“I AM NOT AFRAID(DRUM REMIX)” By Niko Michalopoulos

“I Am Not Afraid” is the first and foremost, a single passionate cry for freedom and peace, for the suffering of the children of Gaza, and for the world. As a piece selected for the 2025 Coliffe Festival, this song emanates deep grief and transcendent courage, expressing the words of a young Palestinian during a heart-wrenching tragedy. It invites everyone, as they stream the song on major platforms,  to bear witness to the struggle of humanity in Gaza, and listen to the soul of the song, the passionate cry, and the courage of the children of Gaza. All at once, a listen to the song is a demonstration of the gripping pain and suffering of the children of Gaza, and of the Gaza children’s song. It is a song for the ages, as  Michalopoulos’s music consists of the suffering and pain of children of all ages.

Having seen the suffering of the children of Gaza, the song, Michalopoulos’s, “I Am Not Afraid” is powerful and inspirational. In March 2024, while Niko saw a video of a young Palestinian boy and the toll the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict had taken on him. He had lost his family and was all alone and wounded in the hospital, and as he sat there, he defiantly uttered the words, I Am Not Afraid, four simple times and yet powerful words, that gave Niko a powerful idea. Niko’s gift, the melody, was to voice the hundreds of children of Gaza, to help weave the courage of the children into a powerful song that he fashioned from Niko’s own pain. Niko’s gift lies in transforming unbearable pain into art that uplifts, reminding the world that even amid devastation, the human spirit refuses to bow.

The song takes on an intimate, almost prayer-like tone with Jennah Mokhtarzada delivering a delicate yet powerful vocal performance and Niko Michalopoulos himself on piano. Producer OPWDubs takes the composition even further with the “drum remix,” adding a heartbeat-like rhythm that represents the pulse of survival. “Mama died last night, Angels filled with fright, Airplanes day and night, Fireflies won’t light,” each lyric is a testament to lived trauma. Yet in the chorus, when the refrain “I Am Not Afraid” returns again and again, the repetition becomes an act of defiance for the spirit, an impenetrable armor against despair. It’s a sonic embodiment of the existence children are daring to live. It’s resistance. It’s powerful.

The song’s visual element accompanying the song strengthens its impact. Directed by Ilana Alazzeh and produced at the Sitar Arts Center in Washington, D.C., the video captures both live performances and symbolic imagery from “Melody for What Is Lost,” another piece from Niko’s Suite for Palestine. With the help of Crystal Silmi, a Palestinian-American dancer whose movements reflect the pain and pride of her people, the performance transforms into an act of collective remembrance. The combination of dance, music, and imagery results in a visceral artistic statement, one that speaks to the soul while urging audiences toward awareness and action.

The poignancy of “I Am Not Afraid” lies in how it traverses all forms of suffering and struggle through the ages. Niko’s grandmother experienced the Armenian Genocide. Niko has a grasp of intergenerational trauma and its effects. His Suite for Palestine, from which this song comes, forges musical memory and present-day injustice. Music becomes a cultural and temporal conduit. Niko asks us to look at the children of Gaza and see the living, breathing, and suffering children of humanity and the struggle for peace and dignity.

To not be moved by “I Am Not Afraid” is to refuse the campaign for hope it embodies. It is a call to action that defies passivity and compels the listener to take steps toward restoration. Those inspired and wishing to get involved directly with the cause may do so through Niko Michalopoulos’s fundraising page for UNRWA USA National Committee at getinvolved.unrwausa.org. Through this, Niko and his partners in humanitarian art advocate through action by demonstrating that art is a powerful humanitarian tool. “I Am Not Afraid” stands as a testament to the enduring voice for the people in Gaza and the unbreakable will of a people who still dare to sing, “I Am Not Afraid.”

Written by Manuel