{"page":"\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/resources-572d6a42.css\" /\u003e\n\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/lp_boclips_stylesheets-f4d0de30.css\" media=\"all\" /\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-title='Iraq\u0026#39;s biggest pop star tours US' data-url='/boclips/videos/5c54bca4d8eafeecae12e323' data-video-url='/boclips/videos/5c54bca4d8eafeecae12e323' id='bo_player_modal'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='boclips-resource-page modal-dialog panel-container'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='react-notifications-root'\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-header'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-type'\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fai fa-regular fa-circle-play'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\nVideo\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch1 class='rp-title' id='video-title'\u003e\nIraq\u0026#39;s biggest pop star tours US\n\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-actions'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='mr-1'\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"btn btn-success\" data-posthog-event=\"Signup: LP Signup Activity\" data-posthog-location=\"body_link_boclips\" data-remote=\"true\" href=\"/subscription/new\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGet Free Access\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e for 10 Days\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e!\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-body'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-info'\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-label='Hide resource details' class='rp-hide-info' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u0026times;\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Expand resource details' class='rp-expand-info fai fa-solid fa-up-right-and-down-left-from-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Compress resource details' class='rp-compress-info fai fa-solid fa-down-left-and-up-right-to-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-rating'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='resource-pool'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-label'\u003ePublisher:\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-name'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='text'\u003e\u003ca data-publisher-id=\"30356011\" href=\"/search?publisher_ids%5B%5D=30356011\"\u003eCurated Video\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-description'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='short-description'\u003e1. Pan street to venue2. Pan sign3. Fans arrive4. MS police5. MS police standing6. Reflection sign in police car window7. VOX POP (English)  \" I'm an Arabist  and I first heard his tapes the summer I was studying Arabic in Damascus on a...\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='full-description hide'\u003e1. Pan street to venue\u003cbr/\u003e2. Pan sign\u003cbr/\u003e3. Fans arrive\u003cbr/\u003e4. MS police\u003cbr/\u003e5. MS police standing\u003cbr/\u003e6. Reflection sign in police car window\u003cbr/\u003e7. VOX POP (English)  \" I'm an Arabist  and I first heard his tapes the summer I was studying Arabic in Damascus on a bus from Damascus to Jordan they were playing a Kazem al Sahir song and it was just so cool 'cause I actually understood it and so he's one of my favourite singers so I'm dragging my husband.\"\u003cbr/\u003e8. VOX POP (English) \"He does love his fans, wherever they are, he performs all over the world, and it doesn't matter the war in Iraq, he has nothing to do with it, I think.\"\u003cbr/\u003e9. VOX POP (English) \"I come from an Iraqi  family and we listen to Iraqi music and always enjoy his stuff.\" (REPORTER:  \"So how do you feel right now with all the tension in Iraq?\")  \"Well I hope that whatever happens it happens quickly and with the least possible casualties.\"\u003cbr/\u003e10. VOX POP (English) \" You think about that song that it's a lady, and the end of the song, you find out she's Baghdad.\"\u003cbr/\u003e11. Performance \" Beauty and His Love\" - about Baghdad\u003cbr/\u003e12.  SOT  KAZEM AL SAHIR (English/Arabic) on if he is worried about launching American tour now:  \"I used to come here, since 1989  to tour every year  and my music talks about humanitarian issues and I don't think any artiste who talks about humanity can be afraid of anything in his life.\"\u003cbr/\u003e13. performance  \" Beauty and His Love\"\u003cbr/\u003e14. KAZEM AL SAHIR  (Arabic):  on why he wanted to tour America now: \" I have a lot of American friends they come to me to talk or they send me letters of appreciation and today we are in New York, tomorrow we are going to Detroit and Chicago, that;'s going to be different, there's a big community there.  But I would like to point out one thing - what I carry with me is a culture from Iraq, literature, and art and this is very important to me to promote what I have in my message beside that when we talk about Iraq we talk about war, we mention whatever is going on today, so this is very important to announce what we have that's different from what we hear about Iraq today.\"\u003cbr/\u003e15.  Performance \" Beauty and His Love\"\u003cbr/\u003e16.  SOT  KAZEM AL SAHIR  (Arabic): on his lyrics:  \" I never forget the children of Iraq, that's very important to me. I always sing for them and I'm supporting them, I always talk through my songs and music about my country, Iraq, and the children of my country.\"\u003cbr/\u003e17  Performance  \" Beauty and His Love\"\u003cbr/\u003e18   SOT  KAZEM AL SAHIR  (Arabic) on his view of the situation in Iraq: \" I wish the war was not going to happen I am sure the Iraqi people, a very nice people, deserve a better life they have been suffering for ten years every day and they deserve to live like any other people in this world.  I wish the politics are going to change and I wish the best for the Iraqi people to live better life again and with peace on earth.\"\u003cbr/\u003e19  Performance  \" Beauty and His Love\"\u003cbr/\u003e20  SOT KAZEM AL SAHIR (English) on how he feels about Saddam Hussein:  REPORTER \" Do you think that Saddam has to leave, in order for the people to be happy?  KAZEM AL SAHIR \" I can't answer.... sorry.\"\u003cbr/\u003e21.  Performance  \" Beauty and His Love\"\u003cbr/\u003eIraq's biggest pop star, KAZEM AL SAHIR has launched an American tour, despite the current tensions surrounding the country of his birth.\u003cbr/\u003eThe singer, dubbed 'the Julio Iglesias of Iraq' performed in New York at the Beacon Theater Friday night.  Although the house was not sold out, loyal fans both young and old came to see his show.\u003cbr/\u003eKazem Al Sahir is the top-selling singer in the Arab world today, both in terms and recordings - around 31 million album -  and concert ticket sales. His music is rich with the melodies and complex textures of Arab music. \u003cbr/\u003eFans include Grammy winners Carlos Santana and Sarah Brightman - who has sung a duet with him 'The War is Over' for her next album. \u003cbr/\u003eThe star is a Canadian citizen -his estranged wife and children live there, while he has homes in Cairo, Dubai, Paris and Toronto.  But although he left Iraq 12 years ago, he still says the country will always be his home.\u003cbr/\u003eSahir has been coming to perform America every year since 1989, and feels this year should be no different, despite concern from his friends, and the police presence necessary at his New York show.  He insists he is not worried about his safety during his time in the States.\u003cbr/\u003e\"My music talks about humanitarian issues and I don't think any artiste who talks about humanity can be afraid of anything in his life.\"\u003cbr/\u003eIn fact, it is now far more difficult for Middle Eastern musicians to obtain work permits and visa to go to America than it was 17 months ago.\u003cbr/\u003eBut Sahir says that he felt compelled to tour America to show another side of Iraq - its culture.  \u003cbr/\u003e\"What I carry with me is a culture from Iraq, literature, and art and this is very important to me to promote what I have in my message beside that when we talk about Iraq we talk about war, we mention whatever is going on today, so this is very important to announce what we have that's different from what we hear about Iraq today.\"\u003cbr/\u003eThe International Herald Tribune reports that when he sat next to the UN secretary General Kofi Annan on a recent flight, Sahir handed him a CD and wrote on it 'Don't forget about Iraqi children.\"\u003cbr/\u003eIt's a theme that the singer says is ever present in his mind:\u003cbr/\u003e\" I never forget the children of Iraq, that's very important to me. I always sing for them and I'm supporting them, I always talk through my songs and music about my country, Iraq, and the children of my country.\"\u003cbr/\u003eWhile the starving children of Iraq prompt him to write some political songs, most of Sahir's music has romantic themes. \u003cbr/\u003eOne of his most popular songs is 'Beauty and his Love' a love song to a city that begins as a confession to his girlfriend that there is someone he loves more than her.  As she becomes more and more distraught he paints a picture of his devotion - then finally admits his lover's name is Baghdad.\u003cbr/\u003eAudiences call for the song again and again, and the 41 year old star has to insist he will only sing it twice a concert.\u003cbr/\u003eSahir was born in 1961 in a small village called Nainawa in northern Iraq. He was encouraged to pursue music by his mother.\u003cbr/\u003eHe took a keen interest in classical music as a young boy, even selling his bicycle for a guitar, which he studied for a year. Soon after he picked up the oud,  the principle composers' instrument in the Arab world. He wrote his first song at twelve, a romantic piece in the classical style, composed for a girl he liked.  He also studied for six years at the Music Academy in Baghdad.\u003cbr/\u003eWhile Kazem composed and wrote his songs, he faced opposition for doing both by the music promoters. Kazem got his first break at 26 when a keyboard-playing friend from the academy introduced him to a television director. Without getting permission, they went on location and shot a video for on of Kazem's songs. When they slipped it into the broadcast, the song caused a sensation all over Iraq and the Gulf.\u003cbr/\u003eThe song was called 'Ladghat El Hayya' (The Snake Bite). It was about someone who has been threatened and who is afraid. While the television producers were impressed with Kazem they asked him to change his lyrics but Kazem refused and the song was banned. Naturally, the song became even more popular and requests for collaborations and concert appearances began to come from around the Gulf. \u003cbr/\u003eWhile Kazem filled the role of pop artist, he also wanted to be known as a serious artist known for symphonies and concertos. He succeeded.  Critics have credited Kazem with reviving certain maqam (Arabic scales) that had fallen into disuse by modern composers.\u003cbr/\u003eThe Gulf war, and later the embargo, had a heavy impact on Sahir's career, derailing it for several years.  He continued to write however, putting his music in a part of his house as far away from his bedroom as possible - so that if his house was bombed in the night, either he or his music would survive.\u003cbr/\u003eSahir has politely sidestepped political questions throughout his career. When asked for his opinion about the current situation in Iraq, he said:\u003cbr/\u003e\" I wish the war was not going to happen I am sure the Iraqi people, a very nice people, deserve a better life they have been suffering for ten years every day and they deserve to live like any other people in this world.  I wish the politics are going to change and I wish the best for the Iraqi people to live better life again and with peace on earth.\"\u003cbr/\u003eBut when pushed as to whether that implied Saddam Hussein (who he says he has never met) should leave, Sahir would not be drawn:\u003cbr/\u003e\" I can't answer.... sorry.\"\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='action-container flex justify-between'\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='false' aria-label='Read more description' class='rp-full-description' type='button'\u003e\n\u003ci class='fai fa-solid fa-align-left'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003cspan id='read_more'\u003eRead More\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-report'\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-labelledby='resource-details-heading' class='rp-info-section'\u003e\n\u003ch2 class='title' id='resource-details-heading'\u003eResource Details\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-resource-details clearfix'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eCurator Rating\u003c/dt\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003e\u003cspan class=\"star-rating\" aria-label=\"3.5 out of 5 stars\" role=\"img\"\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-solid fa-star text-action\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-solid fa-star text-action\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-solid fa-star text-action\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-solid fa-star-half-stroke text-action\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-regular fa-star text-action\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt class=\"educator-rating-title\"\u003eEducator Rating\u003c/dt\u003e\u003cdd\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"educator-rating-details\" data-path=\"/educator_ratings/rrp_data?resourceable_id=974417\u0026amp;resourceable_type=Boclips%3A%3AVideoMetadata\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"not-yet-rated\"\u003eNot yet Rated\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eGrade\u003c/dt\u003e\u003cdd title=\"Grade\"\u003eHigher Ed\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eSubjects\u003c/dt\u003e\u003cdd\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"/search?grade_ids%5B%5D=259\u0026amp;search_tab_id=1\u0026amp;subject_ids%5B%5D=1216220\"\u003eAll Subjects\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eMedia Type\u003c/dt\u003e\u003cdd\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"/search?grade_ids%5B%5D=259\u0026amp;search_tab_id=2\u0026amp;type_ids%5B%5D=4543650\"\u003eNews Clips\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eSource:\u003c/dt\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eDate\u003c/dt\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003e2003\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fai fa-solid fa-language'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eAudiences\u003c/dt\u003e\u003cdd\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"/search?audience_ids%5B%5D=371079\u0026amp;grade_ids%5B%5D=259\u0026amp;search_tab_id=1\"\u003eFor Teacher Use\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\u003cdd class=\"text-muted\"\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-solid fa-lock mr5\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e2 more...\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-labelledby='concepts-heading' class='rp-info-section'\u003e\n\u003ch2 class='title' id='concepts-heading'\u003eConcepts\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='clearfix'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='details-list concepts' data-identifier='Boclips::VideoDecorator' data-type='concepts'\u003eiraq, saddam hussein, pop music, russia, entertainment\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='concepts-toggle-buttons' data-identifier='Boclips::VideoDecorator'\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='false' class='more btn-link' type='button'\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eShow More\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fa-solid fa-caret-down ml5'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='true' class='less btn-link' style='display: none;' type='button'\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eShow Less\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fa-solid fa-caret-up ml5'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-labelledby='additional-tags-heading' class='rp-info-section'\u003e\n\u003ch2 class='title' id='additional-tags-heading'\u003eAdditional Tags\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='clearfix'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='details-list keyterms' data-identifier='Boclips::VideoDecorator' data-type='keyterms'\u003elisten, ballot, anna, sarah brightman, kofi annan, damascus, issue, sell, carlos santana, middle east, song, world, hire, adam, baghdad, arts and entertainment, julio iglesias\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='keyterms-toggle-buttons' data-identifier='Boclips::VideoDecorator'\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='false' class='more btn-link' type='button'\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eShow More\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fa-solid fa-caret-down ml5'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='true' class='less btn-link' style='display: none;' type='button'\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eShow Less\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fa-solid fa-caret-up ml5'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-labelledby='educator-ratings-heading' class='rp-info-section'\u003e\n\u003ch2 class='title sr-only' id='educator-ratings-heading'\u003eEducator Ratings\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"educator-ratings-root\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"all-educator-ratings-root\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"educator-rating-form-root\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-resource'\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-label='Show resource details' class='rp-show-info' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\n\u003ci class='fai fa-solid fa-align-left'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\nShow resource details\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-label='Video player' class='player' id='player-wrapper' role='region'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='relative container mx-auto' id='lp-boclips-visitor-thumbnail'\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"block\" data-html=\"true\" data-placement=\"bottom\" data-trigger=\"click\" data-content=\"\u003cdiv class=\u0026quot;text-center py-2\u0026quot;\u003e\u003ca class=\u0026quot;bold\u0026quot; href=\u0026quot;/auth/users/sign_in\u0026quot;\u003eSign in\u003c/a\u003e or \u003ca class=\u0026quot;bold text-danger\u0026quot; data-posthog-event=\u0026quot;Signup: LP Signup Activity\u0026quot; data-posthog-location=\u0026quot;body_link_boclips\u0026quot; data-remote=\u0026quot;true\u0026quot; href=\u0026quot;/subscription/new\u0026quot;\u003eJoin Now\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\" data-title=\"Get Full Access\" data-container=\"body\" rel=\"popover\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Play video: Iraq\u0026#39;s biggest pop star tours US\" href=\"/subscription/new\"\u003e\u003cimg class=\"resource-img img-thumbnail img-responsive z-10 lp-boclips-thumbnail w-full h-full lozad\" alt=\"Iraq\u0026#39;s biggest pop star tours US\" title=\"Iraq\u0026#39;s biggest pop star tours US\" onError=\"handleImageNotLoadedError(this)\" data-default-image=\"https://static.lp.lexp.cloud/images/attachment_defaults/resource/large/missing.png\" data-src=\"https://static.lp.lexp.cloud/images/attachment_defaults/resource/large/missing.png\" width=\"315\" height=\"220\" src=\"data:image/png;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAD/ACwAAAAAAQABAAACADs\" /\u003e\n\u003cspan aria-hidden='true' class='flex justify-center items-center bg-white rounded-full w-16 h-16 absolute top-1/2 left-1/2 -mt-8 -ml-8 cursor-pointer z-0 border-2 border-primary drop-shadow-md lp-boclips-thumbnail-playBtn'\u003e\n\u003ci class='fa-solid fa-play text-primary text-3xl ml-1 drop-shadow-xl'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n"}