By Hana Fujii Bennet
A wonderfully talented musician with mixed Mongolian and French heritage, Céline Dessberg writes songs that touch the soul, connecting with listeners through her own emotional vulnerability.
At the end of last year, I had the opportunity to meet with Céline after her very first live show in London – an evening which also served as a powerful display of solidarity with Palestine. I recall the strong emotions I felt during her performance, and the effect that her music had on the audience.
One of the unreleased songs Céline performed for us at her London show was written about her Mongolian grandparents. As she explains the story of this song, it taps into emotions we both share. Entitled ‘өвөө эмээ (övöö emee)’, translating to Grandfather, Grandmother, the song describes how similar yet different their lives would have been from hers today.
Over cups of tea a few weeks later, we spoke about Céline’s journey into rediscovering her identity through music, and why she particularly feels a strong sense of involvement in the decades-long plight of Palestinian people and their cultural erasure.
By Hana Fujii Bennet