Being momentarily speechless when you have always considered yourself the kind of person who is with the words can be a revelation like no other. All it takes is a couple of seconds which feel like an eternity, and somehow you’re never the same again. Comprehending those precious moments that pass by us in life is what Abu’s new music video is all about. The very first line of his song ‘Ahwak’ says it all, “I want to speak about the day when words failed me”. An extraordinary thing for sure to be felt by a writer and poet at heart.
When Words Fail you, Write about it
When a providential delay in his flight resulted in a stranger captivating his heart, Abu was temporarily speechless. Son to a Sufi poet, he was taught to appreciate the power of words, “I have always loved to write because of my father”, he tells. It, therefore, came as a shock and revelation when words failed him. Left to his intense thoughts, thinking what might have happened had he done something then, he went on to write ‘Ahwak’, which was based on Abdel Halim’s timeless classic. The song was directed by none other than the talented, award-winning actor Asser Yassin. It was shot at Marassi’s beautiful beach, clear Mediterranean waters, and striking blue skies were just the perfect setting it needed. The storyline revolves around that breathless kind of feeling that one gets from love at first sight, all the while capturing the importance of seizing those opportunities.
“I like to cruise through life, I simply don’t cater to the pressures of the market”
Between Sweet Nostalgia and Today’s Hectic Life
Anyone who has seen the video or heard the song will know it is as genuine as Abu himself. Energetic, simple, cheeky and full of passion, the song embodies this incredible artist while transporting us back to simpler times, “nostalgia is a reference to a place in our minds where we feel the most comfortable”, Abu says, “there was a great quality of life, as opposed to now, simply because the pace of life was much slower than it is today”. That’s the biggest challenge for all of us nowadays. Abu has his own way of dealing with it, “I like to cruise through life, I simply don’t cater to the pressures of the market”, he tells, “with everything I do, I like to take time to do it right so I can really produce something of quality”. Another challenge is the short term memory span which is an occupational hazard in this industry, “today anyone can find themselves suddenly rejected by Social Media and then ultimately forgotten, because of the pace of life, things get outdated very quickly”, explains Abu.
“I try not get affected by either praise or criticism. I choose not to answer any haters and try not to let praise get to my head
Social Media: A Double-Edged Sword
We all know what it feels like when one day you’re flying high and the next day you’re down on your luck; that’s the curse of Social Media. Abu tries to not let it get to him, “I try not get affected by either praise or criticism. I choose not to answer any haters and try not to let praise get to my head”, he tells. There are artists who have gained popularity through Social Media, though, “this is very subjective. I cannot say those who have taken the more commercial path are less genuine than others, good for them”, he explains, “part of my journey is music, and the visual aspect of this music is just as important as the audio. That’s where videos come in, but that doesn’t make me more commercial than before”. However, the role Social Media plays can have its negatives as well as positives, “we live in different times. Strong Media exposure took its toll on the presence of albums today”, he tells, “music albums are no longer the main revenue streams because nobody buys them anymore”. Long gone are the days when we would excitedly wait for Amr Diab’s new music album to be released, “albums are important, but only as something complimentary”, he continues, “I personally will not make a music album because I like to put all my capacity into the single, that’s how I maintain the quality of my music.
“I was very excited to be working with Asser who has been my friend since college”
Perks of Writing a Song
Other than the fact that expressing one’s self through music is one of the most beautiful things we can think of, there’s more to it. Abu got to bring his video to life with the very talented Asser Yassin, “I was very excited to be working with Asser who has been my friend since college”, says Abu, “once we teamed up to do this, we decided that we would give it our best no matter what the challenges were”. This wasn’t a walk in the park, either, “we had our fair share of problems, the main being time management as both of us had busy schedules but it got easier once we organized ourselves”, he explains.
As for future projects, the sky is the limit for Abu’s creativity, “I want to incorporate art collaborations, explore new choreography, painters and digital media to come up with different concepts for my music videos”, he tells. No matter the difficulties, nothing can stop Abou it seems. Once he makes up his mind about something, he gets it done.
