LAYLA KAYLIF is pleased to present the official video for: “Lovers Don’t Meet”, the title track of her new album – out 7th August 2020
Inspired by the 13th Century Persian poet Rumi, “Lovers Don’t Meet” is a spiritual and soul-searching track with a radiant Americana sound representative of her upcoming record. For its official video, the London-based singer-songwriter and filmmaker pairs the track with elegant visuals with overarching themes of pilgrimage.
Co-directed with her partner, filmmaker Mario Calcagni, who also features in the video, it was filmed on location on the Knapwell to Cambridge Pilgrimage trail, as well as parts of the North Downs Way in Kent.
The song – ostensibly a love song – is in essence an ode to finding your inner lover, who – in Sufi speak- is the Divine. Christian mystics share this sensibility of cultivating an inner relationship with your “Divine Beloved”. As Layla says:
“What people don’t realise is that Rumi, was a Muslim mystic, and is in the same spiritual stream as people like Teresa of Avila, and even Wordsworth. They have transcended their own particular religions and achieved as sort of union with the God”.
The video is also a nod to Layla’s childhood. Her mother’s family are from Cambridge, and she spent every summer there during her childhood and teenage years. “I never thought of it as a university town. For me it was just Gilbert road and the Sunday market”. Which might explain why she ended up going to Oxford for university instead.
Perhaps best known for her worldwide hit “Shakespeare in Love”, Layla Kaylif is an English singer songwriter, who blends Americana, country and folk sounds with her signature poetic and evocative lyrics. In 2020 Layla officially returns to music to release with her third and latest album ‘Lovers Don’t Meet’ (out 7 August 2020). The culmination of a three-year period of writing and musical development, the abum distils a short, sweet dose of what Layla does best. 7 songs rooted in love and literature, there’s references to great writers from Rumi to Shakespeare, Nizar Qabbani to Elizabeth Barrett Browning; and a special nod to Dolly Parton too.
Recorded in Nashville with an esteemed backing band including Reed Pittman, Matt Iceman, Cornelius Perry and Ben Owens, the record was produced by Jason Hall (David Nail and the Well Ravens).
Warm and wise, erudite and endlessly rewarding, ‘Lovers Don’t Meet’ will be released by Layla Kaylif on 7th August 2020.