Song of peace written by Carine Bassili, Lebanese lover of Israel, being considered for Grammy award

Lebanese singer and songwriter Carine Bassili composed a song called “Jerusalem” based on her grandmother’s memories of traveling there, and is now being considered for a Grammy award in the category of "Best Global Music Performance.” The song is featured on the album entitled “The Royal Collection” by Grammy award-winning vocalist Kaya Jones.

The song was produced in Israel and was performed by Bassili and Jones, together with Jewish Israeli believer Shai Sol, and Ronza Nwesry, who is an Arab Israeli. The musicians were all Israeli, too, along with the three producers, Yonatan Ferrera, Yaniv Taichman, and Yair Levi. 

Jones, who is a Jewish believer, was once in the band “Pussycat Dolls,” but is now singing for God. “She loves the Lord and she loves Israel and she's advocated for Israel too,” Bassili told ALL ISRAEL NEWS. “She's just a beautiful, beautiful human being.” 

Now, several songs on the album by Jones are under consideration for the Grammy awards, including the song “God Mode,” which was also produced in Israel, and Bassili’s composition, “Jerusalem.” 

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“We want people to hear it, we want people to know so we can get the message to people who have a heart for peace, people who have a heart for reconciliation. People who want to be really the energy for a better Middle East, you know, to see Arab-Israeli collaboration. That's why it was very important to have the Arab Israeli, the Jewish Israeli, me from Lebanon, and to be able to help, you know, to bring this new sound.”

Bassili expressed ambivalence about the Hollywood scene, which has been pushing a largely pro-Palestinian message, saying, “I don't know anything about this world other than it's not a good place. But then, you know, we need to be the light… what if we can bring the sound of unity there?”

“I believe this could have a really big impact and be a big support for Israel in a time like this,” she added, expressing her hope that the song, which brings Arabs and Jews together in collaboration, could get the world’s attention. 

Initially, Bassili told ALL ISRAEL NEWS, she was not particularly excited to hear that her song was being considered for an award, but felt challenged by God not to be apathetic about it. She felt that He had urged her to take action, saying, “You’re not doing anything about it? You need to help, you have to do something! This is a Grammy. This is serious." 

She responded with a new openness to act, and said, “The Lord has opened doors.”

Though banned from her native Lebanon for her pro-Israel stance, Bassili has found many supporters as well as detractors. She told ALL ISRAEL NEWS that a friend from Syria who also loves Israel recently encouraged her, saying, “This is the song of the season right now! People need to hear it.”

“Jerusalem” is not the first song Bassili has penned or performed in her passion to build bridges between Arabs and Jews. Her hugely successful song “God of Israel,” performed together with Sean Feucht and Yair Levi went viral and her Arab versions of Israeli songs have brought much comfort and healing to people in Israel during the war precipitated by Oct.7. 

She recorded an Arabic version of Eden Golan's “Hurricane” song to express her solidarity with the victims of the massacre, and has just recently released a remake of Yuval Raphael’s Eurovision song, “New Day Will Rise.”

With the wheels of peace deals finally starting to turn, the timing couldn’t be better.

Under the video of her latest release, Bassili wrote the first verse from Psalm 133: "How good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell together in unity." 

She continued, “Today we stand as Jews and Arabs, hand in hand, against antisemitism and every form of hate. We are called not to be enemies, but family – children of one Creator. Together, we choose love over fear, peace over division, and unity over hate.”