Three years ago, the New York-based Tunisian musician Emel Mathlouthi wrote a song about the environmental destruction and land-ravaging human conflict that had our world hurtling towards a devastating outcome. In 2020, it’s a pandemic, wildfires and police brutality that has dominated much of the news, and so it felt fitting for Mathlouthi to bring her song ‘Everywhere We Looked Was Burning’ to our attention once again with a new video directed by Sam Battikh. As the humanitarian artist says, “I wanted the video to directly reflect this harsh reality, to show abuses of authority occurring everywhere against the most vulnerable. [...] Now we're in the midst of a global pandemic, spreading like wildfire across the globe. I wanted to bring the audience a collection of heartbreaking images, mixed with the anger and the determination of the people on the streets. Unfortunately, this may be the only way we can be made to listen. Everywhere we Looked IS Burning but we CAN do something about it, by joining our voices together to say ENOUGH." Much like song instrumentation and lyrics of ‘Everywhere We Looked Was Burning’, the images in the video are viscerally triggering, tapping into our heartbroken emotions at the injustice across the world. It's a powerful reminder. - Hannah Thacker