Lebanese singer Fadl Shaker’s comeback single runs aground on legal problems
Controversial Lebanese-Palestinian singer Fadl Shaker announced his return to the world of Arab pop with a surprise new song on May 8.
But the career comeback is in danger of being scuppered because the 49-year-old crooner is wanted by the Lebanese army.
After the release of the regal ballad Shab’an Min Al Tamtheel, which appeared on YouTube to promote the upcoming Egyptian Ramadan drama, Ladayna Iqwal Ukhra, the production company dropped the song from the series with a statement alluding to his legal problems in Lebanon.
With the new ballad Shaker returns to the limelight after embracing a strictly conservative view of Islam six years ago that shunned popular music and landed him at odds with the Lebanese army.
After announcing his retirement, Shaker changed his name to Hajj Shaker and went on to pledge allegiance to Lebanese Sunni firebrand cleric Ahmed Al Assir.
His decision in 2013 to take up arms with Al Assir’s supporters in clashes against the Lebanese army led to 18 soldiers being killed and resulted in Shaker being sentenced in absentia to 15 years’ imprisonment with hard labour.
Ever since, Shaker has been spotted sporadically at events performing religiously inspired songs – also known as nasheeds – in Ain Al Hilweh, a Palestinian refugee camp in a buffer zone not accessible to the Lebanese military.
Shaker’s latest song shrugs off any of the conservativeness of his recent material to embrace his radio friendly sound of old.
More significant is the fact Shab’an Min Al Tamtheel was supposed to soundtrack the closing credits of Ladayna Iqwal Ukhra, which begins screening next week during Ramadan on various regional channels. In terms of exposure, Shaker could not have asked for a better vehicle.
With Ramadan traditionally a period where families dine together at home, the guarantee of viewers during the evening hours provides a boon for broadcasters who often unleash their marquee dramas starring the region’s biggest actors with theme songs performed by musical counterparts.
With Ladayna Iqwal Ukhra starring the veteran Egyptian actress Youssra, Shaker’s song significantly increased the hype surrounding the series and has already clocked more than 400,000 streams since it landed on YouTube.
One can understand the
reception because the song is in tune with his trademark style of sophisticated balladry; swooning strings sail over a brooding oud as Shaker’s smooth croon – now slightly corrugated with a few rasps from his cigar habit – sings of a “world that has enough lies, so what’s the use of acting?” From a career standpoint, Shab’an Min Al Tamtheel is the ideal comeback single. It has enough of the soul that earned Shaker the nickname Malik Al Ihsas (The King of Emotions), with production modern enough not to make it a total throwback.
Unfortunately for Shaker, it has not been a smooth re-entry to the limelight. Barely 48 hours since the track’s release and the Cairo production company, AG Group, has decided to remove the song from the series with a press release reiterating its support for Lebanon and its armed forces.
This was followed up by an interview, on Wednesday, with one of the series creators, Medhat Al Adel, on the Egyptian broadcaster Sada El Balad.
He admitted “that we didn’t study the legal standpoint regarding Fadl Shaker in Lebanon. We basically made our decision from a purely artistic perspective”.
There has been no official response from Shaker, who has been funnelling news of his career through the social media account of his son and fellow singer Mohammed Shaker.
Born in the Lebanese city of Sidon, Shaker was discovered by the record label Stallions Company in 1997 and released three albums featuring compositions by renowned songwriters Salah El Sharnouby and Ahmed Sheta.
It was on the second album, 1999’s Baya El Qolob, and its chart-topping title track that cemented Shaker as a pop star and he went on to release more hits including the 2002 pan-Arab favourite Ya Ghayeb and El Maraya, in addition to performing on international stages alongside pop star Mariah Carey and reggae great Jimmy Cliff. His most recent album was Baada Aal Bal, released in 2009 through the Dubai label Rotana Records.
Barely 48 hours since the track’s release, AG Group removed the song, reiterating its support for Lebanon and its army