Maged

A Booming Talent

We had an opportunity to interview Maged who has surfaced as an admired actor and singer and started gaining favour and popularity among spectators, owing to his noticeable talent. Maged opened up about his career choices and the upcoming plans he intends to fulfill.

We would like to know who is Maged and how did you start your career?

I’m an Egyptian actor/singer. I started my career in 2010 in France where I studied theater at the Conservatory Regional De Metz University. When I was 15, I started singing when I was in District 57 in France as I was performing the free styles rap and trap in the street.

You started your career as an actor in a number of TV dramas and films, tell us about…

In 2013, my debut role was in the TV drama Nekdeb Law Olna Mabenhebesh, followed by a number of TV dramas, including; Al Walda Basha, Gabal Al Halal, Al Ahd (El Kalam El Mobah), Saraya Abdeen 2, Sabaa’ Arwah, Nawaya Baree’a, Al Byoot Asrar, Rasayel, Halawet El Dunya, and Sou’ El Hareer, in addition to the films; Sukkar Mor and Ya Tahadi Ya Taadi.

You are currently releasing your first song, entitled “Chelsea”. Tell us about the transformation from being an actor to a singer…

Actually, there is no transformation from being an actor to a singer, as I first appeared as an actor but I had the talent of singing since I was young and I used to sing for my family and friends. In the last few years, I focused on acting, until I decided to explore the singing scene.

Is there any difference between Maged the actor and the singer?

Sure!

In acting, we play different roles for different characters and we are limited by the details of the role we play, so we completely escape from our true character and our nature. But in my own songs, because I also compose song lyrics, most of the topics are things that I lived or situations that I passed through and had feelings that made me include them in the words I write. So, my character as a singer is closer to my true character than acting.

Why did you choose the “Chelsea” song as your first one to introduce?

The “Chelsea “song contains some lyrics that I wrote several years ago, and I finished it recently. I chose Chelsea because I find it the best thing to introduce me to the audience, in terms of music, melodies, and lyrics that will present my personality and also the way of singing to the audience.

What is the new thing that makes “Chelsea” distinct from the songs currently on the scene?

What makes the song different are the melodies, the lyrics, and the way of performing in the singing. By the end of the song, the music is a type of trap, but the melodies and lyrics are a mixture of mine. The melodies are not understood if they are ray, nor our trap, or oriental, and this can be distinguished or made different by this composition.

You are not only the singer of Chelsea, but also, you’re the composer and writer… Is this normal in the field of trap pop music or you are presenting yourself as a comprehensive artist?

It is normal in the field of rap or trap for a singer to write his own song and sometimes compose it himself. But in my case, most of what I write is about things that I lived or felt. The melodies come out with the words that I compose. I didn’t feel that I need a composer. It’s not about introducing myself as a comprehensive artist, but it’s about something I could comfortably do for me and feel better.

The lyrics of the song are unfamiliar and have drama. Do the words reflect real events that happened to you?

Most of the lyrics in “Chelsea” are based on real events that I lived. In general, I only write about things that I lived or felt. From the beginning of the song till the end, it’s all about things I went through and mentioned without going into much detail. That will be the basis of most of my songs.

Talk to us about your cooperation with L’Arc Productions, Mohamed Faisal, Sherif Magdy, and how did the collaboration begin to release your first songs?

L’Arc Productions is the reason why I am excited to enter the field of music, professionally or commercially. It has been offered to me before from other companies, but what distinguishes L’Arc Productions is that me and Mohamed Faisal has a sort of intellectual consensus because of his presence in Egypt, then France, and he worked in this field in the two countries, so his vision is very close to mine. Just as I find myself different in what I present in terms of music, Faisal is different in the way he presents the projects he works on, and also the way he deals with and present the artist.

As for Sherif Magdy, he is a very strong person at the level of music, because I was not looking for someone to do traditional trap or hip-hop arrangements, and I wanted someone from other schools and he has great experiences and worked with many artists. He does the arrangements for all kinds of music and presents the trap music in a different way. That is what I was looking for.

We are a team. We complete each other; me as a singer, writer, and composer; and Faisal as a producer and director. So, it didn’t take much time to think!

Who would you like to listen to from the singers in general?

I love listening to any kind of good music, but I admire Cheb Khaled because I have been raised while listening to his songs. However, I listen to all kinds of songs as long as the music is good; Amr Diab and even Mahraganat. But all the day, I listen to French hip-hop like gims.

What are your upcoming projects?

After releasing the “Chelsea” song, we plan with L’arc productions to release a number of songs this year.

“I only write about things that I lived or felt. From the beginning of the song till the end, it’s all about things I went through and mentioned without going into much detail“