Amro Diab wins World Music Award for second time

Despite all odds the famous Egyptian singer Amro Diab has won the World Music Award for best Arab performer. Amr had bought all rights to air the awards ceremony and gave it exclusively to the Egyptian channel instead of the music channel Rotana, which is the company that produces the singer’s albums. Diab’s behavior raises eyebrows about his relationship with Rotana and his ability to stay with the company in the long run.

 This is the second time that Diab wins the award; he was nominated by Alam Al Fan Production Company back in 1998 and the second time in 2002. In the past five years the award went to the Moroccan singer Samira Sa’ed and once to the Tunisian singer Latifa and to Lebanese singer Ellisa twice. Once again Diab returns to win the award, which was  presented to him by Lebanese  presenter/singer Razan Al Maghribi. Last year Razan was not nominated to present the award to the Arab star that wins, since Elissa, who won the award last year, refused Razan to give it to her.

 According to the London daily Elaph, the award has raised questions, because it seems that whoever buys rights to air the ceremony in the Arab world, the award goes to him/her. Inside resources at Rotana had at first anticipated that this year’s award would go to the Lebanese singer Wael Kfoury.

 The festival committee says that there are special statistic companies that take care of choosing the right person for the award. The only way to find out the sale of records in the Arab world is by the production companies.

 On the other hand Rotana Music Channel aired a special report of Diab’s accomplishment; however, it did not cover the event.