Has Sherine Really Regained Her Spark?.. The Controversy Over "Bahriya" Raises the Question Again

SadaNews - After years of personal turmoil that reflected on her artistic productivity, and months of absence while the audience awaited her return, Sherine Abdel Wahab has returned to the music scene once again.

Sherine chose to kick off her comeback by collaborating with poet and composer Aziz El Shafie, launching first the song "Al-Hodn Shok", followed by "Tiba'a Tiba'a", before she recently presented the song "Bahriya" in a duet with Mohamed Hamaki.

However, this return has come amid significant controversy, with some welcoming Sherine's comeback even if she has not fully regained her artistic vigor yet, while others feel that the new songs do not match her status or the level of their creators.

Aziz El Shafie and the Weapon of Law

With the rising criticism accompanying the release of "Bahriya", Aziz El Shafie announced legal actions against several social media users, after he was subjected to what he described as personal insults that exceeded the bounds of artistic criticism.

In a video posted on his official Facebook page, El Shafie expressed his frustration at the shift in discussion about the song into a direct attack on him, stressing that the criticisms have moved beyond evaluating the work, extending to undermining a career that has spanned more than twenty years.

He emphasized that the song does not contain any offensive or controversial content, considering that what happened resulted from a misunderstanding of the nature of the work. He clarified that "Bahriya" is a light duet that does not contain vulgarity and does not touch upon religion or politics, and that what is happening is, in his view, an attempt to belittle a success he has struggled for years to achieve.

Thus, a song that was supposed to boldly announce Sherine's return turned into a focal point of conflict between a divided audience and a composer who decided to respond through the law, at a time when many still question whether this timing is right for her return, or if taking a pause would have given her a chance for a more complete and prepared artistic appearance.

Singing.. Part of Sherine's Recovery

Art critic Tarek El Shenawy believes the audience remains the "true thermometer" for any artist. He points out that the public success achieved by Sherine's recent songs, after topping various platforms and media outlets, cannot be ignored and calls for respect for this voice.

El Shenawy stated that Sherine's return to singing represents an essential part of her recovery journey, explaining that recovery is not limited to medication alone but also requires her to engage in her normal life, adding that "Sherine's remedy is singing; her real life begins when she stands in front of the microphone".

He added that Sherine was "born to sing", pointing out that she does not always succeed in speaking about herself or expressing herself in interviews, while her true talent and exceptional ability lie in singing, which is a point that Aziz El Shafie is well aware of in his collaboration with her during this phase.

El Shenawy believes one can differ over some songs and their quality, which is everyone's right. However, he argues that what matters is the ongoing attempts to bring Sherine back to the scene, considering that "Bahriya" reminds him of previous attempts in Egyptian music that relied on a light dramatic style, citing the famous song by Shadia "Hee Min Qalak Tisken Fi Hartena" which was written by Hussein El Sayed and composed by Mohamed El Mougi, achieving great success nearly 70 years ago.

He asserts that the value of these works lies not only in their artistic assessment but in serving as steps towards Sherine's restoration of her artistic vitality, saying that what matters in these attempts is that they represent "the real remedy" for her, as she moves along the right path, and the audience is happy with her return, which in his opinion is the "medicine" that helps her achieve a complete recovery.

El Shenawy concludes his remarks on an optimistic note, suggesting that Sherine could appear at her full physical and vocal fitness on stage by the end of this year or early next year if she continues on this path.

A Return Needing a Systematic Point

Conversely, music critic Mohamed Atiya believes that Sherine's mere return to the music scene is a gain in itself, as she is an important voice and an artistic experience that cannot be overlooked. However, he emphasizes that this return needs a "systematic point", especially since it came after a period of psychological and physical crises, which necessitates an appearance that befits her status as one of the most important voices in the Arab world.

Atiya states that the ongoing controversy is not about Sherine's return itself but rather about the nature of this return, clarifying that she is still far from fully regaining her artistic fitness, though he does not see her as having rushed it, especially amid the current active state of the music market.

Regarding the controversy surrounding "Bahriya", Atiya attributes it to the convergence of two names as prominent as Sherine and Mohamed Hamaki in one work, asserting that if the song had been presented by other voices, it would not have sparked such extent of discussion. He believes that part of the criticisms stemmed from some audience members feeling that this musical style is far from the usual image of the artists, as well as the fact that the concept of the song itself seems traditional and inspired by folk folklore.

Atiya points out that most criticisms were not directed at Sherine or Hamaki, but rather focused on Aziz El Shafie, noting that he has been using the same style of reworking popular and folklore elements in a contemporary manner for years. He rejects describing what occurred as a "coordinated campaign" against him, considering that the issue does not go beyond differing opinions among the audience, and that the criticisms do not detract from his history or artistic stature.

He believes that the real crisis in "Bahriya" lies within some artistic details related to the distribution of roles and lyrics, also criticizing the role of the music distributor Toma, considering that he did not intervene enough to address these details within the song.

Atiya considers that what happened reflects, in part, the dominance of stars over the artistic decision within the song, whereas the poet, composer, and distributor are supposed to lead the artistic direction, while the singer has often become the one with the final decision, which may lead to compromising on certain artistic options.

Regarding Sherine, Atiya asserts that she is still taking her first steps on the road to recovery, and that the audience still expects a lot from her. He points out that her collaboration with Aziz El Shafie does not mean she is only associated with him, as he is one of the most active composers in the market right now, collaborating with many stars.

He concludes that the debate that accompanied "Bahriya" ultimately benefited the song in terms of reach, but emphasizes the need to deal with Sherine's return with greater caution, stating that the phase she has gone through was highly sensitive on both psychological and physical levels, and therefore her upcoming steps should align with her worth as one of the most significant singing voices in Egypt.

Sherine Abdel Wahab announced her return to the music scene last April after a period of absence due to health and psychological crises. She revealed in a TV interview that she underwent treatment away from the spotlight, confirming that she had regained a significant part of her vitality and preparedness to sing.

She began her return with the song "Al-Hodn Shok", which sparked widespread reactions among audiences, welcoming the return of the owner of the exceptional voice, while others criticized her artistic choices, a discussion that continued with subsequent songs, culminating in the duet "Bahriya" with Mohamed Hamaki.

Source: Al Jazeera