Syrian singer Assala Syrian singer Assala has revealed she is preparing for several concerts of which the revenues will be donated to the Syrian people.\"I was not able to make any contribution to my people in Syria until now, so I thought about holding several concerts in Egypt, starting from the Opera House in Cairo. I hope these concerts will help my Egyptian fans have a break from the recent tension and frustration. I also intend to donate all the revenue to the great people of Syria, who suffer cruelty, violence and killing on a daily basis, this is the least I should contribute to them,\" Assala told Arabstoday in an exclusive interview.
She added: \"Whoever says I\'m not loyal to my country, I say to them I\'m loyal by instinct, and I accept no questioning of my loyalty and love for the people of both Syria and Egypt. The Syrians are my family, and Egypt is the country where I made my career and my reputation.\"
Assala said the recent political developments in Egypt have frustrated and saddened her, feelings she shares with her family.
\"I can\'t distance myself from what is happening in Egypt, as I live here and my husband and children are Egyptians. I hope the crises in both Egypt and Syria will come to a happy end, that will see Syria rid of all the corrupt figures as Egypt had done,\" Assala said.
On the career front, the acclaimed singer stated her new album will be released soon, saying it will include a mix of Egyptian and Gulf songs, and will be titled \"Shakhsiya Aneeda\" (Stubborn Mentality). The album includes 10 songs, and will include contributions from lyricists Ayman Bahgat Amar, Abdelhamid al-Habbak and Wael Tawfiq, in addition to composers Ahmed Salah Hosni, Ihab Abdelwahed and Madyan.
On whether she has ever thought of acting, Assala said she had the desire to do so, but such a decision should be taken carefully and must be beneficial to her singing career.