Ten minute tea with Afternoon Tea. Spend ten minutes with Afternoon Tea. In the time it takes to boil one kettle, and let one cup of tea steep, we will have your daily art + music fix covered. Take your afternoon tea break with our Afternoon Tea curators.
Today’s tea + soundtrack + visuals curated by Raphaela.
To Canada by way of Lebanon, Raphaela is a multicultural singer/songwriter. She aims to evoke wonder and daydreaming in her audience through her timeless, affectionate and mature sounding voice, lyrics and melodies.
Brand new track, “Be My Hero,” stemmed from a feeling of wanting to finally start taking care of herself and placing boundaries where in the past she wouldn’t have. The song represents Raphaela‘s journey over the last few years of striving to become a version of herself that she’s proud of – Someone who says “no,” who works towards achieving her dreams unapologetically, and who does all that while remaining kind and authentic to others, but most importantly, towards herself.
Stream + share “Be My Hero” now:
Sometimes it’s harder to place boundaries with those you love than those you hate. As a recovering people-pleaser, oftentimes I’ve sacrificed many of my own values and guiding core principles for fear of losing those I love. I’ve learned that placing boundaries means showing people what you will and will not accept, and ultimately, this always serves the relationship for the better and steers it towards the right direction it’s meant to go in, whatever that may be. – Raphaela
Tea selection: Jasmine tea
One piece of music: Another chapter by May Well
This song by Montreal singer/songwriter May Wells is one of my new favorite discoveries as it relates to growing up, not having everything figured out, but finally starting to be less hard on yourself and letting yourself “breathe” as she sings in her song. The more I grow up, the more i’ve been finding myself gravitating towards songs like these that tackle themes of identity and reclaiming back our power.
Video: Veronique Chamoun – Men khawfi 3a Bladi
The title of this hymn translates to “Out of fear for my country” by none other than my own mother Veronique Chamoun, with the words and melody of Lebanese composer and singer/songwriter Marwan Khoury, and director Christelle E. Ibrahim. The video, filmed in Beirut, Lebanon, correlates to themes of expatriation and distance from family due to the turbulent situation of the country that is always on the brink of war. Even though it was released many years ago, it is unfortunately still relevant today as more and more youth reluctantly leave the country and their families seeking stability elsewhere. I represent this theme in the video, as I cameo in it, showcasing my departure from the country after graduating. The end of the video rewinds back, representing optimism and hope for youth to one day come back to their country, and live out their lives in peace.
Tea + Me 