Artist Mustafa Al-Sunni in a frank speech: Art is the quickest way to reflect issues and conditions globally

Artist Mustafa Al-Sunni in a frank speech: Art is the quickest way to reflect issues and conditions globally

*Art is influential in times of peace and war

*Nostalgic songs are caused by a feeling of alienation

*All professions engage in their activity to earn a living, and the artist is no exception

*(…) This is my response to those who ask us to hide and be ashamed

*Music did not start a war and will not stop it

Dialogue: Magda Hassan

Artists who present concerts during this period, or these so-called war conditions, were subjected to widespread campaigns of criticism. Among these artists is Mustafa Al-Sunni. According to his own estimates, he participated in a ceremony and made a great statement about his position and status as an artist. Al-Sunni explained through a dialogue with the events that he knows the necessity of art in states of peace and war, and his speed in conveying messages.

*Symbiotic value

He began by saying: As an artist, on a personal level, I do not only care about supporting myself. What happened to my countrymen, especially Khartoum, also happened to me. Like everyone else, I lost my property and money, and my house was robbed. I am not about to wail or ask for a helping hand, and the parties in which I participate are only social gatherings known to those who have tried attending them, they have a symbiotic value that provides those who attend with some personal sense of identity and self-recreation by listening and enjoying a value that may not affect them personally, rather it contributes in providing for the families of musicians, sound technicians, and party organizers, as well as those who sing that night… in addition to needy families who do not have enough food for their day and are chaste to ask the price of a thin loaf of bread from their closest relatives.

*Together in bitter

Al-Sunni expresses his astonishment at the campaign of criticism directed at him, especially since art is a profession like other professions: We did not prohibit merchants, doctors, teacher,s, engineers, school owners, and all those who hold the professions from their right to practice the activities that they practice to earn a living.. We did not ask those who work in abroad Sudan that we are in need. Now, we reject their roles in igniting the strife and war that is going on now, such that they leave their jobs or submit their resignations because of the war in Sudan.. We are all together in this miserable situation.

*Rejection of national bonds

He added: Music did not start a war and will not stop it. The strange thing is that we watch videos of brutality, injustice, killing and looting, and we watch them with a background music, yet we do not protest. He added: Persevering in our outlook always being arrogant, and insisting on classifying segments of society according to what we see and believe is an abhorrent matter that requires us to stop and review ourselves and our way of thinking, and stop distributing instruments of forgiveness and patriotism according to mood and our limited understanding of things. Let us learn that the artist, the musician, the blacksmith and all those in the professions are equally concerned, each striving to live and provide the necessities of life. We renew our respect and appreciation for every opinion and respond in the same way as the critic chose his style of criticism. We ask those who ask us of modesty… Have you not searched for ways to provide you with a living? Did you not seek to help your family, whether you were inside or outside Sudan? Did you abstain from eating, drinking, and sleeping in order to support them? .. We have the right to accept the initiatives that we see as serving the same declared goal and to reject what we see as showing the opposite of what is hidden. We hope that you will place us in the rank of human beings who strive for the sake of themselves, their families, and their life obligations. We affirm that our doors are open to every good deed and every aid that supports, treats, or alleviates the suffering of our people in Egypt or Sudan. We are sparing no effort in doing so with all that is within our ability and within the limits of our capabilities.

*Feeling alienated

Regarding the widespread wave of the return songs, Al-Sunni said: It is indeed a wave, it is not new to me, but it has increased due to the circumstances that the country is going through. He added: These types of songs existed, but the feeling about them differed due to the different current situation of the country. There are people who have been displaced from their areas to the unknown, and there became internal and external alienation. You can imagine that there is a person who has never left Omdurman or Bahri, was forced to leave his places of activity and memories, and so the idea of ​​nostalgia came about. There are those who have heard the term estrangement but have not experienced its feeling, and they may be leaving Sudan for the first time. These people knew that the value of a person is in his homeland, and they felt the true taste of estrangement. Therefore, they now have songs related to the homeland, and listening to them has become different and in a different environment. Al-Sunni confirmed that these songs will not be the beginning of new singing: I am certain that this period will be filled with national singing, and the songs of return as they will be dominant and on the surface of the artistic scene. Al-Sunni indicated that part of this wave: I am in the middle this wave through the song (Khartoum), lyrics written by the poet Mahmoud Al-Jili, and composed by Ahmed Al-Mubarak. This trend is because at this time we are supposed to rally around the country and sing to it with our wishes that it and Khartoum will return safe and sound.

*Magical effect

Al-Sunni considers the arts in general to be a quick and easy means of conveying messages, so he upholds their value at this stage: I support the slogan of the solution in art, and art has many solutions. I believe that art in times of war and peace is very effective and can bring together the Sudanese, unite them, send messages of peace and encourage people to rally around a particular issue. Art has a big role, especially since artists have fans and listeners whom art can unite, since they follow the artist’s example, listen to him, and agree with them in their stances. Al-Sunni pointed out that art is the fastest way to reflect issues and conditions globally, more than economists, politicians, and others. It is in an endearing way as it provides strong messages in a quick and short time. You don’t need channels, we can make a song that travels around the world in half an hour, so I support the solution in art because it has a magical effect.