Music Friday: 19-Year-Old Faouzia Cries 'Tears of Gold' in Her Viral 2019 Release

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you great new songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, Canadian-Moroccan singer-songwriter Faouzia uses precious metals to tell the story of unrequited love in her viral 2019 release, "Tears of Gold." The official YouTube video has been viewed more than 6.8 million times.

Faouzia explained to the music website Genius that since she was six years old she has found herself in a series of one-sided relationships. She would give and give and give and get nothing back. Her mom warned her that she'd be hurt in the end, but Faouzia could never escape the cycle.

As she penned the song, Faouzia needed a visual representation of her emotional pain. The answer: Tears of Gold.

"I wanted it to be a powerful statement," she said. "I didn't just cry for you. It wasn't just water, salts and urea. It was GOLD. I gave my literal ALL to you."

She sings, "Don't you know that I cried tears of gold for you / I sit here poor for you / Collect my pennies and my dimes / That's why you love it when I cry."

In the next line, Faouzia employs a second precious metal: platinum.

She sings, "Platinum love for you / I'd give no less for you / Generosity's my enemy / So I'm broke and your heart's rich / Because of me."

The 19-year-old explained in her Genius interview that she literally Googled the question, "What is the most valuable element," and she came up with platinum as the answer.

"On the whole 'Tears of Gold' thing, I cried for you and also gave you platinum love," she said. "It wasn't just any kind of love. It was platinum."

Born Faouzia Ouihya in 2000 in Casablanca, Morocco, the artist moved to Manitoba, Canada, with her family at the age of five.

Between the ages of 15 and 17, Faouzia won a series of singing and songwriting competitions, eventually leading to a contract with Paradigm Talent Agency. In 2018, French DJ and producer David Guetta invited Faouzia to perform on his studio album, titled 7.

Just recently, 13-year-old Daneliya Tuleshova delivered an impressive cover of Faouzia's "Tears of Gold" on America's Got Talent.

Commenting on the youngster's performance, Faouzia told ET Canada that she had goosebumps the entire time Tuleshova was on stage.

"Her voice and stage presence were AMAZING," Faouzia said. "I can’t wait to see her journey through music.”

Please check out the video of Faouzia performing "Tears of Gold." And, as a bonus, we have a video of Tuleshova's cover, as well. As always, the lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along...

"Tears of Gold"
Written and performed by Faouzia.

Mama always told me that I was too naive
Gave away my trust for pennies

I said, "Don't you worry"
Didn't think that I'd be broken down and crying
Help me

Wrecked? Check
Heart? In debt
All you do is come around
Just came here to collect

Wrecked? Check
Heart? In debt
Don't you know that I cried tears of gold for you
I sit here poor for you
Collect my pennies and my dimes
That's why you love it when I cry
Platinum love for you
I'd give no less for you
Generosity's my enemy
So I'm broke and your heart's rich
Because of me

Know that this is my fault
Gave a little too much
Knew that this was gonna happen

But I'm not gonna lie
You can make me cry
A thousand times
I come running back like
What is going on with my head?

Wrecked? Check
Heart? In debt
All you do is come around
Just came here to collect

Wrecked? Check
Heart? In debt
Don't you know that I cried tears of gold for you
I sit here poor for you
Collect my pennies and my dimes
That's why you love it when I cry

Platinum love for you
I'd give no less for you
Generosity's my enemy
So I'm broke and your heart's rich
Because of me

And the worst part is I'd do it all over again
No, the worst part is I know it's never gonna end
I keep coming right back like a maniac
I keep coming right back like –

Oh, oh

And the worst part is I'd do it all over again
No, the worst part is I know it's never gonna end
I keep coming right back like a maniac

I cried tears of gold for you
I sit here poor for you
Collect my pennies and my dimes
That's why you love it when I cry

Platinum love for you
I'd give no less for you
Generosity's my enemy
So I'm broke and your heart's rich
Because of me

Bonus: Daneliya Tuleshova covers Faouzia's "Tears of Gold"...

Credit: Screen capture via Youtube.com.

Biblical Aaron Wore a Golden Breastplate Fashioned With 12 Inscribed Gemstones

The biblical Aaron may have been the original King of Bling. More than 3,300 years ago, the first high priest of the Hebrews (and older brother of Moses) dazzled his followers with a gleaming breastplate fashioned with gemstones representing the 12 tribes of Israel. The inscribed gems — which included emerald, sapphire, amethyst and topaz —  were arranged in four rows and set in gold.

According to The Book of Exodus, Aaron bore the responsibility of memorializing upon his two shoulders the names of the 12 tribes before the Lord. His ceremonial costume consisted of a linen tunic spun with gold threads and a floor-length tasseled robe. Set into the breastplate were a colorful array of precious stones inscribed with the names of the 12 tribes.

The breastplate was attached to the ephod (a sleeveless garment) by gold chains/cords tied to the gold rings on the ephod’s shoulder straps, and by blue ribbons tied to the gold rings at the lower parts of the ephod.

First-century Jewish historian Josephus described Aaron’s breastplate in his book titled, Antiquities of the Jews. In the following passage, the gems are listed right to left.

“Twelve stones were there also upon the breastplate, extraordinary in largeness and beauty,” Josephus wrote. “The first three stones were a sardonyx, a topaz, and an emerald. The second row contained a carbuncle, a jasper and a sapphire. The first of the third row was a ligure (possibly orange zircon), then an amethyst, and the third an agate… the fourth row was a crysolite, the next was an onyx, and then a beryl.”

“And Aaron shall bear the names of the Children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the Holy Place.” — EXODUS xxviii.12,29.

Over many centuries, reinterpretations of the original Hebrew text have yielded other gemstone combinations. Some believe this to be the more accurate arrangement…

“The first was a row of ruby, topaz, and emerald; and the second row, a turquoise, a sapphire and a diamond; and the third row, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; and the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper.”

Aaron’s priestly dress also contained a small pocket for “urim and thummim,” mysterious and still undefined substances or articles that would help the priest determine God’s will.

“Urim and thummim” might have been two sticks or two stones, one white and the other black, that would reveal a yes or no answer to a specific question when one was randomly pulled from the pocket.

Biblical scholars believe Aaron was born in 1396 BC and died in 1273 BC at the age of 123.

Credits: From top, artist’s conception of Jewish high priest wearing a breastplate in ancient Judah. Image from THE HISTORY OF COSTUME by Braun & Schneider / Public domain. Flavius Josephus by William Whiston (originally uploaded by The Man in Question on en.wikipedia.org) / Public domain. Ceramic replica of High Priest’s breastplate by Dr. Avishai Teicher Pikiwiki Israel / CC BY.

Proceeds From Sale of Anna Hu's Heart Ensemble to Support Healthcare Workers

From July 3 to 13, a three-piece collection of heart-themed jewelry designed by Anna Hu will be auctioned online by Christie's, with proceeds going to support healthcare workers fighting the global pandemic.

Hu created these unique pieces exclusively for this charity project using rich brown diamonds mined by Alrosa in Yakutia, a region in the Siberian Far East.

“Many people are in distress, and no one can remain indifferent to this pandemic. The world needs positivity, empathy, a sense of support, care and love," Hu said in a statement. "I hope to express all these feelings in my three pieces of jewelry. I was inspired and grateful to have received the opportunity to work on something larger than simply beautiful jewelry, something meaningful and with heart.”

The pieces will be sold by Diamonds That Care, the newly launched social responsibility initiative of Alrosa, the world’s largest diamond mining company. The initiative’s key theme is that every diamond should help those in need. The project is being organized in cooperation with the non-profit charitable organization Diamonds Do Good.

"By working with Christie’s, which operates in all the regions affected by the coronavirus, and the brilliant Chinese jewelry artist Anna Hu, we are raising funds for a US-based charitable organization supporting activities in various countries," noted Sergey Ivanov, CEO of Alrosa. "This project is a living example of how countries and stakeholders can unite in their efforts to help those in need."

Hu's three-piece ensemble includes a necklace, ring and a pair of earrings.

• The necklace (at top) features fancy colored and colorless diamonds, centered by a 27.02-carat fancy brown-yellow pear-shaped diamond weighing 27.02 carats. The necklace — which flows in a unique heart shape — is fabricated with a combination of 18-karat white and rose gold.

• Complementing the necklace is a heart-shaped ring that also uses a combination of fancy colored and colorless diamonds. One side of the heart features small, pavé-set colorless diamonds while the other side is highlighted by a pear-shaped, 1.59-carat faint brown diamond.

• Hu's unique earring drops include six interlocking hearts of alternating 18-karat white and rose gold. These, too, are set with fancy colored and colorless diamonds. The left earring uses brown diamond pavé and is highlighted by a 3-carat, pear-shaped brown diamond, while the right earring uses colorless pavé and is set with a 3-carat, pear-shaped colorless diamond.

“Anna Hu’s works are characterized by elegant forms and color combinations," said Max Fawcett, Christie’s Jewelry Specialist. "They are rarely sold at auction and when her pieces come to the secondary market, demand is high. As an artisan jeweler, Anna produces no more than 30 pieces a year, each a unique creation. Her involvement will create international excitement and we are pleased to offer our leading online platform and engage with our international clients to bid for this worthy cause.”

Credits: Sketches by Anna Hu provided by ALROSA.