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CNN Live Sunday

Interview With Arabic Musicians Khalid, Simon Shaheen

Aired February 24, 2002 - 17:10   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Judging by the music, you might think a concert such as that took place somewhere overseas, right? Well, guess again. It happened last night in Los Angeles at the Orpheum. The group on stage is known as Mando Melodia, and they are extremely popular in the Arab world. And they say with the right exposure, their music can be an instrument of peace.

Performing was Khalid, as well as Hakim and about 33 other musicians. Joining us now from Los Angeles are Khalid, the singer with Mando Melodia, and who is there with you there, Khalid?

Can you all hear me OK?

SIMON SHAHEEN, MONDO MELODIA: Yes.

WHITFIELD: OK. Khalid is joined by who else there?

SHAHEEN: Simon Shaheen.

WHITFIELD: All right, Simon, good to see you there.

All right. Well, you know, this was a concert that was supposed to take place around September 13. It didn't happen because of the September 11. You all were touring nine cities in the U.S. as well as Canada. At what point did you make a decision -- Khalid, I'll begin with you, at what point did you make the decision that continuing this tour, postponing it was the right thing to do, even though there were so many sentiments across the country that were very anti-Islam, anti- Arab?

SHAHEEN: (SPEAKING ARABIC).

KHALID, MONDO MELODIA: (SPEAKING ARABIC).

SIMON SHAHEEN, MONDO MELODIA: Yeah, Khalid is saying that he decided to postpone it, not to cancel, to postpone the event until these days now in February, because he thinks that at that time the environment was not ready to celebrate this music. And he insisted to just postpone and come back and do this tour in order to celebrate his music as a respect to his commitment and to show that music is a healing factor in the relationships with the different human kinds.

WHITFIELD: And so, what have you found so far? How has music helped promote some healing?

SHAHEEN: Is that for Khalid?

WHITFIELD: Yes.

SHAHEEN: (SPEAKING ARABIC).

KHALID: (SPEAKING ARABIC).

SHAHEEN: Khalid is saying that this music definitely is about peace and love. It's very healing, whether even whether the events of September 11 happened or not, it's always healing to create harmony among people. And he thought that coming and doing this tour at this time will promote this idea of peace and love.

WHITFIELD: And so, Simon, what were you finding in terms of the audience? How multi-ethnic has it been? As I said, nine cities across the U.S. and Canada, and I understand Khalid's music, as well as Hakim's music, has, you know, really exploded in popularity in the Western world.

SHAHEEN: Yes, you know, Khalid is (UNINTELLIGIBLE) who lives in Paris and he worked on (UNINTELLIGIBLE) music. And it's very popular now in Europe and it's becoming so popular in the United States.

Hakim is an Egyptian singer of Shabi (ph), which is the folk popular music in Egypt, and he has been here on a tour before and this is another tour. And his music is becoming popular in the United States.

So, there is a big demand. The audience who have attended the concerts since the beginning of the tour, it's a mix of, you know, Americans, mainstream and Arab communities, with the on the -- with their diversities. And we -- from what we saw yesterday, also there was a great mixed audience who attended and who know that this music is really great and healing. And tonight, since this was the last show in the tour, we hope that this diversity of audience will again come and enjoy this fantastic music.

WHITFIELD: And Simon, tonight is your last show in Los Angeles. How do you suppose this concert, this tour has reeducated people in this country, or perhaps even influenced people directly?

SHAHEEN: This tour definitely educated people, because there is an attention and there is stress on people who wanted to be educated of Arabic music, Arabic history, Arabic religion, especially Islam, although there is also Arabic Christianity. And people suddenly after September 11 events, they wanted very much to indulge into this culture and know about it more than even before.

So, I believe that people have great interest to know this -- this music. And definitely since tonight is the last show, this will be the last opportunity for people to come and see this beautiful fantastic music.

WHITFIELD: OK. The last show tonight at the Orpheum in Los Angeles. The tour has been called "Desert Roses and Arabian Rhythms" tour. And thanks very much for joining us, Simon Shaheen, as well as Khalid. And enjoy the show this evening. And bonne chance.

Thanks a lot.

KHALID: Thank you.

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