MANILA, Philippines — Making his much-awaited comeback with “Mashi Baeed” featuring Nadine Lustre, Luka returns to the local music scene with the English-Arabic track released with a music video where the two Careless artists are set on an alternate reality.
The Manila-based Sudanese first appeared as Astrokidd in Careless’ first two projects – Careless Mixtape (2018), and the Island City Playlist (2019)-to add trap-hip hop flavor to the collective then. He took a year off from here to explore more sounds, write more verses, and refine his artist identity. After switching his artist name to Luka, he slams back into the studio to work with spicy dancehall-afrobeat sounds that are as feel-good as they are sexy. But still, listeners will hear that same uniquely hypnotic vocals from Luka that once drew them deep into his verses. This, paired with Nadine’s sweet but sultry voice, come together to create a track that will make you sway your hips to the beat while singing along to its impossibly catchy hook.
Luka. Photos courtesy of Careless Music
“Mashi Baeed,” which translates to “going far away” in English, is the first song of its kind released in the Philippines. Written in a mix of English and Arabic, Luka pays homage to his roots in Sudan and Abu Dhabi with this track. The song’s lines express the heartache of when a loved one leaves to get away from a tough situation, thus leaving them alone to cope during a difficult time.
Luka bares all his honesty on this, saying that he wrote the song thinking “I’m scared of being alone or to lose the person I love the most.” The hook is sung from the woman’s viewpoint of going away, while the verses he raps are from his perspective of being left behind. But while it may be sad, he says that “Mashi Baeed” can also come from a self-empowering perspective, one where your loved one goes away to find a better situation. “Understanding my emotions might take a lifetime in my case. I just recently learned how to channel what I feel through words. We all need to feel loved,” he shares.
Nadine Lustre. Photos courtesy of Careless Music.
To pair the song with visuals, Careless Music along with The Finest, produced the music video for Mashi Baeed which premiered on the Careless Music Youtube channel at 6 pm, July 9. The visual treat of colors and light that accompany the entrancing beat that is “Mashi Baeed”, coupled with Luka and Nadine serving mad looks will definitely make you enjoy the mesmerizing trip that this track will take you away to.
Listen to Luka’s “Mashi Baeed” feat. Nadine Lustre now on Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, and Tidal. Check out the music video too uploaded on Careless Music’s Youtube channel below: