Sayed Mahmoud talks to singer is already happening. Her fans are mesmerised by the power of her performance, taken in by the sophistication of a style that rises way above the humdrum of ordinary love songs. There is something about Karawya that reminds me of Aida El-Ayoubi, the singer who retired in the early 1990s having given us two exceptional albums. Like El-Ayoubi, Karawya is an accomplished singer who is not so much interested in showing off her exceptional vocal skills as in offering a real experience of immense melodious diversity. I heard her sing at the British Council in Cairo a few weeks ago, where she serenaded us with songs written by Amr Taher, Ahmed El-Fakharani, Mohamed Khayr and Ahmed Haddad -- all of whom are accomplished vernacular poets rather than run-of-the-mill song writers. The music was mostly written by the composers Sherif El-Wasimi and Akram Murad. Karawya writes the music for some of her songs. Born in 1980 in Port Said to a politically active family, Karawya was named after the famous Lebanese singer. She began singing in school and then took three years of classes in music theory and oud at the Arab Music Institute. As a medical student at the University in Cairo, she shopped around for singing opportunities. The break came when she sang Qabl Al-Awan (Before it's Time) in Magdi Ali's film Asrar Al-Banat (Girls' Secrets). Karawya studied theatre direction for a while and worked with the independent company Al-Mesaharati (The Ramadan Drummer) with director Abir Ali. The company performed folkloric pieces, and Karawya was in charge of the musical side. She sang in four stage plays with Al-Mesaharati: Hakawi Al-Haramlek (Tales of the Harem Quarters), Helw Masr (Sweet Egypt), Sahraya (Late Night), and Ya Halawt Al-Donya (O Beautiful Life). Karawya has been singing professionally for three years. "My first concert was in 2006, with the young poet Ahmed Haddad, who is the grandchild of both Salah Jaheen and Fouad Haddad, two of Egypt's most memorable vernacular poets," she says. "Haddad helped me develop a new approach to singing." One of the poets she likes to work with is Omar Taher. Sometimes she picks a poem he has written. Sometimes she asks him to write lyrics especially for her. "We make a script for the song, and then he rewrites it up." She works with two other poets. "With Mohamed Khayr, I usually talk a lot without mentioning a single theme. Then he goes home and writes. Haddad does the same." Karawya and her band are still experimenting with music. They use a mix of Western and Oriental instruments and improvise a good deal. However, Karawya feels that a certain style is taking shape. "Choices are getting simple and clear. The music formula that I use is becoming more mature and professional," she says. "We're becoming consistent and the fans like it. I now have a professional band led by the composer Ramez Sherif, and I work with excellent poets." Fayrouz is particular about her work. "I choose the songs that touch my heart and I feel that it would reach out to my listeners and affect them in a different way. I need to feel strongly about the lyrics and also the music." I make a comment about the theatre and how it is now taking a backseat to her singing career. She admits that theatre has not worked for her so far. "I love the theatre, but I didn't like the powers behind the scenes and the way decisions are made. I didn't like the fact that some people keep changing the script, which is something that detracts from the final work. The theatre in Egypt is under-funded and therefore needs fresh ideas and good drama to compensate for the modesty of special effects and decoration. Unfortunately, we're behind in stage direction and in creativity in general." In addition to singing and composing, Karawya writes film scripts. She wrote the screenplay for a short fiction film, Sabah Al-Foll (Morning of Jasmine), which was directed by Sherif El-Bendari. Having given up her medical career, Karawya is not going to be tame about her artistic choices. "My decisions may be radical, but I am quite persistent. I cannot be impeded by tradition. I like to explore new horizons. I just finished an MA in cultural studies from the American University in Cairo and I am getting ready to translate and publish my thesis quite soon." As for her career as a composer, she says it's all about singing. "I am usually attached to the words. The lyrics keep ringing in my ears until they turn into music. Some experts told me that the music I write suits my voice and performance perfectly." Does she target a certain audience, or does she perform for a certain type of listener? "I want my songs to be appreciated by all. I don't think in terms of the cultural centres and their audience alone. I may have to resolve some problems concerning my art production, and yet I know that when the time comes, my songs will be appreciated by the whole country," she says. Karawya tells me that there is a sense of direction in her work. "I had to break loose from the melodic formula that has held Egyptian songs hostage for decades. I am particularly aware of how Turkish songs leant heavily on the virtuosity of the performer and felt no need to build a dramatic layering of a multi-faceted music. I tend to focus more on tempo and melody, and often use both international music and Egyptian folklore as inspiration. This makes the songs more interesting and keeps the material fresh." Karawya says that the variety of venues in Cairo has helped her career. Cultural centres, especially the Al-Sawy Cultural Wheel and the British Council have been instrumental in promoting her art. She still has some reservations about the mechanism of cultural work in Egypt in general. She says Egypt's cultural scene remains too detached, elitist even. What Karawya wants to do is to break free from her current boundaries and reach out to the country at large. She has already recorded her first album and says that she's looking into the "right production formula".
