Prominent Iraqi singer Kathem El Saher has refused a request by the music production Rotana to participate in one of their festivals, creating tension between him and the company.
The reason Kathem took this action was due to the fact that he demanded the company pay him 80 thousand US dollars in compensation for the last music video he released, which he had personally financed.
Kathem claims that it is Rotana’s obligation to pay for the production of the clip, and since they failed to do so he will not take part in any of their activities until he is reimbursed.
In an unexpected move, Kathem had broken his contract with Rotana and signed a new contract with production company Fame, owned by Egyptian tycoon Najeeb Sweiris. Kathem’s move was a complete shock, especially since he is very close to Rotana’s owner Saudi Prince Al Waleed Bin Talal.
Kathem revealed that his latest album, “Ela Talmeethuh” (To His Student), was unsuccessful due to Rotana’s negligence, explaining that they did not properly market the album. The company has focused their attention on new singers, leading a number of its valued singers to break their contracts and look elsewhere, he added.
Amidst a swarm of journalists at a press conference in Cairo, Kathem announced that he has established “Kathem El Saher…Iraqna,” a charitable organization which provides support to families of prisoners of war, widows, infirm children, and orphans in Iraq.
During the press conference Kathem singed a contract to make a commercial for the mobile company Iraqna, owned by Sweiris. Kathem’s aid organization will build a school, an orphanage, and a vocational center, and Iraqna has vowed to donate UDS 0.10 to the organization from every prepaid Iraqna card sold.
