Aussie Singer Comes Under Attack From Morocco Over Video

An independent Melbourne roots-folk singer has become the target of vicious personal attacks from Moroccan citizens after a local news outlet claimed that her latest single was directly criticising the country.

Shelley Segal released the clip for her track Morocco last week and in it the singer songwriter walks down a market strip, interacting with locals. Shortly after the clip was made public an article was posted on Afriquinfos, loosely titled 'A Young Australian Singer Attacks Morocco'. It reported that Segal touched on poverty, gender inequality, sexual harassment and drug use in the song and largely focused on the 'darker' sides of the country.

The song's lyrics include a mention of a homeless eight-year-old boy who is “high as a kite from sniffing glue all night” and a conversation with a stall vendor during which “sex was in the air” while he says “Rasta I'm gonna love you tonight”.

The story has prompted waves of attacks on social media platforms as the video attracts thousands of new views a day.

A still from the video, which you can watch below

Today Segal told theMusic.com.au that she's been “completely surprised by the response, we didn't expect that kind of a response”.

“I thought the clip really shows Morocco in a good light, visually it looks stunning. I didn't intend to song to be a criticism of the kingdom, which is what the news bloggers have put it has, because every country has its own problems… A lot of the people were looking at the clip through the lens of reading the article, which said I was attacking Morocco.”

She added, “The song was not meant to incite that kind of anger, but I'm happy it's getting a response – as a songwriter it's good to get a response to your writing.

The track comes from her upcoming album An Easy Escape and the clip was recorded on location in Marakesh and Essaouira across two days.

Since the article was published the video's views have reached 35,000 – with increasingly aggressive attacks in the comments. With many of them commenting on her physical appearance and dress, one commenter wrote, “If she wants to criticize a government there are better ways to do that but her video and her song makes it seem she doesn't appreciate a distinct culture from hers and worse. It can be offensive to Moroccans. She should sing songs criticizing how racist Australians are to ethnic minorities and how it should stop being pro-Zionist.”

Other wrote, “No need for your white trash, go criticise you fucking racist country.”

Segal told theMusic that while she's disappointed in the attacks she's got a thick enough skin to deal with them.

“I do feel that type of bullying is a really negative thing. I'm OK, I'm not taking it too personally and I understand that unfortunately that's the nature of the internet. I think there's things we can to do improve that, but I'm not taking it too personally.”

She added that she's had other Moroccans write to her to show support for her and the single.

“I had a back and forth on Twitter with someone who said 'why did you dress like that and go in the markets', and I said it was a local makeup artist that did my make-up and knew where I was going… I'm happy, I'm really proud of the song.”

@GhiElf my make up was done by a very talented local make-up artist

— Shelley Segal (@ShelleySegal) May 11, 2014

Having spent a large portion of the last two years touring and writing internationally, Segal is now focusing on the Australian market with An Easy Escape.

“I'm really excited to be back home and be back focusing on Australia and getting my new music out here again… I'm hoping that some Australian people can check out the clip as well and see what they think of it.”

Watch the video clip below. Some of the song's lyrics include:

“He was high as a kite from sniffing glue all night
And as I wondered if he'd make it to sixteen he asked me
Shelley do you wanna go fly in the sky
Shelley don't you want to get high?”

And:

“Running through the streets at night
I was approached by a guy
Who held out his palm to me
And my money was in my pocket but my sex was in the air
And I knew he thought he was giving me a real good fright
As I turned around to leave through his toothless grin he whispered
'Rasta I'm gonna love you tonight!'”
 

She will play launch shows in Sydney and Melbourne, dates below. An Easy Escape will be released Friday 6 June.