Maya Yazbek to Al-Rai: My return after 30 years is an adventure I aspire to... succeed in
Maya Yazbek is among the most prominent Lebanese voices to shine in the 1980s, renowned for her delivery of light, folk-infused, and romantic Lebanese songs. She hails from a distinguished artistic family: the daughter of the late composer George Yazbek and the sister of rhythm specialist Bassam Yazbek. The three formed an artistic trio that contributed to launching several songs still etched in the public’s memory, most notably “Habibi Ya Aini,” “Bakara Rah Btesafar,” and “Sma’u Khattat Habibi.”
Despite her absence from the artistic scene for over three decades following her marriage and dedication to her family, her songs remained staples at concerts and artistic programs. She has recently returned to singing with new works, leveraging her collaboration with her son Bassam Zwaideh on composition and production, in an effort to resume her artistic career and connect with the new generation.
In an interview with Al-Rai, Yazbek discussed this comeback, emphasizing that it is not merely a return for the sake of returning, but a desire to offer something special.
• After a 30-year hiatus from the scene, you released a new album without organizing a press conference or launching an advertising campaign. Why?
That is correct. Perhaps the timing was not ideal, and then the World Cup period arrived, during which I released one song after another. The album includes ten tracks, in addition to three others released in successive intervals.
• This is linked to your personal circumstances, as you are a mother first and an artist second. When you were active in the arts, you married and had children, and your family grew, forcing you to pause your artistic career to focus on your kids. Since both you and your husband were in the same field, you would have had to be absent from your children, especially since they were young.
• ... Time passed, but your love for art never faded, which led you to insist on returning?
• In addition to my love for art, my children have grown up, and I began to feel a void. As the saying goes, art runs in my veins. Therefore, I wanted to return to the place where I should have been, as I possess a voice and an artistic background. Moreover, both my husband and I come from artistic families, and even my son, who currently manages my work, composes for me and works on my songs.
• The album features new songs, as well as others we re-recorded because they had achieved widespread popularity. However, we added new touches to them, including the song “Ma Tekmalish,” composed by my husband Mazen Zwaideh with lyrics by Nabil Afouni, sung in the Egyptian dialect, and “Qalbi Majroof,” with lyrics and composition by Riyad Al-Ali, which he presented to me in a new style. The other tracks are composed by my son Bassam. At various times, we worked on specific songs in the small studio he established at home, and we compiled them into one package because they were ready, and it was inappropriate to keep them unreleased. Since there is currently no entity supporting me, whether a production company or a manager, we decided to release them ourselves as a statement of presence and to prove that I am still capable of delivering beautiful works and songs. When I have a manager, I can expand further in this field, as I am currently working within the available means.
• How did you plan your comeback after all the changes the art scene has undergone today, and after a thirty-year absence, especially given the emergence of a new type of music and new artists who have strongly asserted themselves, with some achieving greater success than first-tier stars?
• I have great confidence in myself and in my son Bassam. He is a distributor and composer, and he is currently establishing himself in the field of Eastern music and Arabic song. He studied at music conservatories and has teachers in classical music.
- Yes, and I am confident that the songs I present are distinctive and different from what others offer. This is the point I want to emphasize; I am not returning simply for the sake of returning, but I want to offer something special and leave space for my son Basem’s compositions to shine, as we are from one artistic family. I value myself highly, as I am a singer from the golden era, and at the same time, I am working on presenting new songs. All I want is to prove my presence, and if I am granted the opportunity to return to the artistic scene with merit, I will return.
- I have faith that I have something distinctive to offer, but today, anyone who wants to make a legitimate comeback must have a successful song capable of reaching people. It is not necessary for one’s voice to be beautiful, because a voice alone is not enough; what matters most is presenting a work that people love and sing along to, as happened previously with the song “Habibi Ya Aini,” which still carries a strong resonance today and is sung at every event. Today, I am trying to present something to see if people will accept me after “Habibi Ya Aini” with my new works. It is an adventure, and perhaps not an easy one, but I am trying with my available capabilities, even though time has passed. However, as long as a person is alive, they must always try.
- Because the market is crowded with works, and there is great generosity in production and financial resources, yet despite that, many works achieve nothing, and not everything produced necessarily succeeds. All that matters to me is proving my presence, as I said before. I have an artistic background and many successful songs, and today I want to confirm that I am still here, or that I have returned to offer something new.
• If you had not stopped for all these years, where do you think you would be today?
- Certainly, I would be among the top ranks, because my success was not tied to just one song; I have many successful songs such as “Bokra Rah Btesafar,” “Ya Eyouni Sho Bhebb Eyounak,” and “Sma’o Khoutwat Habibi.” I have great confidence in myself because I am one of the artists of the golden era who left a mark.
• Do you not feel that relying solely on artistic collaboration with family members might sometimes negatively affect you, given that you are a professional artist?
- That is a good question. Honestly, I cannot afford to cover the full production costs or handle all the details alone, so I collaborate with my son. We have a joint project; through these works, he can become known, and I can also return to the scene through them. This is what is available to us at the moment. Perhaps later, I will have a manager or a production company, and the situation may change, as times have changed significantly and nothing is guaranteed. If I become linked to more concerts, then I will be able to produce on a larger scale.
- He also loves composing for others. Through these works, he can advance further, as he enjoys collaborating with other male and female artists. The important thing is that the songs are released, loved by people, and become in demand.
- Yes, and this is specifically what I want to say. The new songs I present are different because they carry a new style from a new person entering the world of art, and this blend of old and new is very beautiful.
- I am drawn to Lynn Haidak because she has a beautiful voice and sings diverse genres. She sings in a calm manner, as we say “in a whisper,” and therefore reaches people without raising her voice or exaggerating her self-presentation, much like I love Saad Lamjarred. There are many talented young voices in the Arab world, especially in Egypt.
