A hotel in Toronto was recently transformed from a dull business outpost near the airport to a pulsating Arabic festival of music and culture. Throngs of over dressed Arabs gathered at the gates of the hotel banquet hall to be entertained and whisked away by the sweet voice and boyish looks of Wael Kfoury. In true fairytale fashion, Kfoury waited till the stroke of midnight to make his way to the small and poorly designed stage. In a state of affairs not befitting the stature of the great singer, neither the sound nor the lighting were satisfactory, an issue which he brought up with the fans immediately after his arrival. However, nothing could take away from Wael's ability to entertain as he went through a play list that brought hundreds of fans to their feet. Most of the songs selected were from his new album, but Wael still paid homage to the songs that launched him to stardom and that were demanded by the scores of screaming fans that tried to make their way to the stage despite the awkwardness of having tables directly in front of it. All in all, the night seemed to pass too quickly. Wael also became increasingly agitated by the small size of the stage and his inability to interact with his fans who were exiled to the fringes of the banquet hall to find a place to dance.He did, however, sit down after the show for a quick one on one. This is what he had to say.

shakomakonet: Wael, you have been in the Arabic music scene for a very long time, what are your impressions on the way Arabic music has evolved?
Wael: In the end, the song or music is music. There has been more of a tendency to use Western instruments and a Western approach to producing music. This has brought about an expansion of the music scene with regards to the music itself and the overall color and feel of the Arabic music scene. But at the end of the day, my music stays Lebanese.

shakomakonet: Arabic society is largely a conservative one. Is there something that you wanted or want to do but you feel you can't because of your surroundings?
Wael: Believe me, nothing hasn't been discussed in Arabic society. I feel that I can do anything that I want.

shakomakonet: Having said that, does that mean you have full control over the choice of your music on your albums?
Wael: Singing is a very personal process. It is a certain feeling or sensitivity that the artist brings to the piece. Its not something that can be controlled by external powers. Then it is not art. People think that art comes down to the two hours that I spend on the stage. My entire life is dedicated to art.

shakomakonet: Wael, you are now in the process of shooting a major motion picture in Hollywood. As an artist, what does this transition mean to you?
Wael: In the end, being ambitious is the most important thing, and I am a very ambitious person. Acting is an artist, and as an artist I feel that I can do anything in my field.

shakomakonet: Wael, shakomako (what's up)?
Wael: (laughing) That's really cute. Nothing is going on. Everything is good.

We would like to thank Wael for his time, and more importantly for a giving us a memorable night. Special thanks also to all those to the staff that was dispatched to the event for their relentless efforts in getting and documenting this interview.