New album respects Moroccan roots

Moroccan singer, Laila Ghofran Rabat - Yosra Mostafa Moroccan singer Laila Ghofran told Arabstoday that she intends to release a new album that will include Moroccan songs, one of which will be dedicated to the Moroccan people. In an exclusive interview with Arabstoday, Laila speaks about her career, her plans and opens up about the tragic murder of her daughter, Hiba. Arabstoday: First of all, why have you been so distant from your Moroccan fans? Laila Ghofran: I could never forget my homeland, not even for one day, or my Moroccan fans who supported me at the beginning of my career, especially after the tragic murder of my daughter, Hiba. Without them I would not have been able to carry on working. I still haven' recovered from such a difficult psychological state. The reason why I have been absent from some festivals is because I don't have much contact with concert's contractors in Morocco as much as I used to. I don't have wide contacts with Moroccan festivals organisers anymore. I will always welcome any opportunity to participate in the festivals so I can meet my dear fans again. Thank God this happened recently with my participation in "2012 Mawazine Festival - Rhythms of The World". AT: Mawazine Festival organisers decided to put you in a same press conference with other Moroccan artists, Naiema Samih and Donia Batma. What do you think about that? LG: Actually, I don't know the reason for that but I was very happy to meet the Moroccan music legend Naiema Samih with whom I sang "Yak Ejrahy" on Stage. She is a special singer that has left her mark on the Moroccan Music industry. I was very happy to meet Donia Batma, who has achieved a lot of success through "Arab Idol". She's proof again that Moroccan singers have the vocal abilities and creativity which distinguishes us from any other singers in the Arab world. AT: Can you tell us about any new projects? LG: I am getting ready to release a new album which includes Moroccan songs, one of which I wrote and it will be dedicated to the Moroccan people. AT: Who will cooperate with you on it? LG: I will cooperate with the artist Saied Emam and others who I am working with for the first time. I am very happy to work with them. AT: Who are your favorite younger stars? LG: I like Yara's voice very much. Wael Gassar entertains me.  I like the Egyptian singer Shereen's performances and I am fond of Algerian singer, Fulla. AT: Do you have friends in your field? LG: Fulla is lovely and my best friend. AT: Don't you think part of your success is down to some of the rumours told about you? **I think envy might push some tabloids to create rumors about me.  I speak only to a respectful newspapers and magazine and I don't deal with bad journalism.  This is reason which pushes some nasty journalists to write rumors about me. To be clear any rumour that I have not confirmed is only a silly lie.  I do not fear the truth and I believe that the recognition of my errors is a virtue. AT: You are probably one of the Arab musicians who has suffered the most throughout your career and in your personal life. There was the case with the Saudi Composer Serag Omar, the Egyptian taxes, your dispute with Rotana and finally your daughter's tragic death.  But despite the hardship you have gone through, you continue your artistic path.  Where you get get your patience from LG: When I think about my career and of every incident in my life, I realise that divine love surrounds me. When I start to pick myself up, something happens to make me fall again and this happened over and over again. But I just have to continue my path and not think about what will happen next because only God knows that, and is able to do something.  Whatever my lord want to happen for me, will happen, and whatever he doesn't want to happen, will not happen.  I totally accept that. AT: Does your work interfere wit your home and family life? LG: In general, art takes a lot of time and doesn't allow you to meet friends and loved ones. But thank God my career has not taken anything away from me.  On the contrary, I have learned to love life and to feel happy when I achieve something. AT: Why is there so much criticism over the tattoo on your arm? LG: Yes that's right.  Although many years have passed since I got the tattoo done, people still ask about it. To be honest with you, many people like it because it distinguishes me from the others. But there was also a lot of criticism after I first revealed it.  It is a tattoo of a big angel.  I love it because it suits my aspirations. AT: Many of your fans will know that your stage name 'Laila Ghofran" and your real name is "Jamila Bo Omrat".  But which one do you prefer? LG: I prefer Laila Ghofran even though my real name is Jamila.  I just feel that Laila suits me more, though my friends and family still call me 'Jamila'. AT: Some of your followers think that your artistic identity is similar to that of the late great singer Abdel Halim Hafiz.  What do you think about those comparisons? LG: At my beginning of my career, I mostly sang Abdel Halim songs. It became very popular and people liked it because it was different and unusual for a woman to sing his songs.