Singer Profile: Latifa, From Tunis to Las Vegas

2004-12-08

For four nights in August 2004, Tunisian singer Latifa delivered great theatrical performances of "The Reign of the Shepherds" at the Beiteddine Festival in Mount Lebanon. The musical, written and composed by Mansour El-Rahbani, transported the audience to a world in which a despotic king refuses to submit to the will of the people.

(Daily Star - 05/05/04; Latifanet)

Latifa is considered one of the premier female vocalists in the Arab world. [AFP]

The role was well-suited for Latifa. It combined her powerful voice and alluded to her defence of Arab causes.

Born in the 1960s, Latifa Al Arfawi, referred to by her fans as Latifa Al Tunissia, has come a long way since arriving in Egypt in the early 1980s to study music. Born in the Sidi Amr neighbourhood of Tunis, she studied German for 18 months in her home country before deciding to leave for Egypt to enrol at the Arabic Music Institute in Cairo.

Legendary Egyptian composers Mohammad Abdel Wahab and Baligh Hamdi noticed Latifa's talent shortly after she arrived in their country and encouraged her to pursue a singing career. Her first break came with a song written by Egyptian poet Abdel Wahab Mohammad and composed by the late Sayed Mekkawi.

However, it was not until the song, Aktar min Rouhi Bahebak (I LoveYou More Than I Love Myself), that Latifa entered the Arab spotlight. A mellow style is apparent in her songs, which are mostly romantic ballads.

Latifa's commitment and dedication is well-known and respected in the Arabic music world. The late Egyptian director Atef Salem once compared her commitment to that of Egyptian actress Faten Hamama, known for her great attention to detail.

This combination of dedication and talent led Latifa to pursue other avenues of expression. Egyptian film director Youssef Chahine chose her for the leading role in his film "Sokout Hansawwar" (Silence We’re Filming). Although the film received mixed reviews in the Arab world, it was a turning point in her career and has led to several other roles.

Another turning point in Latifa's career came several years ago when she began to express her political views through her music. Her patriotism was first revealed in a song composed for her by Iraqi singer Kazem as-Saher. The song spoke of a beloved green Tunisia and gained such popularity that the nation’s football fans now chant it at matches.

But Latifa, who knows her audience is not limited to Tunisians, defines and markets herself as an Arab. During her acceptance speech at the 2004 World Music Awards in Las Vegas, Latifa wished for a free Palestine, a cause close to her heart.

In addition to spreading political messages, Latifa is active in supporting Maghrebi music. She recently announced the formation of the Arabic Music Centre in Cairo to counter her concerns about North African governments not doing enough to support the genre. The centre will sponsor emerging Arab artists and help introduce them to the music industry.

Latifa is an entertainer on a mission to communicate with her growing fan base through passionate music containing a message of civic responsibility.