Artist Mohamed Attia Talks About His Viral Song “Battikh” and the Palestinian Cause

A Surprise Hit

Artist Mohamed Attia commented on the reactions he received to his viral song “Battikh”, which he sang about the Palestinian cause.

Mohamed Attia said in his interview with Et Bel Arabi: “I am very happy and any of the makers of the work would be lying if they expected what would happen. We expected the opposite completely. We expected 50 or 60 thousand people to listen to it because at the moment in the summer, all the singers release songs about the summer. I did something very personal and I did not expect this success, thank God.”

Backstage of Preparing the Song

Mohamed Attia revealed that the views that reached one and a half million views are all normal, adding: “Usually, in old songs, I used to pay an amount to YouTube so that the song would be uploaded and reach these numbers. This is not something shameful, but artists are embarrassed to say it. All artists, without exception, pay an amount to YouTube at first.”

Mohamed Attia talked about the backstage of preparing the song, noting that what inspired him was his following of the Israeli side of TikTok, as he stated: “I wanted to know why they don’t make sad songs like us. I discovered that they make more rap songs directed at the new generation, so that the new generation can memorize them even if they don’t understand and know their meaning when they grow up.”

Consultation with Iman Al-Assi

He also explained the reason for thanking Iman Al-Assi in the song’s credits, saying: “She is a close friend of mine. She is the one who told me to sing it as a rap. I told her, ‘How can this be about Palestine?’ After that, I told her, ‘Do you believe me, I can do that?’ She kept nagging me, so I took a screenshot of her words. I told her, ‘If the song is successful, I will admit that you are the reason.'”

He continued about his consultation with Iman Al-Assi: “She was the first one I listened to. Even the part that the old generation didn’t like but the new generation liked, she was the one who told me that my daughter would like it but our generation wouldn’t like it, and I also took her opinion on the colors.”

Challenges and Criticism

Mohamed Attia added that he faced difficulty in finding a production company for the song and said: “I had two offers before the song. Two parties offered me to produce the song, and without even hearing the song, when they knew it was about Palestine, they rejected it.”

He continued: “When I spoke to Anas Nasri, the producer of Asala’s “Owners of the Earth”, when I told him about Palestine, he said to me, ‘Come on now, see what you want to do and how much money you need and how much publicity you need, come on.'”

Then he responded for the first time to the criticism directed at him on social media and accusations of exploiting the issue: “There is something I have experienced on social media, which is that if you do not talk about a humanitarian issue, they tell you that you are not talking, and if you do talk, they tell you that this wants to be a trend. I am not against anyone attacking us because we work in the spotlight and we must accept all opinions, but in the end, the truth is that the issue is not a trend. Even if it was a trend at the beginning of the war, now it is harming more than it is helping. It is harming from an artistic perspective, it is harming from a financial perspective, and from all directions. If it was a trend, all the people would have made songs.”

Personal Experience

Mohamed Attia concluded his talk by explaining how psychologically affected he was by the events in Goa, saying: “I have been training for 12 years and I have been controlling my body very much. When the war started, I did not exercise for 4 months and gained 17 kilos. I had a terrible depression. I was sitting at home, not going out, and I would open my mobile and watch the news, eat and sleep again. It was not a good stage. I have had a month and a half to go back to training again because I see people in Gaza. The gym is destroyed and they are sitting and training. They give me an abnormal motivation.”

Conclusion

Mohamed Attia’s song “Battikh” has sparked a lot of reactions and discussions, and it’s clear that the artist is passionate about the Palestinian cause. Despite the challenges he faced, he remains committed to his art and his message.

FAQs

Q: What inspired Mohamed Attia to write “Battikh”?

A: Mohamed Attia was inspired by his following of the Israeli side of TikTok and his desire to understand why they don’t make sad songs like us.

Q: Who helped Mohamed Attia with the song?

A: Iman Al-Assi, a close friend of Mohamed Attia, helped him with the song and gave him valuable feedback.

Q: What was the reaction to the song on social media?

A: Mohamed Attia faced criticism and accusations of exploiting the issue, but he remains committed to his message and art.

Q: How did the war affect Mohamed Attia personally?

A: Mohamed Attia suffered from depression and gained weight due to the war, but he has since returned to his training and is motivated by the people in Gaza.