Wadii El-Safi - وديع الصافي

Wadii El-Safi

Wadii Francis, known as Wadii El Safi, was a Lebanese singer and composer, considered one of the giants of Arabic music in Lebanon and the Arab world. He played a pioneering role in establishing the foundations of Lebanese singing and its art, and in spreading Lebanese music to many countries. He became a school of singing and composition, not only in Lebanon but also in the entire Arab world. His name became synonymous with Lebanon and its mountains, whose grandeur and majesty were only rivaled by his voice, which captured their essence.
Biography
He was born on November 1, 1921, in the village of Niha Al-Shouf. He was the second of eight children in his family. His father, Bishara Youssef Gabriel Francis, was a sergeant in the Lebanese Gendarmerie.
Wadih El Safi lived a modest childhood marked by poverty and deprivation. In 1930, his family moved to Beirut, and Wadih El Safi attended the Deir Al-Mukhallis Catholic school, where he was the only Maronite in the choir and its lead singer. Three years later, he had to stop his studies, partly because music dominated his life, and partly to help his father support the family [1].
His Artistic Beginnings
His artistic career began in 1938 when he won first place in a competition held by Lebanese Radio during the French Mandate, for his performance of the song “Ya Mursil Al-Nagham Al-Hanoun” (O Sender of the Tender Melody) by the then-unknown poet (Father Ni’matullah Habiqa). The judging panel, composed of Michel Khayat, Salim Al-Helou, Albert Dib, and Mohieddin Salam, unanimously chose the name “Wadih El Safi” as his stage name, due to the purity of his voice. The Near East Radio Station served as a music academy where Wadih studied under Michel Khayyat and Salim El-Helou, who had a significant impact on shaping his artistic personality. His artistic career began with paving the way for Lebanese song, which was still in its nascent stages with some timid attempts before Al-Safi, by highlighting its identity and focusing on Lebanese, life, and social themes. The poet Asaad Al-Sabali played an important role in the development of Al-Safi’s style of singing. His first song was “Tal Al-Sabah wa Taktak Al-Asfour” (The Morning Has Come and the Bird Chirped) in 1940.
His first meeting with Mohammed Abdel Wahab was in 1944 when he traveled to Egypt. In 1947, he traveled with a musical troupe to Brazil, where he spent three years abroad.
After his return from Brazil, he released the song “Aal-Louma,” which brought him widespread fame. The song became incredibly popular, sung by everyone, and even became a common greeting among Lebanese people. He was the first Arab singer to sing simple lyrics in the Lebanese dialect, after incorporating the “Ataba” (a type of traditional Lebanese folk singing) into it, showcasing his artistic abilities.
Mohammed Abdel Wahab, upon hearing him sing “Walaw” (taken from one of his films) in the early 1950s, when Wadih was in the prime of his youth, said: “It’s unbelievable that someone could possess such a voice.” This song became a landmark in his artistic career, and through it, he ascended to the throne of Arab singing. He was nicknamed “the owner of the golden voice,” and in Egypt, he was said to be the founder of the “Al-Safi School” (named after Wadih Al-Safi) in Oriental music. In 1952, he married Melvina Tanios Francis, one of his relatives, and they had six children: Dunia, Marlene, Fadi, Antoine, George, and Milad.
In the late 1950s, many musicians began collaborating to revive Lebanese song, drawing on its folkloric roots, through the Baalbek Festivals, which brought together Wadii El -Safi, Philemon Wehbe, the Rahbani Brothers, Zaki Nassif, Walid Gholmieh, Afif Radwan, Tawfiq al-Basha, Sami al-Sidawi, and others.
At the beginning of the Lebanese Civil War, Wadih left Lebanon for Egypt in 1976, and then to Britain, before settling in Paris in 1978. His departure was a protest against the ongoing war in Lebanon, and he used his voice to defend Lebanon’s art, culture, and civilization. His voice and songs, which carried the essence of Lebanon, its nature, and its struggles, renewed the faith of expatriates in their homeland. From the 1980s onwards, El Safi began composing spiritual melodies, a result of his suffering from the war and its devastating effects on the country and its people, and his conviction that all human endeavors are only truly fulfilled through one’s relationship with God.
In 1990, he underwent open-heart surgery, but he continued his artistic contributions through composing and singing. Even in his late seventies, El Safi accepted the invitation of Lebanese producer Michel Elefteriades to perform concerts in Lebanon and abroad, with singer José Fernandez and also the singer Hanine, achieving unparalleled success that rekindled the flame of his long and illustrious career. He was a constant presence on televised singing competitions, wholeheartedly encouraging new talents while performing his most famous songs. Wadih El Safi held three nationalities: Egyptian, French, and Brazilian, in addition to his Lebanese citizenship. However, he was proud of his Lebanese identity and often said that life had taught him that nothing is dearer than one’s country.
In 1989, a tribute ceremony was held for him at the Arab Institute in Paris to celebrate the golden jubilee of his artistic career and contributions.
His Works
Singing Festivals
Wadih El Safi participated in the following singing festivals:
“The Wedding in the Village” (Baalbek 1959), “The Season of Glory,” and “Byblos Festival” (1960), “Al-Anwar Troupe Festivals” (1960-1963), “The Cedars Festival” (1963), “Our Land Forever” (Baalbek 1964), “Nahr Al-Wafa Festival” (which was a financial failure) 1965, “Mziara Festival” (1969), “Beit Eddine Festival” (1970-1972), “Baalbek Festival” (1973-1974). Films
Wadih participated in more than one film, including:
“The Five Pounds,” “Ghazal Al-Banat,” “Mawwal,” and “Nar Al-Shawq” with Sabah in 1973. Songs
He sang for many poets, especially Asaad Al-Sabali and Maroun Karam, and for many composers, most notably the Rahbani Brothers, Zaki Nassif, Philemon Wehbe, Afif Radwan, Mohammed Abdel Wahab, Farid Al-Atrash, and Riyad Al-Bunduq. However, he preferred to compose his own songs because he knew his voice best, and because he incorporated mawwal (vocal improvisation) into his songs, to the point that he became a school of his own. He sang thousands of songs and poems, and composed music for a large number of them.
He was honored by more than one country, institution, and association, and received several medals of merit, including five Lebanese medals that he received during the time of Camille Chamoun.