Arab plight prolonged my album

Egyptian singer saddened by ongoing conflicts Cairo – Mahmoud Al Refaei In an exclusive interview with Arabstoday, Egyptian singer Mohamed Fouad revealed that he was ready to release his new album. Fouad said that he had spent more than two years preparing Salam (Peace) and felt it was the right time to release it, following a state of calm in Egypt and surrounding regions. Fouad affirmed that the name, Salam (Peace), was not final hinting possibilities of a change.   The Egyptian star stated that the new album had taken longer to prepare as the situation in Arab countries had prevented him from concentrating on its completion. "I couldn't go to the studio and record songs when there was so much destruction and devastation around me," Fouad said. "It is thus difficult to set a release date when there is so much suffering around us and when our beloved countries are literally on fire," he added. Talking more about his new album, which consists of 11 tracks, Fouad said: "I've had the opportunity to work with a number of great lyricists and composers. My highlight would probably be working with my lyricist friend, Amir Taema, who wrote four songs for the album. I also worked with Ihab Abdo, another renowned lyricist and composer Khaled Ezz." Regarding his recent appearance on hit music show, X Factor, the Egyptian star said it was difficult to commit to attending more than one show, especially with such a tight music schedule. However, he highlighted his excitement about appearing on X Factor stating: "The show consists of four great stars on the judging panel, and I was more than excited to meet them. It was also a great experience singing with contestants and being part of the hype."