Sayed Mahmoud talks to singer Fayrouz Karawya
Fayrouz Karawya is already happening. Her fans are mesmerised by the power of her performance, taken in by the sophistication of a style that rises way above the humdrum of ordinary love songs.
There is something about Karawya that reminds me of Aida El-Ayoubi, the singer who retired in the early 1990s having given us two exceptional albums. Like El-Ayoubi, Karawya is an accomplished singer who is not so much interested in showing off her exceptional vocal skills as in offering a real experience of immense melodious diversity.
I heard her sing at the British Council in Cairo a few weeks ago, where she serenaded us with songs written by Amr Taher, Ahmed El-Fakharani, Mohamed Khayr and Ahmed Haddad — all of whom are accomplished vernacular poets rather than run-of-the-mill song writers. The music was mostly written by the composers Sherif El-Wasimi and Akram Murad. Karawya writes the music for some of her songs.
Born in 1980 in Port Said to a politically active family, Karawya was named after the famous Lebanese singer. She began singing in school and then took three years of classes in music theory and oud at the Arab Music Institute. As a medical student at the University in Cairo, she shopped around for singing opportunities. The break came when she sang Qabl Al-Awan (Before it’s Time) in Magdi Ali’s film Asrar Al-Banat (Girls’ Secrets).
Karawya studied theatre direction for a while and worked with the independent company Al-Mesaharati (The Ramadan Drummer) with director Abir Ali. The company performed folkloric pieces, and Karawya was in charge of the musical side. She sang in four stage plays with Al-Mesaharati: Hakawi Al-Haramlek (Tales of the Harem Quarters), Helw Masr (Sweet Egypt), Sahraya (Late Night), and Ya Halawt Al-Donya (O Beautiful Life).
Karawya has been singing professionally for three years. “My first concert was in 2006, with the young poet Ahmed Haddad, who is the grandchild of both Salah Jaheen and Fouad Haddad, two of Egypt’s most memorable vernacular poets,” she says. “Haddad helped me develop a new approach to singing.”
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FairouZ Karawya – Fostan El Sahra