CAIRO: Ahlam Al-Shamsi lashed out at Lebanon’s Murex D’or Awards for choosing a viral song in the Arab Gulf dialect as the region’s best hit.
The Emirati singer slammed the annual Lebanese awards for selecting “Hala Bel Khamis” (Welcome Thursday) as the “best song from the Arab Gulf.”
The short music clip by the relatively unknown singer Maan Barghouth became a craze in the Arab world with its catchy tune. But its lyrics were mostly used in videos and Internet memes with inappropriate connotations.
“Seriously, shame on you!” the singer tweeted. “Songs from the Gulf rank first across the Arab region.”
Ahlam said songs from the Arabian Peninsula have great melodies and quality lyrics.
The Murex D’or is an annual awards ceremony in Lebanon recognizing achievements in the arts.
