Charbel and Jad Al-Safi apply the well-known saying “father by grandfather” in every sense of the word. They are the sons of George Al-Safi, son of the late Wadih Al-Safi, and as the grandsons of one of the singing giants in the Arab world, they absorbed art, music, and singing spontaneously. When they remember their childhood, the shadow of their grandfather is subconsciously present. Because they have talents in playing and singing, they decided to complete what their father and grandfather before him had started. They say: “There is no doubt that we were influenced by all this atmosphere in which we were raised since our childhood. We continue Wadih Al-Safi’s journey together and steadily, but in a contemporary version and in our own way. As for the foundation, it will not change because it is implanted in us and resides in us through our father and grandfather.”
Charbel holds the oud instrument as a gift from his late grandfather, Wadih Al-Safi (Al-Safi Brothers)
Both Charbel and Jad chose art as their profession, but they entered it as a means of science and study. Charbel specializes in the “Music Industry” department, while Jad directed his studies to the technical baccalaureate in music. Each in his own style charted his own path in art such that they did not enter it through the ordinary door. Charbel explains in an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat: “Art no longer follows the same frameworks, as in the past. It has evolved and requires combined elements in order to achieve its goal. The voice, performance, and presence of a singer are a necessity, but if he does not know how to invest his talents in the right place, he will not achieve the fame he desires.”
This is the opinion of Charbel, 19 years old, while Jad, 16 years old, has another opinion: “Frankly, singing alone is no longer the ideal profession, as it must be accompanied by other talents such as artistic production and music distribution, and in parallel with them we can achieve our goals better.”
In Riyadh Season they achieved their dream and started from Abu Bakr Salem Theater (Al-Safi Brothers)
At first glance, you think that you are interviewing two talented up-and-coming singers, but you soon discover that the art is deeply rooted in their maturity, knowledge, and solidity. The “Safi Brothers,” which is their artistic name by which they are known, are fully aware of the difficulties of the profession. Therefore, they are fortified with knowledge; So that their talent does not go to waste, in a time when it is difficult to distinguish between right and wrong.
In the context of his conversation with his brother Charbel, Jad comments to Asharq Al-Awsat: “There is no doubt that there will be great difficulties that will confront us in our singing journey. Like other fields of work, it has negatives as well as positives. Sometimes we will have to give up a little on the artistic rules we were raised on in order to keep up with the times, but we will certainly not drift into paths that do not resemble us in order to achieve fame.”
You feel that Jad has big dreams in the field of art that he plans silently and without supervision. He tells whatever comes to his mind with absolute spontaneity. As for Charbel, he weighs every word he says and expresses his opinions carefully: “Frankly, I am afraid of this field, but on the other hand, we are two solid people. We can face difficulties because we were raised to confront and strive. In the end, I will not continue performing my grandfather’s songs in order to highlight my talent. Therefore, we look for something different that suits us. People’s tastes change rapidly today, but we are betting on their love for us and the fine art that we present.”
Charbel says that he was six years old when he started playing the violin. “I used to hum my grandfather’s songs, and after he gave me an oud signed by him, I started learning how to play it. Today, I am good at playing both instruments.” What about you, Jad? “I play the piano and guitar, and I strive to master musical production and arrangement.”
They are looking for a song that will achieve the “trend” and appeal to young people (Al-Safi Brothers)
The idea of starting a duo from the Al-Safi family began with them during the pandemic. Charbel explains: “Like other Lebanese, we were quarantined at home when my mother approached us with the idea of recording video clips and publishing them on social media. “What we used to do daily alone, we now share with people.”
After the first video they published on social media, the doors opened for them: “The journalist Hisham Haddad contacted us after hearing a song in which we mixed the Spanish ‘Passa Doble’ with ‘La Ayouni Gharib’ by Wadih Al-Safi. She repeated the rosary and overnight we became (the Safi brothers).”
One of the concerts that they cannot forget was the one he performed during the “Riyadh Season.” “It is one of the most beautiful experiences we have had together on a stage of this level. It was like a dream that came true from the huge Abu Bakr Salem Theater. Before us, hundreds of artists dreamed of standing on its stage, and we had the opportunity to start from there.” Charbel continues: “An indescribable feeling of joy and pride overwhelmed us, especially since the audience’s interaction with us was tremendous.”
An obvious question about the dread that gripped them in those moments, and Charbel replies: “Dread is present on every occasion we stand on the stage and in front of the audience. The feeling of responsibility is generated automatically by us. But during the Riyadh Season, this feeling doubled, especially since we were standing in front of thousands of attendees, singing in the name of Lebanon. There it was forbidden to make mistakes, as well as to commit any lapse; Because all the eyes of the world are on us. But we succeeded in this experience, and I hope to repeat it.”
For his part, Jad expresses these moments in his frank way: “In the past, I used to stress that standing on stage did not make me afraid. But during the Riyadh Season, and behind the scenes, I had this feeling strongly. I could only address my brother Charbel and say, “Good luck.”
The harmony between the two brothers appears clearly, and they confirm that they may have different points of view, but in the end they reach the same thinking. “We do not dwell too much on these matters because they are self-evident and the most important thing is to achieve the desired result.”
The “Safi Brothers” admit that they picked up the fruits of the ripe arts from their grandfather and father. Charbel tells Asharq Al-Awsat: “We don’t remember much of my grandfather’s advice because we were still children at a young age. What was most dear to me was his presence in our house during his last days. We would gather around him while he sang and taught me how to use the Arabic notes. He had great performing and vocal techniques. But he always said that we should not care about what people say, because we cannot please everyone.
From their father, George, they learned to focus on performance and stay away from discord. Charbel continues: “These are basic rules that my father provided us with, and we memorized them and took them into account.”
The “Safi Brothers” tell you about their new works, the most recent of which is the song “Hadrat Al-Zalan.” They filmed a video clip signed by their manager, Robert Beida. Regarding future projects, Charbel says: “We are looking for a new, modern song that will achieve the trend and appeal to young people our age.” Here, Jad intervenes: “We have a concert tour in several American states during this September.” Why are you looking for the “trend” song? It is enough that you are good at authentic singing? “Unfortunately, we have to keep pace with our times in this way,” Charbel explains. We know very well that the songs performed by the late Wadih Al-Safi are completely different. It does not die because it is original and is repeated until now. Because this is true art. But people no longer care about voice abilities, good performance, and the content of speech. The most important thing for them is one word that they memorize and catches their attention. The artist, in turn, achieves great success, even if for a short period.”
People’s tastes change quickly… and we bet on their love for fine art
The “Safi Brothers” consider themselves among the most important musicians and singers. Therefore, they will not give up, no matter how difficult the difficulties are. Charbel says: “We are distinguished by our artistic culture, and today we rarely meet a singer who also plays.” We will keep trying until our dreams are fulfilled.”
Does this mean that you will take off the mantle of Wadih Al-Safi, your grandfather? Charbel replies: “The story is not about taking off my grandfather’s mantle as much as it is about keeping up with modernity and modernity. We sing for all artists such as Amr Diab, Al-Selawy, Melhem Barakat, Wael Kfoury, Nancy Ajram, Marwan Khoury and others. This does not mean that we have abandoned the mantle of Wadih Al-Safi, because this task is not easy at all. But with time and as we release song after song our way, we will be able to navigate a world that is more like us. We may face criticism and its opposite, but this is normal in art.”
The two brothers conclude to Asharq Al-Awsat: “We were raised with humility and originality in art, but with change we benefit and advance, because Wadih Al-Safi is an artistic state that will not be repeated.”
