Arab artists did not perform for free in Kuwait
At the conclusion of this year’s summer festival, the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters announced that the closing night would be dedicated to the re-performance of songs by Arab singers who sang for Kuwait.
First, the Council should revive Kuwaiti citizens’ memories of bygone days, when Arab singers, particularly from Egypt and Lebanon, performed in Kuwait at the behest of the Kuwaiti Ministry of Information, not through personal initiatives, but for financial motives. They received amounts far exceeding the value of the song itself, covering composition, melody, and performance, while artists in their home countries received not even a single millime for singing patriotic songs, under the pretext of national service and “we are at war.”
Can you believe that, for example, Abdel Wahab sang for Kuwait for free, or Umm Kulthum, or Abdel Halim Hafez, who visited Kuwait several times and stayed for long months during each visit?
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These artists did not perform out of love or to promote tourism or visits to Kuwait. In those years, Kuwait had only two hotels: one on Al-Jadeed Street (Abdullah Al-Salem Street) and the other in the Al-Mubarakiya market, the Gold Market.
Both were non-starred hotels, suitable only for basic lodging and rest. Some artists did not hesitate to perform the same song in multiple Arab countries on each country’s national occasions. For instance, the Lebanese singer and film director Mohammed Salman would travel across Arab countries, singing the same song but adapting the lyrics to honor each specific country.
He sang in Baghdad on a national occasion, igniting the stage and audience with praises of Iraq and Baghdad’s glory. He then came to Kuwait for the National Day, which traditionally concluded with concerts at the Al-Andalus cinema stage, featuring Kuwaiti singers and Arab artists ranging from Morocco to Iraq.
The artistic atmosphere in those days was wonderful, encouraging, and rich in lyrics, melodies, and performers, most of whom were young, especially Kuwaiti artists such as Ghareed Al-Shati and Mustafa Ahmed. There was also the monumental artist Saud Al-Rashid, Mahmoud Al-Kuwaiti, and Abdullah Al-Fadala. Kuwaiti artists received a smaller share compared to those coming from abroad.
Some Arab artists considered themselves shining stars whose fame reached the skies, and they received hospitality and honors far exceeding their stature, as some were unknown in their own countries. At that time, there was only radio and weak television broadcasting.
Kuwaiti artists were wronged in the past, and today they are overshadowed many times over. Rights have been lost, neglect has increased, honors have vanished, and the charitable concerts once sponsored by the Ministry of Information have disappeared.
In the 1960s, we had Saud Al-Rashid, Awad Dukhi, and Mahmoud Al-Kuwaiti. Then came the youth generation of the 1960s: Ghareed Al-Shati, Mustafa Ahmed, Ghazi Al-Attar, and others, some of whose names have faded from memory.
Then came the 1970s generation: Abdullah Al-Ruwais (may God heal him), Nabil Sha’il, and the female voice Nawal Al-Kuwaiti. Kuwait gave birth to a new generation of youth who proved themselves in various artistic fields, including singing, music, theater, and visual arts. The government, represented by the National Council for Culture, should grant them greater opportunities.
I hope the National Council will pay attention to its national responsibilities. Let us state clearly: art in Kuwait is declining. We once had a presence in all art forms—visual arts, music, singing, theater, and cinema. Today, under the National Council, there is an absence resembling hibernation. What is the Council’s role if it does not attend to its assigned responsibilities?
O Lord, I have conveyed the message.
A Kuwaiti journalist
