In Arabic, the word for “no” is “la”.
That’s what the Lebanese diva Fairuz, 87, said to the Saudi Arabian regime, when she turned down the invitation to sing at this year’s New Year’s Eve party —a resounding and symbolic “la”.
Fairuz, the main voice of Arabic music, was quoted for the Trio Night event, in Riyadh. The guest list shimmered like a constellation, including the likes of Nancy Ajram (from the song “Ibn El Giran”) and Najwa Karam (“Law Habaytek”).
The purpose of the show, in addition to entertainment, was clear to anyone who follows this region. It was yet another attempt by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to rehabilitate his country after so many years of human rights violations.
It is in this context that Fairuz’s refusal had such an impact on the Arabic-speaking world. It wasn’t just a rejection of the event, which was accompanied by a millionaire fee. It was also a negative of the prince’s entire political project.
Born in Beirut, Fairuz has an almost untranslatable cultural importance. The word “diva”, which usually accompanies her name as if it were a title, is unable to express what someone who grew up immersed in this culture feels when hearing Fairuz’s voice in the morning —a moment of the day associated with her— while spending the day. coffee.
Fairuz began his career in the 1940s when he was a teenager. Lebanon, like its neighbors, struggled to build its identity after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the French occupation, which only officially ended in 1945.
In the 1950s, the singer established herself in Lebanon and throughout the Arabic-speaking region with a voice of power and nuance. In 1957, she performed at the legendary festival of Baalbeck, in the east of the country, amid Roman ruins. By then it was already indispensable.
Such was her fame, including among the Lebanese diaspora, that Fairuz performed in Rio in 1961. This diva is attributed with the miracle of having made it rain during a drought with her song “Shatti ya Dini” (Rain, O world).
Fairuz’s career was already consolidated when, in 1975, the Lebanese civil war began. Her decision not to leave the country, unlike so many other artists, gave her an almost mystical aura, that of a mother who never abandons her offspring.
The resolution not to abandon Lebanon even during the 15 years of conflict may be one of the keys to understanding how Fairuz —again, unlike so many of his colleagues— had the courage to say “no” to the willful crown prince.
Mohammad bin Salman, known by the initials MBS, is accused of several serious violations of human rights in Saudi Arabia, a country that restricts the freedom of its women and violently represses any popular protest.
Experts believe, in particular, that MBS was involved in the death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who disappeared in 2018 during a visit to the country’s consulate in Istanbul. According to investigations, Khashoggi was kidnapped and dismembered. He was a critic of the prince, who denies involvement in the incident and accuses his detractors of politicizing the journalist’s death.
One of Fairuz’ nicknames in Arabic is “al-Samita al-kabira”. In other words, “the eternal silence”. She doesn’t usually speak in public, which is why she is even criticized. Not surprisingly, then, she has not commented on her refusal to sing in Saudi Arabia.
But earlier this month Lebanese-American professor As’ad AbuKhalil commented on the episode on social media. A daughter of Fairuz confirmed that the singer had decided not to perform in the country of Crown Prince MBS.
The story has been debated in recent weeks in the Arabic-speaking press. According to the Raseef 22 website, Fairuz’s refusal is related to his disgust with Saudi violations of human rights and also the country’s foreign policies.
In 2017, while passing through Saudi Arabia, Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri suddenly resigned from office. The Saudi regime is believed to have kidnapped and pressured Hariri to step down in a bizarre — and clumsy — attempt to influence the country’s policy.
As the Israeli newspaper “Haaretz”, one of the first to bring the Lebanese singer’s denial to the international press, recalls, Fairuz was not the first to say “no” to MBS. In 2019, American rapper Nicki Minaj canceled her concert after pressure from activists.
The decision is not an easy one, and so many other international artists have accepted invitations to participate in Saudi attempts at “music washing” in the sense of cleaning up the image using concerts. Americans Mariah Carey and Justin Bieber are among those who performed there.
On the occasion of Justin Bieber’s presentation in 2021, the journalist’s widow Khashoggi wrote an article in the Washington Post asking artists to stop collaborating with the MBS government. “This is a unique opportunity for you to send a message to the world that your name and talent will not be used to restore the reputation of a regime that kills its critics,” she said.
Bieber performed anyway. More recently, Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo accepted an invitation to play for Saudi team Al-Nassr.
In the assessment of “Haaretz”, right, Fairuz’s refusal broke years of silence in the Arab world in relation to the abuses of the MBS regime. A crack in the wall, a burst bubble.
According to the newspaper, “not every artist is capable of saying no to Prince […]but Fairuz proved that there are those who can use their celebrity power and influence to distance themselves from the regime — even as others leave the stage in Riyadh with their pockets full of dollars.”
With a wealth of experience honed over 4+ years in journalism, I bring a seasoned voice to the world of news. Currently, I work as a freelance writer and editor, always seeking new opportunities to tell compelling stories in the field of world news.
