Samiya Baalbaki to "Al-Rai": "It Means I'm Relieved"... This Stage Is My Lifeline to Show I'm Still Here

Lebanese artist Sumayya Baalbaki returns to the forefront of the music scene with her new song “Ya’ni Irtehat” (Meaning I’m Relieved), a work in the Lebanese dialect that blends musical charm with the spirit of folk song. The lyrics are by Munir Bu’asaf, with music and arrangement by Bilal Al-Zein, while Adel Sarhan directed the music video.

In an interview with Al-Rai, Baalbaki discussed the new work and her future projects, while criticizing the artistic decline on the local scene amid the succession of wars and crises afflicting peoples, noting that art is a mirror of society. However, she maintained that good art retains its artists and audience. She also addressed her recent honor and her perspective on it in the same interview:

• How do you speak about your latest work, “Ya’ni Irtehat,” after a period of absence?

- The song was recorded more than six years ago, and since then, problems, wars, and disasters have continued to strike Lebanon. Therefore, I was waiting for the right moment to complete the work and release it. This was in addition to production issues, as I work without the support of a production company, which makes things more difficult. When we finished recording the song and decided to shoot the video, the 2024 war broke out and escalated, making it impossible to release it, as I felt personally affected by the war. I believe strongly in the work, love it, and hold it dear. I was looking for the best circumstances to release it until I reached a point where I felt the song could serve as a lifeline, allowing me to say that I am still here, that I remain artistically present, and that they cannot marginalize me. This was especially true because I felt psychologically buried under rubble, after my family, home, country, and the South were damaged. So, I decided to release it. A person cannot remain in a state of waiting, because historically, wars in our country and region have only paused for short periods. If we look back at history and read about our successive wars, we will discover that those who created art, poetry, and literature clung to cultural existence and continued working during wartime, because art was for them a lifeline. I told myself that while concerts may be difficult today, and my physical presence even more so, I can at least offer something new and say that I am here, and release my works in the hope that they may provide a ray of hope.

- I love Bilal Al-Zein’s work. Perhaps our collaboration was delayed before we met in this song because he lives outside Lebanon. I had hoped to present more than one work with him, as I feel a connection between us, because the nature of his melodies resonates with me. He is one of the few in Lebanon who offers contemporary musical charm, not imitating the past but carrying a deep Eastern spirit, which is what I appreciate in his work. The song’s lyrics are by Munir Bu’asaf, and one should not underestimate his ability to write beautiful works. The song is not only emotional; it tells the story of an abused woman, not necessarily by the man she loves or her husband, who stands up against breakdown and injustice, but not violently, rather with dignity. The video subtly highlights this aspect. Such cases exist in our society and become particularly prominent during wars, when women face difficult circumstances and may become the weakest link. I have noticed that the video’s viewership among women is much higher than among men, because it highlights women’s challenge, which stems from love—namely, a beautiful challenge.

• The song has been ready for six years. Didn’t you feel it needed some adjustments before its release?

- Good, well-executed work in terms of distribution and musical arrangement does not expire with time, nor is it necessarily subject to trends. The song is very beautiful to me, and I never felt the need to change it; I released it out of conviction, even though some argued that it would be better to give it a new arrangement. Perhaps some types of music require a fresh arrangement, but certain works remain beautiful as they are. For example, in the songs arranged by the Rahbani brothers, despite the presence of new arrangers, techniques, and ideas, they are more beautiful than any work that could be produced, and no one can create anything more beautiful than them. Trends in photography, clothing, hairstyles, and makeup may change over time, but in music, when a work is executed well, it does not need modification. There are songs I released long ago that did not gain traction, and I consider re-recording them because time has changed, moods have shifted, and musical trends have evolved. This is not a mistake, but there are works that remain beautiful even after a long time has passed.

- There are songs I never released and others that did not receive their due recognition, because I existed in an era when social media did not yet exist. Re-releasing a song is an experience that has frequently occurred with veteran singers and is not new.

• Even George Wassouf re-released a song composed by Salah El-Sharnouby, which was about thirteen years old...

- Yes, and it is among the works that achieved great success. I learned about this story from the producer, who told me about it.

- Never. When I hear my song in the car, following other songs that were broadcast before it—not just new works, but those generally available on the scene—I feel that my song has a distinct flavor. Although there is some similarity between it and certain other works, it is very far from others. This is my uniqueness; I present myself and my voice as people know me, and as I wish to present myself. Every artist has their own experience and the method that suits them. As long as my song is heard, loved by people, and receives a positive response, it means it is not alien. True alienation occurs when a song fails to resonate with or gain the appreciation and acceptance of the public. When some say, “This is the good old days,” it means the song brings back that era for them, that it has reached them, and that I have delivered a work we are eager and thirsty for, which is rarely found. This is what I actually observe. Amidst declines, wars, and a globally collapsing social situation, great art is not easily available, because artists work under difficult conditions across all levels. We are not in a good state, and we suffer artistically as well; indeed, we are going through the worst conditions due to the absence of clear standards of beauty and rampant chaos.

- When societies are devastated, plagued by wars and social and economic crises, crime, theft, poverty, and moral decay, and dominated by social media, and when we hear and witness racist language, insults, and a casualness in offense, we cannot expect much. If the world’s largest powers, which hold the reins of control, rank at the bottom of the human and ethical values ladder, what can we expect from societies? Art is a mirror of society; so what can we expect from artists, and what art can endure? Peoples living in crises seek the easiest path, do not think, and do not listen. In times of prosperity and abundance, however, they watch the finest arts and best productions, attend the most beautiful exhibitions, and visit offices and museums. Today, the entire world is in a predicament, with only a few exceptions. Nevertheless, individuals may emerge here and there, because life goes on. If we read the history of past wars, especially World War II, we know that art and artists persisted in one way or another. When a society collapses, art collapses with it, and those who uphold artistic value feel alone in this arena, as if they are strangers. Yet there remain people who appreciate art, even if the prevailing trend is toward ease and the presentation of superficial art. Worse still, today we do not hear art that reflects the social condition we live in; instead, we hear insults, vulgar, offensive, and derogatory language, which is also unacceptable. As artists, it is our duty to present ourselves in a way that satisfies us. I begin by presenting myself through my work, because when I am satisfied with it, I am at least satisfied with myself. Certainly, there will be an audience that finds satisfaction in it, even if it is not large, and who still preserve their taste, seeking beautiful songs, beautiful words, and beautiful melodies constructed correctly and distributed with mastery. Every artist and every experience has its own audience. If there is a broad audience among segments that resemble society and its crises, there are also elites and “connoisseurs” who love music and understand it, and I certainly address them.

• Some artists insist on releasing songs that do not meet the required standard, doing so in close succession in search of continuity, presence, and to sustain concerts. What is your artistic equation?

- Concerts involve both supply and demand and are a different matter. Certainly, I present songs that satisfy my concept of art. After all these years, and having sung traditional heritage and tarab music, and having been loved by people for both, I have the right to present my own experience and to release a tarab-popular song. Certainly, I strive to hold concerts, but I do not do so with the idea that I will release a new song today and then hold a concert tomorrow. Concerts are a separate issue from production, and sometimes I release works that do not guarantee concerts, but I love to present them. For example, I performed “Your Eyes Are My Homeland” in an orchestral work with fifty musicians and a global orchestra. This is not a popular work that people request for concerts, but I performed it to satisfy myself, my history, and music.

- No, it is not different at all; it is the same. Certainly, I love to present art, hold concerts, and meet the audience, but I have priorities. I place first the work that I personally believe will remain in my legacy and be remembered by people after my death. I know that some of these works do not generate large profits in economic terms, but I am adventurous in this regard and love to present works outside the box.

• You were recently honored at the “BAF” festival. What did this honor add to you?

- This is my second honor. During the first war, I was honored at the Murex d’Or festival, and our home and village had been bombed about a month earlier. I was in a very difficult psychological state. That honor brought a ray of light to my grief, loss, and pain, and I felt it was a glimmer of hope for me personally, because after the loss that affected my family, my home, my grandfather’s house, and my relatives, I needed to feel that there was something positive. Then came the Bayad award, and the entire South was celebrating, recognizing my love for Lebanon as all Lebanese do, and my attachment to my town, my South, and my land. I felt that this honor came at a time when I needed to give something back to this wounded land. With all respect to every recognition and award, they are all beautiful. If I receive one, I will be happy; if not, it will not have a major impact on me. It is very nice to honor an artist after his or her career, but I believe the greatest honor for an artist is the legacy that remains and the love of the people, with all respect to every award. Perhaps both honors came at a time when my only message was: my land, my town, my tree, and my sky. I needed to feel that I wanted to give something to this wounded land. I truly felt that my land was wounded just as my heart was.

- There are ready-made songs, but I will give the new song a short period to receive its due and be heard by the public. As for other releases, another folk song will be issued within two or three months, as it is almost ready, along with a collection of Gulf songs that I previously released in collaboration with Saudi composer friends. It was a very beautiful experience that I love and cherish, and I want the Lebanese audience to hear it. At the beginning of the new year, I will release “Eastern Woman,” which I performed only at the Baalbeck Festival. It is a poem by Nizar Qabbani set to music by Ihsan al-Munther, and we will record it with an orchestra. A few months ago, I also released “Long Evening,” composed by Nishat Salman with lyrics by Layla Mansour. It is a different, upbeat, youthful song unlike all the works through which people know me, but the war affected its reach to the audience.

- If the situation improves, there will certainly be concerts, as I miss the stage. We are beginning preparations for an upcoming meeting with the audience, because I miss them, but we are waiting for the opportunity when the situation becomes better.