Singing with a twist of folk

Singing with a folk of twist

Lebanese singer May Nasr speaks to Forward

May Nasr made a name for herself in Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine 10 years ago by singing the songs of others. Carrying her guitar, and with a voice that echoed the spirit of resistance and revolution, she held concerts in various Arab cities, enchanting young people with songs that they knew well, by the Lebanese diva Fairouz, and Lebanese musicians Ziad Rahbani, Marcel Khalifah, and Ahmad Qaabour. She perfomed them with a twist—no band, no back-up singers, and no instrument other than her guitar. Pretty soon, these young people were uploading her clips onto Facebook and YouTube, but many stormed music stores in Beirut and Damascus, asking for May Nasr’s CD. “She has not released a CD” was the constant reply. That changed on November 2008, when May finally delivered her debut album, “Lel Ghali” (For the Dear One). Speaking to FW: Magazine, she revealed that she was a woman in love; with music, her cause, and the ancient city that welcomed her with open arms.

Briefly, in two sentences, can you introduce yourself to your Syrian audience; who is May Nasr?

May is a consulting trainer in financing small businesses, and at the same time she is a committed amateur singer.

Who supported your musical career? Does your family have any role?

My family did not obstruct my desire to sing, especially when it came to serious music. Like all parents, however, they were afraid and asked me not to leave my other work for the sake of music. On the other hand, my friends were the real ones who encouraged me strongly to sing. One of them introduced me to the musician Farid Abu el-Kheir, who in turn, introduced me to Zaki Nassif. It was through a phone call that I will never forget; on a Saturday in mid-1997. He picked up the phone and called Zaki Nassif, asking him to listen to my voice over the telephone. He asked me to sing “Ahwak” (I Long for You), a classic by Fairouz. My voice was trembling. When I finished he said, “Let us start our lesson on Tuesday, May.” Zaki Nassif was retired at the time, yet he accepted to coach me although he was not giving any musical lessons at the time.

What about your first face-to-face encounter with him?

It was a marvelous meeting. I went to his house, and he asked me to sing some songs while playing the guitar. During one of the songs, he asked me if I am playing on "La" Minor or "C" Sharp. Since I did not read any musical notes, I did not have an answer. He looked at me and commented with a big grin saying: “you know how to play but you don’t know what you are playing?”

We know that you didn’t learn to play music. Did you try in order to sharpen your skills?

I tried—many times. Time did not permit because I was always busy with my other job. It was also hard for me to switch from playing by ear to reading music. I am not saying that I will never try, but it needs some time.

What kind of music do you like?

I like to listen to Fairouz, Sharbel Rohaneh, Marcel Khalifah, Ahmad Qaabour, and Julia Boutros. I am a fan of the classics, but when it comes to modern singers, I like the voices of Moen Sharif and Wael Kfoury.

Without doubt, there are two ways to make it to the top. One way is easy and cheap, yet it can achieve immediate stardom, regardless of voice or musical talent. Did you ever think of changing your way of music and why did you choose that kind of music?

Being a celebrity is not my goal. It’s all about the meaning that each song carries, and how people react to it. It’s all about popular reaction; that is my goal, rather than stardom. I would never sing commercial songs; I might listen to them on the radio, but I would never perform them. My goal is to spread our civilization and culture, to make people on the four corners of the world, aware of who we are. Our societies are not only about struggles, missiles, and destruction. We have a lot of positive things amongst us; it’s the media that concentrates on the shortcomings.

If you could achieve a wish immediately, what it could be?

I would wish peace for my beloved Lebanon. My country is very beautiful, has a lot of potential, and is loved by people. It deserves a better future.