Flair Magazine After her rise to fame in 2009 when she became a semi-finalist on Star Academy, Lara Scandar has been shimmering in the spotlight of the Arab music world ever since. The multi-award-winning singer is now out with her newest single ‘El Tabour’. We caught up with her recently at the Nile Ritz-Carlton to talk about her creative process and plans for the future.
How were you inspired to become a singer and make a career out of it?
We always had music playing at home. My dad and grandfather love to sing, so I grew up in an environment that was very musical and artistic. I loved to put on shows as a kid, even forced people to watch me dance and sing. It really grew on me over the years as I performed a lot in talent shows at school. After that, I went on Star Academy and that’s how it started for me. It came naturally to me. I always knew I wanted to become a singer.
This single in specific how does it differ from the rest of the work you’ve released before?
I think this one specifically is different for so many reasons. First of all, it’s a very new sound from what people are used to hearing from me. Basically, if you listen to all my previous songs, you can tell that this single has a fresh delivery of music and artistry. It also started as a full project; it wasn’t a song where the music and the lyrics were ready and then I decided to shoot the video. I had the music and I had the concept, and then I went to Good People and asked for a songwriter to write about a light-hearted topic—nothing serious. I wanted to have fun with this single and produce something that was fun to sing along to. We had the catchy music and I just needed the lyrics.
We heard you collaborated with Menna El Qeiai for the songwriting process. How has this experience added to the single?
What I asked for was not a typical songwriter. I wanted a copywriter, someone who is used to writing ads and comedic stuff with a bit of a twist because most songwriters have a very specific way of thinking and I wanted something very creative and outside of the box for a change. So, I asked for that and that’s when they introduced me to Menna. Next day, she came to me with the idea of ‘El Tabour’ and I loved it. You know how you don’t know what you were missing out on until you find it? That was my experience with Menna. I’ve worked with amazing songwriters before, but most of them were men who were older than me. It was nice to work with a woman who is around my age. She was able to pick my brain and actually understand what our generation would want to listen to.
How about your role as a songwriter?
Usually, when it’s an English song, I either write it or co-write it, but Arabic is not my forte so I don’t go there. I can’t just pretend to wing it and make it work. I also really respect people I work with when it comes to their position and what they do. If I’m dealing with a professional, I let them do their job just like I need them to let me do mine.
How was your process making this single come to life?
You have to keep in mind that this single is based on a very famous song by one of the most iconic singers in the world. It’s a song called ‘Bambino’ by Dalida. Something a lot of people don’t know is that it’s not actually Dalida’s song. It’s originally an Italian song probably from the fifties, so Dalida’s was an adaptation of the original and mine was an adaptation of Dalida’s. Dalida is well-known all over Europe and the Middle East. People here really respect her and think very highly of her. To take a song by a singer who is that famous, you have to be very careful and delicate about it. You have to stay true to the original sound while still adding your own personal touch. At the end of the day, it’s an adaptation not a cover. There’s a really big difference between both. What I wanted to do was take the song where everyone already knew the melody, yet develop it into something a little more modern and easier to dance to. I wanted to produce something our generation could relate to better. The lyrics actually have nothing to do with the original, but I wanted to make sure we were also painting a story like Dalida. ‘El Tabour’ is a new story that you can visualize from beginning to end.
Who are your musical inspirations?
I have so many. I listen to country music so my musical inspirations are very different from most people. I grew up listening to Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, Count Basie and so many more. I really like the older generation of singers and musicians.
Do you have any albums dropping in the near future? How about further potential collaborations?
I’m not working on albums right now. I’m working on a single-based project so I plan to keep releasing singles for a while. As for collaborations, maybe…you never know.
What is your favorite and least favorite thing about being a singer?
My least favorite thing is the lack of privacy. For someone who has been on a reality show, you’d think I’m not a private person, but I’m an extremely private person. I think that’s the downside of fame. The upside is getting to make people happy. When I look at comments and when I meet people, especially with my experience 10 years ago having been on a show that touched so many people—you still feel it until today. Sometimes people come up to me and are like, ‘I’ve been watching you since I was 13’. Of course, it makes you feel old, but it also makes you feel good.
What do you normally do when you get time off?
Nothing. I actually love to do nothing. On a day where I have nothing to do, which is rare, I work out in the morning, spend time with my family and wait for my husband to get back from work and sit with him. Keep in mind that the second half of my teenage years I didn’t really experience them like a normal person. I was at the peak of my fame and I was on Star Academy so I really appreciate these things now because I didn’t have them back then. Sometimes, it’s just a blessing to do nothing.
If you weren’t a singer, what would you aspire to be?
I actually don’t know. Sometimes, I feel like I could work in public relations because I love to talk to people. Maison Pyramide will have to hire me if I ever stop singing. Or I would do something freelance because I love to work with charities and NGOs so maybe I’d do something like that. Despite that, I’ve actually never seen myself do anything, but sing since it comes so naturally to me.
What advice would you give to a freshman singer who is just starting out?
First of all, I’d say that nothing comes overnight. It takes a lot of hard work. The main thing I would recommend is to be really smart about who you surround yourself with. In this industry, a lot of people don’t have your best interest at heart. I think that if you surround yourself with the right people—I’m not talking ‘right’ as in how fast they’ll make you succeed—I’m talking people who will be loyal to you and really work hard for you. If you find people like that, even if the success doesn’t come overnight, it will definitely be worth it. You will have your integrity intact, you’ll be doing what you love and you’ll be in the company of people who won’t disappoint you. For me, that’s the number one thing.
By Sarah Guirguis
