Can the prominent Lebanese singer, Sabah, with the talented unique voice and beautiful songs, do without her heritage which occupies an important area in the history of Arab and Lebanese singing?
This singer, with her pure local voice who sang al Meijana, Abu al Zulof and al Ataba in addition to the other folksongs, as no Lebanese voice sang before, deserves now to take rest after her long parade during which she achieved glory. She deserves to be honored in a way that suits her as a prominent singer, but she should not stand before her audience in a face different from her original face and a voice that is no more her voice.
Sabah has the right to love life, resist time with this love and to insist on singing but her audience has the right also to feel pain and complain sometimes against her failure to sing properly. Her unrivalled voice has become tired and it was very difficult for her audience to believe that she was the original she has recently stood exhausted before them to sing in one of the concerts.
Has Sabah forgotten that she had sung for al Rahabneh, Philmon Wahbi, Mohammed Abdel Wahab, Baligh Hamdi, Essam Rajji and Melhem Barakat? Has she forgotten that she was one of Baalbak festival’s stars? Has she forgotten that she performed in the most beautiful Egyptian and Lebanese films?
Indeed Sabah has not forgotten but her big heart and love for life makes her sometimes forget. Can’t Sabah quit art and participate in social and other activities similar to other prominent world singers and actors?
Yet, Sabah reiterates that she will not quit art except for two reasons, either she dies or there will be no more art. “Indeed, things have changed but I have not reached the point of quitting art as long as my voice is still nice and I am able to perform,” she told the daily al Hayat, adding that “art life has changed. Is it logical for me to sing as if I were twenty years old? Take Fairouz for example as her songs now are different from before.” – Albawaba.com
