Pascale Machaalani considers the silver screen

By Nohad Topalian in Beirut
For Al-Shorfa.com
2009-12-15

[Nohad Topalian] Pascale's next big concert is in Canada for New Year's Eve.

Rotana's new production policies have disturbed a number of its musicians, but Lebanese star Pascale Machaalani said that her relations with the company are strong.

"My relationship with Rotana is one of love and friendship," Pascale said. "For the past three years, I have worked on a per album basis. A year ago, the company assigned my business management to Mr. Karim Abi Yaghi. Therefore, I have no problems with Rotana because I am a professional, and we work together based on contracts to produce albums and video clips."

Pascale performed several concerts during Eid al-Adha, and is planning a New Year's Eve concert in Ottawa, Canada, for the local Lebanese and Arab communities.

Her song "Bhebak" from her album "Bhebak Ana Bhebak" has held the number one spot in Lebanon, Tunisia, and Morocco for months.

Pascale said that this popularity prompted her to shoot a video for "Salemlak Albi".

"That song also made it to number one on the charts, and after communicating with my fans online, I requested a video be shot. During the Eid al-Adha concerts, I met with fans who repeated the same thing to me. Therefore, I had to respect their wish and got down to work with director Layal Rajha," Pascal said.

During her 17-year music career, Pascale received offers to act and sing duets. But for many years, the only duet she performed was with Ihsan al-Monzir, singing "Kello Menak" which has both Italian and French lyrics. More recently, she performed one with Ahmad al-Saqqa. "Ahmad liked my song 'Bhebak Ana Bhebak'. He and I performed it together in a duo on Egyptian television," she said.

Asked if she is planning another duet, Pascale noted that she is not "currently considering that at the moment, unless all necessary conditions for that genre of singing are made available."

Pascale has also received numerous offers to appear on the silver screen, but she has been reluctant thus far. However, she said that she is currently reading parts for two Egyptian movies.

"I am constantly being offered parts in movies, but I do not want to accept any because it will be unfair for the artist, when the part she is offered does not agree with her character," she said. "I am currently contemplating parts in two movies, which I am not going to discuss before I have made up my mind."

Finally, Al-Shorfa asked Pascale about being honoured for the second time by the Tunisian Minister of Culture.

She said, "When one is being honoured by a country with a long-standing history in art such as Tunisia, one is given tremendous moral support, not to mention huge motivation to search for meaningful lyrics and great music."

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