Khaberni - Shamseddine Belkaid, the son of the late Moroccan artist Naïma Samih, issued a clarifying statement in response to circulated reports concerning his refusal to honor his mother during the activities of the Cairo International Festival for Arabic Music in its upcoming session, emphasizing that the published refusal reports are inaccurate.
Belkaid stated on his official Facebook page: "I never refused to honor my mother at all. In fact, any initiative to honor her name is a badge of pride and honor for me, because she was and will always remain an icon of Moroccan and Arab art."
He explained that the matter was merely a question of timing related to his attendance circumstances, stressing that he would be one of the first to participate in any genuine honoring that befits her esteemed artistic status, adding: "Honoring her is a personal honor for me, and a pride I cherish as long as I live.. May God have mercy on my mother, and thanks to everyone who has preserved her love and good memory."
This clarification comes after the controversy that arose recently, following a previous post in which he expressed his current psychological unpreparedness to attend any celebrations honoring his mother, due to the ongoing impact of her loss, while at the same time expressing his deep gratitude to those who initiated commemorating her name.
The festival organizers had announced during a press conference in Cairo, the honoring of a group of artists who contributed to the development of Arab music, including the late Moroccan artist Naïma Samih, in recognition of her long career and significant contributions to the Moroccan and Arab song.
Festival officials affirmed that "the lady of Moroccan Tarab" is one of the most prominent voices that influenced the Arab singing scene in the second half of the twentieth century, citing her everlasting works such as "Jrit W Jarit" and "Amri Billah", which still resonate in the consciousness of generations to this date.
The late artist Naïma Samih is one of the prominent symbols of modern Moroccan song, whose artistic contributions spanned decades during which she presented timeless masterpieces that firmly established her name among the giants of Arab Tarab. She was the third Arab artist to sing at the famous "Olympia" theatre in Paris in 1977 after Umm Kulthum and Fairuz, in a milestone considered a distinguished mark in her artistic career.
