WORD | ALKadira - Elysian Rhapsody

In this WORD episode, Syrian-born, Lebanon-grown, and Paris-based artist ALKadira unpacks the spiritual, sonic, and philosophical landscapes behind her debut single ‘Elysian Rhapsody’, pulled from her upcoming EP MAJOR ARCANA.

MAJOR ARCANA is ALKadira’s debut offering an ambitious, soul-baring release that blurs the edges between score and song, poetry and production. Rooted in cinematic architecture and poetic defiance, her compositions morph through deconstructed electronic experimentation and intimate vocal delivery, threading together longing, ascendance, and self-discovery.

In this episode of WORD, she tells SceneNoise:

“The word Elysium comes from a Greek myth about the Elysium Fields — a place of eternal peace and happiness.”

ALKadira describes Elysian Rhapsody as a musical chant, a spiritual transmission, and a sonic spell for change. Through ethereal vocals and fluid spoken word, she bridges classical piano teachings with experimental textures, born from a life lived across geographies, languages, and revolutions of the self.

“It’s a rhapsody — structureless and emotional. Because once an emo, always an emo,” she says. “It’s a state of inner clarity… between sorrow and optimism, between the revolutionary inside us and the peace we long for.”

ALKadira’s mission is to compose from the in-between — from shadow and light — where truth, love, and sound converge.“The intention behind my work is to blur the line between composition and song, between poetry and sound design,” she says. “Bringing my classical training in piano, guitar, and acoustic instruments into dialogue with the electronic and experimental world.”

The full EP, MAJOR ARCANA, promises to expand on these themes: the pursuit of self-fulfillment, the meaning of life, and the serene stillness that can be found amid collective noise.