2023-11-22 17:08:25
Between a party and a trip, an arrival and a tour, Ibrahim Maalouf takes time to fill the lungs with love and hope. Two human values, without which the Lebanese-French trumpeter and composer would not have been able to infuse the theater with energy and passion, nor to blow into his instrument melodies that transport the listeners to a dream, and extract them from the midst of a world shaken by nightmares.
Maalouf will reach a new date with international achievements next February, as he is the only Arab nominated for the World Music Awards. It is the second nomination in two years, and for him, “just reaching this stage is a victory.”
For the second year in a row, Maalouf reaches the Grammy finals (Instagram)
A member of the “Grammy” family
Ibrahim Maalouf shares Asharq Al-Awsat’s pride in being the only artist representing the Arab world in this global forum, but in return he does not hide his regret: “I was hoping for broader Arab representation, as our country is full of exceptional talents, and it is important for the whole world to know that.
If I win the award, my real victory will be by representing the Arab world and by contributing to building a cultural bridge between Arab artists and the American Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (Recording Academy), of which I have become a member since my first nomination last year, and in which I now have the right to vote.” This is how Maalouf views the possibility of winning. He was the one who did not believe his ears when he received the news of his second nomination in a row, considering it “a kind of magic.”
The ability to love
In keeping with the title of his latest album, “Capacity to Love,” Ibrahim Maalouf spends his chapters in the “profession of art,” as he calls it. There is no room in his head for selfishness or competition, and he says he did not seek fame even for fame and does not enjoy it very much. “Through my art I want to create connections with people. I try to find common points between us as human beings that bring us closer together,” is how he summarizes his artistic vision.
Ibrahim Maalouf says that he does not like fame and did not seek it (Instagram)
His musical project goes beyond notes and rhythms, to delve into human values. Maalouf speaks like a philosopher who does not want to capture from this universe anything but its beauty. He aspires to fight overwhelming ugliness through music. He says that it “opens before us a reassuring path in the face of the distortion committed by politics, and the loss of the compass into which religions sometimes fall.”
It is not a coincidence, therefore, that Maalouf was nominated for a Grammy through his piece “Todo Colores” (All Colors), which celebrates the diversity of cultural, linguistic and musical identities. He explains the specificity of this work, explaining that it “brings to the forefront cultures that today suffer from a lack of appreciation.” Arab culture through him, Cuban culture through singer Cimafunk, and black American culture through Tank and the Bangas.
The album that includes “Todo Colores” is in itself a symphony of colors, which the international Lebanese artist wanted as a painting that brings him together with his colleagues from all corners of the globe. Hence, the title: “The Power to Love.”
Sharon Stone and Charlie Chaplin
The traveler landed him at the home of American actress Sharon Stone in Los Angeles. He invited her to combine her words and voice with his music, and she agreed without hesitation. He describes her as “a big-hearted lady with rare energy.” However, isn’t it a bit surreal that Ibrahim Maalouf’s paths crossed with Sharon Stone’s paths, and together they created a musical work titled “Our Flag” and profound humanitarian messages? Maalouf answers, “The ability to love is enough to achieve miracles.”
Another miracle was achieved by the album Capacity to Love, which brought to life the international artist Charlie Chaplin by placing his voice and text on the song “Speechless”. Maalouf narrates the story of this piece with passion, pointing out his great admiration for Chaplin, who “revolutionized cinema, and at the same time defended principles that were not popular in the United States at that time.” He contacted his grandson and explained to him the idea of the piece, and Chaplin’s heir found that it reflects the same values that his grandfather defended.
Championship role
For 15 years, Ibrahim Maalouf has been touring the world without stopping. He says that travel is his calling that he never tires of. His tour takes him at the end of this month to the Bercy Theater in Paris, making him the first trumpet player to take the stage following the legend Miles Davis. He moves to North America in the spring, and to Europe in the summer, and next fall he will perform in a number of countries in the Far East and Asia. He admits that he is a workaholic, and is quick to explain why: “When I entered the field, few doors opened for me. They always reminded me of my difference and that I should be content with a second role in my life.”
But the young man obsessed with music did not let anyone curtail his ambition, as he learned his lesson from his father. He opens his heart: “I saw my father suffering throughout his life from being an ambitious man who was never given a major role. I learned from his mistakes that there is no room for compromise on the main role.”
Maalouf will perform a huge concert at the Bercy Theater in Paris at the end of this month (photos of the artist)
He does not complain regarding the large amount of work, but rather he is grateful because he loves what he does, and does not feel the passage of time. All he wants is to “make the most beautiful albums and tours,” and not disappoint those who see him as a good artist. He does not aspire to amazement or stardom. “I do not seek to be a ‘star’. I just want to share honest values, and I believe that this commitment is what touches an audience that has been disappointed by a music industry that no longer seeks honesty and authenticity.”
The gift of Abraham
His Arab roots are always present in his tunes, but Ibrahim Maalouf does not deny his Lebanese identity when interest requires, nor does he brandish his French passport as a weapon. “I am what I am. If you say that I am Arab, Lebanese, French or Western, all of that is true. I do not hide anything or fabricate anything. I don’t wear my ID card. I am, before anything else, my parents’ son, my brothers’ brother, my children’s father, and my wife’s husband.”
When the conversation reaches his wife, the Lebanese artist Heba Tawji, Ibrahim Maalouf goes on. He likens it to “the pure jewel of Arab culture.” He points out that “the meeting between her and the composer and music producer, Osama Rahbani, generated a rare artistic richness.” He draws a sense of commitment from her, then says with joy: “I am her first admirer and am amazed by her.”
Maalouf and his wife, Lebanese artist Heba Tawji (Instagram)
To the “Grammy” ceremony, they are accompanied as a duo, where each of them will be waiting for an award, he as a nominee, and she as a guest on the album of the Pentatonix team, which is also nominated in one of the competition categories. “We are in a real competition,” Maalouf says jokingly. But whoever wins, if he wins, the happiness will be as much as the love that unites Ibrahim and Heba.
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