DistantNews
Support us
๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ณ Tunisia /Culture & Society

Tamer Ashour's Carthage Festival performance a surprise hit with Tunisian fans

From La Presse · () French

Translated from French, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Sources not specified Context piece
  • Egyptian artist Tamer Ashour surprised organizers and fans with an unexpectedly large and enthusiastic turnout at Tunisia's 60th Carthage Festival.
  • Ashour performed exclusively his own compositions from his 17 albums, a departure from the tradition of singing covers at the festival.
  • His concert featured a mix of romantic ballads and modern pop, resonating deeply with an audience, primarily women, who knew his lyrics by heart.

Egyptian singer Tamer Ashour delivered a standout performance at the 60th Carthage International Festival, drawing an unexpectedly large and fervent crowd, predominantly women. Despite having modest initial recognition in Tunisia, Ashour captivated the audience with his extensive repertoire.

The artist eschewed the common practice of performing covers of Arab music classics. Instead, he presented a concert entirely composed of his own songs, drawn from his 17 albums. This dedication to his personal work highlighted his rich catalog, which spans melancholic ballads and contemporary pop rhythms.

Ashour's performance began promptly at 10:00 PM with "Hikayet," a song met with immediate recognition from the audience. The crowd's enthusiastic singing of nearly all 22 melodies surprised the artist, who clearly had not anticipated such a strong reception in Tunisia. The concert lasted over two hours, showcasing his unique musical style.

His music, characterized by light, rhythmic melodies and lyrics that shift between joy and melancholy, aligns with a recent trend in Egyptian music. Ashour has also composed popular songs for other renowned artists, including Nancy Ajram and Sherine. The audience's passionate engagement, singing along to hits like "Maoujouรข" and "Yaah," underscored the deep emotional connection they felt with his music.

Jโ€™adore les you you

โ€” Tamer AshourAshour's reaction to the enthusiastic crowd response.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by La Presse in French. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.