Prominent Lebanese singer Wadie’ Al Safi has recently completed placing the final touches on his latest song “Al Majd Al Arabi” (Arab Glory), written by poet George Kirdaq. Al Safi performed the song during a party held in his honor at the Unisco palace.
The Saudi based daily, Al Riyadh reported that Wadie’ is to present a number of his compositions to renowned Saudi singer Mohammad Abdo in a joint cooperation between the two. He has recently gave the rights of his song “Ard Al Janoub” (Southern Land) to Mu’een Sharif his unrivalled successor.
During a concert at the Egyptian Opera House last year, Mu’een performed many classics of Al Safi.
Sharif is noted as one of the most competent singers specializing particularly in Al Safi’s old songs that belong to the folkloric heritage.
Sharif found himself in the media limelight, with the press writing about how the Egyptian audience and the elite interacted with him, and the qualities of his voice, which they said is a copy of Al Safi’s.
Wadie Safi has himself acknowledged this, saying on more than one occasion that Sharif would be his successor. He is said to have often attended Sharif’s concerts and expressed his admiration at his voice’s potential.
On a different note, Al Safi and the Spanish singer Jose Fernandes performed a concert at the Marina Club in Abu Dhabi earlier this year and a part of the proceeds were allocated for al Aqsa martyrs.
In a press conference at the Beach Hotel in Abu Dhabi, Wadie’ said, “the Palestinian people who face killing, siege and devastation deserve the moral and financial support from all Arab artists.” He called all Arab artists to perform features, concerts and artworks and allocate their proceeds for the Palestinian people. “Art has an intellectual and civilized message,” said Al Safi adding that he was not waiting for catastrophes to hit the Arab nation but he was directing the feelings of people before the incident took place. At the concert, Wadie’ sang “for Palestine and its honorable people”, including Tefl al Hijarah (Stones Child) and Arduna Tukasi (Our Land Suffers).
With regards to the duet experience with Jose Maria haling him for his competence and intelligence, “despite the big difference between our generations, I feel delighted with my experience with Jose who translates my songs into Spanish and then sings them in the Arabic style. Jose has managed to grasp the Arabic keys easily and construct them in a beautiful style,” said Al Safi. - Albawaba.com
