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ON THE RISE
Lebanese artist Elie Al Hajj — better known as Ely — is ready for connection.
His new rock song, “My Falling Star,” dropped last month. The track is a showcase for Ely’s versatility and passion. The song and its 80s vibes will appeal to audiences eager for their next heartbreak anthem.
The lyrics recount a love that ended too soon, and the reminiscence of a night under a sky full of shooting stars. Amidst thundering drums and a big guitar solo, Ely’s pleading voice is the main focus, with a Cher-like tone quality and vibrato.
Ely’s persistent passion is reflected in the song’s repeating four chords. Like that night with the shooting star that he can’t forget, the music returns again to remind him:
I feel the pain inside my broken heart
I never felt this way before, girl
I never want to feel this way again
Goodbye to you, my falling star
Your love will always shine on me
I’ll close my eyes and there you’ll be
With English lyrics, Ely, 43, aims to reach beyond the Mediterranean basin to connect with international fans. While he also releases songs in Arabic, he has broader plans for his music.
He says, "In Lebanon, most of the people and the known artists sing in Arabic... But I can do both. I can do English, I can do Arabic. By recording in English, I'm aiming to appeal to a more international audience."
He knows it won’t be easy to reach his fans, but he is not afraid to put in the work. His songs, like “My Falling Star,” are beacons to the like-minded lovers and dreamers out there in the world somewhere.
Ely says, "I just want my fans, if it happens, I just want them to respect what I do in the same way that I respect them and the same way that I give them my music from the heart."
Ely’s creative background extends beyond music. A filmmaker, he is known for directing and starring in the 2018 romantic comedy, I'd Prefer Your Problems Princess. His filmmaking prowess is also put to use as he directs his music videos. This includes the beautiful outdoor locations for “My Falling Star”.
With “My Falling Star,” Ely is committed to building a genuine audience for his own songs — not just covers, not just regional radio play, but an international fan base connected by shared emotion and respect.
His wistful lyrics and emotive instrumental playing may have been born from heartbreak, but Ely insists they point toward something larger: persistence, hope, and the belief that music still has the power to bridge worlds. He doesn’t want to wait any longer.
“I’m 43 now — there’s no more wasting time,” Ely says. “I just want people to hear about me, to feel what I feel, and to know that I give them everything from the heart. If I can reach fans who give that back, I’ll have done what I set out to do.”
With the passion and progress of songs like “My Falling Star,” it’s clear that Elie al Hajj is ready to make the leap. Fans can dive into Ely’s work and listen to “My Falling Star” at the links below:
ON THE RISE
Clinton Brand III – better known as CBIII – is a California-based rapper. His new single, titled “I Won’t Quit,” is a motivational and relatable message for everyone “going through it.”
The track, with a beat by Tunna Beats, has a Blurry Face vibe. It starts with a violin and the soft “ahh”s of featured singer Alex Brinkley. When the beat drops, piano, bass and drums enter along with CBIII’s lyrical meditations on “overthinking, contemplating, and debating” why he “won’t quit.”
As the final line makes clear, the song is a study in contradictory mindsets. There’s the fear of failure – what if I’m not good enough? – and then the contrast of relentlessness as stated in the title.
The lyrics of the song’s final quattrain are especially strong. Beginning with an example of CBIII’s wordplay (phenomenal and astronomical anomaly), the final message is one of inspiration: I’m tired of this, so I’m going to make it better.
This struggle with nagging self-doubt and overthinking makes “I Won’t Quit” very relatable. In the end, CBIII wants listeners to be inspired, to not give in when they find themselves in similar circumstances.
Brand’s inspiration for “I Won’t Quit” was intensely personal. Following the death of his parents at a young age, he was raised by his grandmother and then was placed in foster care. A recent visit found his grandmother’s memory fading; this was painful, considering that she had once been his biggest supporter.
This episode left him feeling abandoned, in a dark place.
He says, “I wrote the song ‘I Won’t Quit’ because at that time I was suicidal. I didn’t have nobody else to turn to because my grandma didn’t really care anymore.”
The vulnerability expressed in the lyrics made CBIII unsure if he wanted to release the song at all. He says, “I actually sat on the song for like five months before even thinking about releasing it because it’s so close to home that I wasn’t even sure if I was going to have the courage to share it.”
Now that the song is out, its vulnerability is its strength. Brand’s struggle is real, and the general contours – missing family support, doubting yourself, knowing you need to persevere – will be familiar to many.
In addition to his personal desire to live up his dream of greatness, Brand has another reason not to give up: his younger brother, who is currently in foster care. Knowing his brother looks up to him, he wants to remind him that giving in to doubt is the easy way out.
Brand says, “I want to encourage him, to show him that if you set your mind to it, bro, there’s nothing you can’t do.”
In the end, CBIII wants listeners to learn from his pain, to ask themselves, “What if I don’t give up?”
Stream “I Won’t Quit” now, wherever you listen to music.
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