Qataris knew him from his beloved appearance in their hearts during the opening ceremony of the country’s hosted Asian Games in 2006, and he performed the country’s most famous national song, “God, O My Life, Qatar.” his star appeared at the Qatari Song Night Festival and with his warm singing he snatched a smile on the lips of his listeners and overwhelmed them with hope, optimism and love for life.
“the dream came true”. With these words Qatari artist Nasser Al-Kubaisi began his dialogue with Al-Jazeera Net about his participation in the songs of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, through the song “Welcome” (one of the official songs of the World Cup ), expressing his overwhelming happiness for the great success achieved by the song two months after its release and for the wide diffusion it had nationally and Arab.
Al-Kubaisi – who comes from a family of artists; His father is interested in singing, poetry and music. As for his older brother, Fahd, he is now one of the most famous artists in the country. He believes the Arab teams’ chances are strong to achieve positive results in the World Cup, and hopes the Qatari team will reach the quarterfinals.
The song “Welcome” – whose name is inspired by the local language and Arabic culture – is one of the official soundtracks of the Qatar World Cup, and was presented in English by a performance by Frenchman, Mitter James, and Puerto Rico’s Ozuna , and then the same song was released in Arabic, by the performance of Qatari Nasser Al-Kubaisi, Saudi Arabian Ayed Youssef and Kuwaiti Haneen Hussein, and the song reflects the kind reception in Qatar.
Below is the text of the interview:
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What does participating in the song “Arbo” as one of the Qatar World Cup songs represent for you?
This participation is like a dream come true. When I was young, I attended the opening ceremony of the 2006 Asian Games organized by the State of Qatar. Ever since I won the World Cup in 2010, I have always dreamed of this honor, which I am very proud of.
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How did you apply to participate in the song?
The song was written by the Omani poet Hamid Al Balushi and composed by the Moroccan-Swedish international composer Redwan, and was nominated for participation in this work by the song team, the writer and composer.
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How do you feel after participating in one of the World Cup songs in Qatar?
Frankly, as a Qatari artist, I was proud to participate in this song and be a part of this work, which was well received by all and widely disseminated, both in Qatar and Arab level.
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Tell us about the filming scenes of the song “Welcome”?
The work was filmed in more than one location in Qatar; Like Msheireb, Lusail and Katara, and I felt this work was close to Arabs as a whole; Fans, citizens and residents.
Furthermore, my participation with notable artists such as Saudi artist Ayed Youssef and Kuwaiti artist Haneen Hussein created a “very beautiful chemistry”, and helped produce the work in a beautiful way, and bring it close to the heart of all.
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What was the atmosphere like during the filming of the song “Welcome”?
The atmosphere was that of the World Cup and we filmed the work in the facilities that will be used during the Qatar World Championship 2022, especially the Doha Metro. I hear the song, both in stores and on television.
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What is the message of the song “Welcome”?
The song reflects the warm welcome to Qatar and sends a message to the world that everyone is welcome to Qatar during the World Cup, while also giving an insight into what the public can expect during the global event which kicks off in a few days .
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Are there any other jobs for you in the Qatar World Cup?
The song “Welcome” is not my only participation in the Qatar 2022 World Cup, and there are works during the tournament that will be broadcast, and I am not allowed to talk about it at the moment.
I will also be present in some of the concerts and festivals that will take place on the sidelines of this great world event.
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Do Qatar’s World Cup songs help mix cultures and bring people together?
Yes correct; The song “Welcome” was composed by the Moroccan-Swedish composer Redwan, one of the most famous composers in the world, who added the Arabic touch to the song by virtue of his Moroccan upbringing and his presence in Qatar for a long time contributed to the his assimilation of Qatari culture and his knowledge of its various instruments, so he tried to integrate it with Western culture.
And when you listen to the song “Arbo,” you notice that it has a weird and wonderful mix of rhythms. Her rhythms are all Gulf Arabian, but they have been skillfully combined with Western melodies, and the song has an English version.
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The song “Arbo” has two versions: Arabic and English, which one is the best in your opinion?
My testimony is hurt in this matter, but we, as an Arab culture, are superior to Western culture in the arts in terms of Arab cultural diversity, because we have roots in music for centuries. When we combine Western with Arabic, it becomes easy for arabic so its easy for me to sing western tunes.
As Arabs, we listen to Arab songs more and the Arabic version of “Arbo” has achieved great success in the Arab world, and has been admired, as demonstrated by many by singing it, mainly because its meanings are closest to us and have touched us the heart , just as the children repeat it in schools, which is the greatest proof of its success.
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What does the World Cup in Qatar represent for you?
Like every Arab and Qatari, he is proud of the Qatar World Cup, and I hope it is one of the most beautiful versions of the World Cup tournaments in its entire history, if not the most beautiful. visitors to Qatar during the tournament period will experience a unique and impressive atmosphere during the Qatar World Cup.
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What are your wishes for the Qatar national team and Arab teams during the World Cup?
I wish success to all the Arab teams: Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Morocco and Tunisia, and that they present the best in the light of their strong fortunes and the great support and support of the public, especially since the results of the world championships are not measured by the only the players or the technical team, but unexpected surprises can occur in football.
And regardless of Qatar’s group competitors – be it the Netherlands, Senegal or Ecuador – I hope the Qatari team qualifies for the quarter-finals, or at least misses the second round.
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What is your relationship with football?
My relationship with football is very strong, as I used to be a football and tennis player, and earlier I played in Al-Gharafa Club for a short time in my childhood, but I love and encourage Al-Arabi Club locally, and I support Arsenal globally.
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How has the World Cup influenced art and culture in Qatar?
The Qatar 2022 World Cup has contributed – directly or indirectly – to a revival of Qatari song and art in general, especially since art and culture are a big and important part of sports, especially football, which is famous and spread by other sports.
Qatari art has strongly established itself in the lyrical soundtrack of the Qatar World Cup, and will also be present in the coming period, both inside and outside the stadiums, especially with regard to lyrical and show performances in the areas of crowd gathering.
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Are you preparing to present new musical works in the coming period?
Unfortunately, with the pressure of work and the World Cup in Qatar 2022, there is more than one work that has been postponed by virtue of the tournament, but after the World Cup there will be work that I present on an ongoing basis, and I will try as much as possible to present all the latest works, and hopefully it will come out in a way that will be approved by the public.
