They are each known for their raw and honest approach to their art, and now they are uniting for two evenings of what they term a ‘revival’. Mouth to Mouth: Night of Revival brings together singer and song-writer Claire Tonna and wordsmith Fatima A.M. for two sessions of intense emotions as the artists present the music/spoken word collaborative project that they have been working on together for the past months.

Claire Tonna and Fatima A.M. Photo: Kim SammutClaire Tonna and Fatima A.M. Photo: Kim Sammut

How did you decide to collaborate together? Is this your first time working together?

The two of us met over a year ago in a moment that led to a timeless, intimate conversation till sunrise, possibly that very moment was where all the collaboration started.

Living under the same roof, our separate creations of word, music and confessional art naturally empowered the creation of a joined expression to what lies beneath, what we inevitably need to write and listen to.

It was as natural and spontaneous as breathing, and sitting comfortably on our orange-clad couch.

Throughout this year we spawned different works, one of which we performed for the first time with Christian Galea on piano last Spring in Encounters, an event that was organised by SolarCinema Malta.

However, Mouth to Mouth is the first collection of works that we actually produced together from scratch and are performing through music and spoken word, alongside other musicians.

If you had to describe the upcoming event, how would you do it?

It is a celebration, and a call to wake up all the freedoms we inhibit ourselves from, the choices that we can actually make in order to breathe better at every level and feel more alive in these trying times.

We live in a culture of forgetfulness where many struggle to survive. In this hyper-real era that is burying the truth and that which is valid, the space where we feel the unbearable and the beautiful ought to be addressed more than ever; we must take charge of who we really are on the inside of our heads and hearts.

How long have you two been working on the works that you are going to be performing?

More or less, the same term of a pregnancy; the process and transformation started around nine months ago.

What was the creative process like?

The creative process was the means by which both of us could deal with what we were each facing, separately, in our lives.

At times you simply have to write the words you need to listen to, the words that give you strength and some form of courage, understanding, belonging and empowerment to take the decisions you need to take in order to feel more alive and content.

For both of us, creating is the means by which the inside doesn’t suffocate and can breathe tranquil whilst doing something good to the benefit of all.

Your concert is also a farewell to Malta, of sorts. Is this temporary?

Every farewell is a new beginning and it is exciting to not know much about the future. From experience, this often leads to events and adventures better than any dreams imagined; especially when you trust the unknown and the fact that it does conspire in your own favour.

Our farewell is temporary, no matter how long it will take us to return to the island.

One of the themes for this evening is ‘self-inflicted bounds’ – what do you understand by this?

Conditioning yourself. From a young age we are governed and taught so many limitations on who we are, how to be, what is possible and what is not, and eventually, such limitations are internalised, leading us to a very tight and rigid perspective of not only ourselves but of all that surrounds us. This rigidity prevents us from the awareness of our power and tenderness, our very ability to transform our lives.

Can you elaborate on the life happenings that have inspired this event?

We had both been stretching ourselves in order to fit a framework that was ultimately toxic for us. What good is it to have a roof over your head when that very roof is causing your mental and spiritual decline?

It’s easy to pin down the tendency toward depression or anxiety as a personal failure and refuse to acknowledge that maybe, it is the environment around you that is heightening that likelihood.

It is precisely the breath of fresh air everyone is yearning for that has spurred the need to create this event. It takes a while to realise that, when you save yourself, you’re inadvertently also helping others to do the same.

The duo performs on Friday and next Sunday at Palazzo de la Salle, Valletta. Tickets available online.

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