Lebanese star under fire for controversial remarks about Egypt

FARES APOLOGISED VIA FACEBOOK, SAYING HER REMARKS WERE MISUNDERSTOOD

With more artists exposed to rebuke for their spontaneous statements, the Lebanese singer Myriam Fares stands before a blazing smokestack, facing fierce criticism for her recent remarks where she stated that her “salary in concerts have become too high to perform in Egypt.”

The popular singer, known for her femininity and seductive figure,has been bombarded by thunderous and severe criticism by fans and Egyptian artists for her “insulting, arrogant comments.”

The anger wave was sparked on Sunday following a clip circulated on social media, featuring Fares in a press conference at Morocco’s Mawazine cultural festival, answering the question of why she is no longer performing much concerts in Egypt as she previously used to do.

“Before the [2011] revolution,I used to perform two or three concerts per week in Egypt. But this all stopped now, as I grew and became a bigger star.This led my salary and requirements increase, and become too high for Egypt to handle,” Fares said.

The young singer insinuated that her required payment has become extremely high for concert producers in Egypt.

Fares’s answer triggered a heavy wave of criticism by several Egyptian superstars, as well as hatful comments by common people on social media.

Egyptian artists opened fire at Fares after her statements. Singer and composer Ramy Gamal tweeted saying that the “superstar who claims to be too expensive for Egypt owes me money for a year,” asking her“to pay his money back first,then speak about your salary.”

Songs writer Amir Teima published a post on his Facebook account that most superstars performed concerts in Egypt after the revolution.Yanni took over $2m in his last concert in Egypt. “Both you and I know they take more than you take, we both know the difference between your salaries!”

“You are not too expensive for Egypt; you are simply not demanded enough. So,please stop coming up with such silly excuses,” he added.

Pro-state controversial lawyer Samir Sabry filled a lawsuit against Fares, requesting that the authorities ban her from entering Egypt. In his suit, Sabry said that Fares’ comments are an unacceptable insult to Egypt and Egyptians, explaining that within the last period of time, international artists performed concerts in Egypt and received double what Fares receives,such asYanni’s concert that was held at the Great Pyramids.

He also added that other Lebanese superstars, including Elissa, and Nancy Ajram and above all prominent singer MagdaAl-Roumy all performed in Egypt for what is known to be much more of what Fares gets in any concert.

Fares published an official apology on her Facebook account, saying that her comment was misunderstood by people, and that she never meant to say that she is too famous of a star to perform in Egypt.

In the published statement,Fares said that her answer was only to explain the reasons she stopped performing from two to three concerts every week in Egypt, stating that she is like “any other superstar and only performs two to three concerts every year in their second home, Egypt.”

“I did not exalt Egyptians.I started my career in Lebanon, but my star shined only in Egypt,” the statement read.

For his side, head of the Musicians Syndicate, Hany Shaker, said that the Syndicate received an official apology from Fares, in which she explained that she did not mean to insult Egyptian fans.

“She told me over the phone, that it is known for any artist that succeeding in gaining Egyptian fans,means succeeding in the Middle East, adding that she deeply regrets the way her comments were handled,” Shaker said in a phone interview with the private talk show Mesaa DMC, aired on satellite channel, DMC.

“I cannot risk losing the Egyptian audience,” Fares said, according to Shaker. He further added that she was devastated,and severely regretted what she said.