Najwa Karam: I Don’t Fear Change, I Fear Repetition

Lebanese singer Najwa Karam
Lebanese singer Najwa Karam
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Najwa Karam: I Don’t Fear Change, I Fear Repetition

Lebanese singer Najwa Karam
Lebanese singer Najwa Karam

Like her spirit, Helwe El Denye (The World is Beautiful), Lebanese singer Najwa Karam refuses to give up. In her long-anticipated upbeat new hit, she finally gives her fans what they had been waiting for. Her powerful voice and positive message are like therapy for those who are exhausted and despondent by the difficulties weighing down on them.

Its messages of encouragement and positivity- as she sings and calls on us to see that “the world is beautiful whatever is happening, always look at the cup half fun” and that “every moment we should thank the Lord, oh lord thank you for your blessings-” have clearly struck a chord. The song produced by Rotana has topped the streaming chart in Lebanon and the Arab world.

Known for setting trends, she is hoping to continue to make waves as she did in 2011 with Ma Fee Nom Baad El Yom (There’s No Sleeping After Today). When we asked her whether she worries before releasing the next big thing, especially given how bold her artistic decisions tend to be. Why doesn’t she prefer to take more conventional, safer options with guaranteed results?

Her response is quick and to the point. “I don’t fear renewal. On the contrary, I fear repetition. I started to renew between 2000 and 2001, and since Ashiqat Asmarani (I’m in Love with a Tan Man), Itahimuni Bigharamihi (They Accused me for Whom I Love), and Ma Takun Zaelat (Hope You’re Not Upset)... I decided to change shortly after my career began; it comforts me. I feel like I am keeping up with the times.”

As for thoughts on people’s tendency to link novelty with cheap art, they are equally concise and sharp.

“Change and renewal do not mean that a song is subpar. Rather, it means a song has broken with the familiarity people had been accustomed to from the artist. For me, I do not compromise on the lyrics, melody or the way of performance, all of which must be renewed according to the quality of the rhythm.”

Once we return to the subject of art and its purpose, Najwa tells us that she sees it as “A message, and the message is manifested as it really is in adversities, victories or events. The artist must harness their talent and voice to this end. Then, either we fill the universe with joy and glee, or we build on that setback to create hope and make a comeback that makes us proud.”

Are choices harder to make at this point in her career then, or do opportunities present themselves like flowers in a garden she can easily pick?

“Options are always available, making it difficult to wake to find the suitable sound for the new conditions of the moment while maintaining what I give. It is not easy at all to make and publicly release a song.”

Is that why you prefer absence?

“I pause when I have nothing to offer. When I’m away, I do not like to post on social media for the sake of it. Sometimes absence shines brighter than presence. When we are absent to achieve a goal, it’s just like being present to achieve a goal. I prefer to have a strong impact on people. Remaining relevant does not concern me, and I am not afraid of extinction.”

Before concluding, she wanted to say a couple of words. One to Lebanon, which she carries with her voice, and the second to Saudi Arabia, whose future leadership she admires. On her homeland, four words: “Lebanon is the phoenix.” “But we have to focus on its essence and meanings.” The kingdom? “It is a country confidently moving forward and developing. I congratulate the Saudi people from the bottom of my heart. They understand the art of innovatively adapting to the future. Its rulers are leading their people and their land to a better tomorrow.”



Elizabeth Strout, Miranda July are Among Finalists for the Women's Prize for Fiction

Yael Van Der Wouden arrives at the Booker Prize award dinner in London, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (ΑΡ Photo/Alberto Pezzali, File)
Yael Van Der Wouden arrives at the Booker Prize award dinner in London, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (ΑΡ Photo/Alberto Pezzali, File)
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Elizabeth Strout, Miranda July are Among Finalists for the Women's Prize for Fiction

Yael Van Der Wouden arrives at the Booker Prize award dinner in London, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (ΑΡ Photo/Alberto Pezzali, File)
Yael Van Der Wouden arrives at the Booker Prize award dinner in London, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (ΑΡ Photo/Alberto Pezzali, File)

American authors Elizabeth Strout and Miranda July are among finalists announced Wednesday for the Women’s Prize for Fiction, alongside four debut novelists exploring the search for freedom in different countries and cultures.

Pulitzer Prize winner Strout’s Maine-set mystery novel “Tell Me Everything” and writer'-filmmaker July’s “All Fours,” in which a “semi-famous artist” seeks a new life, are shortlisted for the 30,000 pound ($39,000) prize. It's open to female English-language writers from any country.

The contenders also include Dutch writer Yael van der Wouden’s postwar story “The Safekeep” and German-born poet Aria Aber’s novel “Good Girl,” about a teenager exploring her dual German-Afghan heritage.

Also on the list are Iran-born writer Sanam Mahloudji’s intergenerational family saga “The Persians,” and “Fundamentally” by Britain's Nussaibah Younis, about an academic trying to rehabilitate women caught up with ISIS, The AP news reported.

Author Kit de Waal, who is chairing the panel of judges, said that the six books were “classics of the future” that explored “the importance of human connection.”

“What is surprising and refreshing is to see so much humor, nuance and lightness employed by these novelists to shed light on challenging concepts,” she said.

Previous winners of the fiction prize, founded in 1996, include Zadie Smith, Tayari Jones and Barbara Kingsolver.

Last year, award organizers launched a companion Women’s Prize for Nonfiction to help rectify an imbalance in publishing. In 2022, only 26.5% of nonfiction books reviewed in Britain’s newspapers were by women, and male writers dominated established nonfiction writing prizes.

Winners of both nonfiction and fiction prizes will be announced on June 12 at a ceremony in London.