake
Shelton, “She’s Got a Way With Words”
103. Filthy
Friends, “The Arrival”
|
|
Songs
with the greatest increase in favorite points over the prior week.
● Songs
with 25 or more plays on my iPod.
▲ Songs with 50 or more
plays on my iPod.
The “Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100” is a list
of current and recent song playlist which I am listening to.
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