Amr Diab: I did not intend to defame Umm Kulthoom, Abdel Halim Hafez

Egyptian singer Amr Diab decided to hold a press conference next week in attempt to absorb the media and audience anger over his recent statements, which were understood as defamation of July revolution, Umm Kulthoom and Abdel Halim Hafez. 

“I did not intend to defame anybody. I consider myself one of July revolution’s sons and Umm Kulthoom and Abdel Halim Hafez’s lovers. This dialogue has its special circumstances that incited me and made me loose control over my feelings, the fact that spurred me to make these statements which were misunderstood giving writers the opportunity to compete in blasting me,” Diab told the London based Arabic daily al Sharq al Awsat. 

He added, “I don’t want to just make myself innocent and apologize for what I said but rather to explain these circumstances known by everybody.” 

Earlier Diab blasted in his dialogue published by a UAE magazine in two parts the late renowned Egyptian singer Abdel Halim Hafez and made sarcastic of his songs about the High Dam. He criticized Abdel Halim’s ongoing domination over the singing arena even after his death 25 years ago as if no singer emerged after him. Diab’s blast also included the late Egyptian singer Umm Kulthoom particularly part of her famous song “Hathihi Lailati”. 

He said, “No body can force me to either hail July revolution as was the case with my dad and his generation, sing for this revolution and the High Dam or blast imperialism. These are issues that belong to the past and my generation of singers should sing for the issues that concern them and take most of their time.” -- Albawaba.com