Festival songs have reached their peak in Egypt during the last decade after imposing themselves on both the musical and singing communities, and achi
Festival songs have reached their peak in Egypt during the last decade after imposing themselves on both the musical and singing communities, and achieving unprecedented viewing and listening rates, despite their performers being subjected to harsh criticism and accusations of “corrupting morals and public taste”… But has the glow of these songs faded in recent times?
Festival songs appeared in the middle of the first decade of the new millennium, and some described them as the “Egyptian musical revolution,” and considered them an inevitable transformation of the popular song, as they were the most prominent and most requested element in Egyptian and Arab wedding parties.
This lyrical genre has made a splash in the market. While critics and musicians who spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat believe that festival songs are on their way to fading and decline, others believe that they will not disappear but will be developed.
Mahraganat songs reached their peak between 2020 and 2021, according to musicians, which was reflected in the viewership rates of some of these songs; “Mafish Saheb Beitsaheb” achieved 172 million views on YouTube, “Bent El-Giran” achieved 666 million views, “Wadaa Ya Donia Wadaa” achieved 281 million views, “Biscuitaya Moqramsha” achieved 195 million views, “Oud El-Batal” achieved 340 million views, “Ekhwati” achieved 470 million views, and “Shams El-Majra” achieved 154 million views.
Shakoosh and Beca are among the most prominent performers of this controversial genre of singing. Egyptian art critic Ahmed Al-Samahi confirms that the lack of development of this type of music and singing has led to its decline, and its brilliance has faded after it was dominant and controlling the scene.
Although “these songs were an attractive musical genre for the public, they were considered to have low lyrics,” according to Al-Samahi. Al-Samahi added to Asharq Al-Awsat: “This color spread globally in the name of Egypt to express the street, but the young people who were in charge of it did not have enough culture to develop it, as their goal was to collect money and fame in a short time.”
Festival songs became very popular in Egypt after the January 2011 revolution, and were widely popular and interacted with by people. Their songs dealt with several topics, including betrayal, marriage, divorce, friendship, and love, according to musicians.
Egyptian music critic Fawzi Ibrahim agrees with Al-Samahi, saying in statements to Asharq Al-Awsat that “this genre has begun to disappear from the street after it was besieged by it, because it is no longer alone on the scene, as the art festivals in Saudi Arabia and Egypt have contributed to its decline.”
Ibrahim stresses that “festivals, as music and rhythms, are not generally vulgar, but their inappropriate lyrics make them subject to accusations, and I believe that their glow has now faded after they began to wane.”
The Egyptian music scene has witnessed notable crises in recent years due to “festival songs,” as this genre represented a “headache” for the former head of the Musicians Syndicate, Hani Shaker, who took a strict stance against them on the grounds of “harming public taste,” before deciding to withdraw from the scene, and the syndicate opened its doors to performers of this type of song during the era of the current head, Mustafa Kamel.
The Egyptian musician, Mounir Al-Wasimi, considered that “the decline of this musical genre recently is very natural after the good works were separated from the bad ones,” as he put it. He added in statements to Asharq Al-Awsat that “the low educational level of festival performers was among the reasons for the spread of this noisy phenomenon,” considering that “modern and old media are behind the spread of this type in recent years.”
Al-Wasimi called for “strict oversight to preserve societal values,” noting that “art is a strategic commodity and neglecting it is a serious matter.”
Festival songs were necessary to break the monotony of traditional Egyptian songs. While the song “Bint El-Giran” which was released 5 years ago by Omar Kamal and Hassan Shakoush achieved about 666 million views, the song “Million Salam Ala Elli Ba’oni” by Hassan Shakoush which was released a year ago achieved only 846 thousand views.
Great singers tried to present this style but failed. The same thing happened with one of the most prominent festival performers, Hamo Beka, whose song “Shams Al-Majra” has achieved 154 million views since its release 4 years ago with the participation of Omar Kamal and Hassan Shakoush, but the song “If the old is gone, the new will play ballet” has only 433 thousand views since its release last year.
Conclusion:
Festival songs have reached their peak in Egypt during the last decade, but it seems that their glow has faded in recent times. The lack of development of this type of music and singing has led to its decline, and its brilliance has faded after it was dominant and controlling the scene.
FAQs:
Q: What is the reason behind the decline of festival songs?
A: The lack of development of this type of music and singing has led to its decline, and its brilliance has faded after it was dominant and controlling the scene.
Q: Who are the most prominent performers of festival songs?
A: Hamo Beka, Hassan Shakoush, Omar Kamal, Kozbora, Hamo Taykha, Risha Costa, Samara, Alaa Fifty, Magdy Shatta, Hanjara, Kabonga, Samer and Ali Qaddoura, and Essam Sasa are among the most prominent performers of this controversial genre of singing.
Q: Why did festival songs become popular in Egypt?
A: Festival songs became very popular in Egypt after the January 2011 revolution, and were widely popular and interacted with by people. Their songs dealt with several topics, including betrayal, marriage, divorce, friendship, and love, according to musicians.
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