Chris Pellnat is an American singer-songwriter based in Hudson, New York. In addition to his solo work, he plays guitar in the Poughkeepsie-based rock band, The Warp/The Weft. He is also half of the duo, Teeniest. Chris primarily performs in upstate New York.Catalus is a Moroccan singer, arranger, and songwriter whose song conveys defiant strength in the face of adversity. This particular song is dedicated to Amal, a friend in Kuwait who has endured misfortunes and injustices yet remains resilient.
The female vocals expressing Amal’s perspective in Arabic are provided by Catalus, while the male vocals in English are sung by Chris Pellnat. Although it features Arabic lyrics, the song has a “Western” sound and sensibility. It begins with a folk rock vibe but soon transitions into rock music with drums and electric guitars during the choruses.Through conversations with Amal, Chris gained insight into the adversities she has faced and the challenges she experiences in trying to find love.
He wrote this song for her to express his feelings about her predicament, as well as her strength and determination.Chris felt it was important to have Amal’s feelings expressed in Arabic by a female singer. Catalus recorded her vocal parts remotely in Morocco and provided them to Chris for mixing. The hand drums and rock drum kit were played by Bobby Sabella from Woodstock, NY. Chris played most of the other instruments, including acoustic and electric guitars, bass, piano, and dulcimer.