DUBAI, 17 May 2004 — Lebanese stars dominated the first Arab pop music awards, but the show was marred by technical glitches, rampant disorganization and the absence of most of the region’s music royalty.
The ceremony, which ended early yesterday, was held after the first ever public vote of its size in a music industry notorious for its fragile egos and which does not compile regular charts that would expose the real popularity of the region’s biggest pop stars.
Lebanese performer Elissa took best music video award and young Lebanese singers Iwan and Carole Samaha took the best male and female newcomer awards.
Egyptian rappers MTM took best modern Arabic act, but the top prizes — best male and female singer — were never awarded because the entire audience, and most of the performers, had left, exhausted by lengthy delays.
Organizers said the live broadcast on Lebanon’s Future Television, which began two hours late, was taken off air after eight minutes as the microphones did not work and the trophies could not be found on stage. “There were a lot of technical errors,” said Mohamed Al-Mulla, a senior organizing official in Dubai, adding it would be better next year.
“I know we’ve all had a lot of difficulties tonight, but this is the first time we’ve had the Arabian Music Awards,” Waqas of hip-hop group Outlandish said as they took to the stage to perform their 2003 hit ‘Aicha’.
“Respect! Respect for Dubai!” Waqas added.
Other international acts who sang included English diva Sarah Brightman and Danish pop trio Michael Learns To Rock. Arab performers ranged from sultry Lebanese singer Nancy Ajram to Algerian star Cheb Mami.
Lebanese beauty queens and Egyptian actors had been flown in to present the trophies, dubbed the Arab Grammies, though the winners among the Arab pop glitterati did not show up to claim their awards.
Most categories were split between four regions of the Arab world in what organizers said was an attempt to keep everyone in the industry happy. Egypt and Lebanon produce the bulk of Arab pop stars but Gulf and North African singers are also popular.
The winners were chosen via the Internet and mobile phone messages by Arabic music listeners around the world over a month, with international auditing firm Ernst & Young hired to ensure there was no vote-rigging.
Shuckri Bundakji, Middle East representative of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industries, said that despite the hitches the annual awards would “raise the profile of Arabic music”.
“We are out to make Arabic music international. International music accounts for 30 percent of sales in the Arab world, but Arabic music from the region accounts for only 0.3 percent of sales in the rest of the world,” he said.
