In our interviews and conversations during this project, one theme kept coming up again and again: Roma express all kinds of emotions through their music. This song is a perfect example, born of a time of fear and sadness. “One day my grandmother went to the doctor and found out she had cancer,” says Alex Rybar. “Mato and I were at school together, we stayed late. I was in the class by myself, I was playing on the keyboard, and out of nowhere the words started coming to me. Mato came, he started helping me, and it came together. And that’s how the song came about. Roma are always like this, when something happens, immediately through music it has to manifest itself.”

Namuk Man (Don’t Leave Me)
Music and lyrics by Alex Rybar and Martin Ferkov

Grandmother, when you got sick,
You left me all alone,
And I’m alone,
Poor in this world.

Don’t leave me,
Stay with me!
I don’t have anyone except you!

All vocals and instruments: Alex Rybar and Martin Ferkov