Palestinian-Canadian neo-soul singer, songwriter, and producer Merna has officially released her brand-new, self-produced EP, For Seasons: Love in a Time of War. The intimate 15-minute, five-track project serves as a profound meditation on love, faith, surrender, and healing, deeply shaped by Merna’s lifelong relationship with soul music and her cultural heritage.
Bolstering the project’s lush, organic instrumentation, the EP features heavy-hitting musical contributions, including basslines from legendary A Tribe Called Quest and Lucy Pearl member Ali Shaheed Muhammad, and percussion from acclaimed Snarky Puppy drummer Larnell Lewis.
The conceptual foundation for the project was born out of an unexpected return to the oud, an instrument deeply tethered to Merna’s cultural roots. That moment of reconnection sparked a burst of inspiration, resulting in the entire EP being written during a single five-hour session at the piano. Merna subsequently brought the conceptual tracks to Toronto’s historic Revolution Recording, where she meticulously produced and shaped the final arrangements herself.
The resulting music effortlessly blends contemporary R&B and neo-soul with foundational elements of West Asian and North African music. The tracklist unfolds as one continuous emotional arc, moving from the opening prayer “Made For Greatness,” through the memory-driven “Summer 16,” the meditative “Must Really Like You,” and the focus track “Four Seasons,” before concluding with “Reach For Heaven.”
“I think the greatest act or the most radical act of resistance is to feel, to love and to share,” Merna stated regarding the creation of art amidst personal and global grief. “It’s about storytelling.”
The new EP arrives at a vital juncture in Merna’s evolving artistry. After being raised across Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, Delaware, Seattle, and Toronto, her multi-cultural musical palette eventually led her into Toronto’s hip-hop and R&B scene. There, she connected with DJ Jazzy Jeff, who became an early mentor, and began collaborating with heavyweights like Doc McKinney and Ali Shaheed Muhammad.
In recent years, Merna has firmly established herself as one of the industry’s most sought-after songwriters and vocal producers. Her elite pen game has secured credits with major R&B and pop acts including JoJo, Baby Rose, Rapsody, Charlotte Day Wilson, Khamari, Syd, and Demi Lovato, and earned her a Grammy nomination for her work on Cory Henry’s Operation Funk. Following her 2025 solo album Ours to Keep, this new EP continues her inward journey, placing her own distinct voice and narrative front and center.
For Seasons: Love in a Time of War is available to stream and download now across all major digital platforms. The official project visualizer can also be viewed on YouTube.
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