Young and talented, Qatari singer aims for high notes

By Salman Siddiqui/Staff ReporterWhen Amal Yahya steps onto the stage to perform, she appears to be as nervous as a bird about to take its maiden flight.Her gaze is inward and body language tense. Even her eyes are closed before she hits the first note. But when she sings, her heart opens up and she smashes all the barriers that exist in her mind.The “20-something” performer is a newcomer to Qatar’s music scene. Just recently, she performed at shows organised by Desert Bridges with 10 other musicians from around the world. Every time she would sing a line, the audience would respond with applause. And all this from somebody who is still a student at Katara’s Qatar Music Academy. In an interview with Gulf Times, Amal said she was proud to represent her country and share the stage with international artistes. Amal was born and brought up in Qatar. Her father is from Qatar while her mother is of mixed lineage - UAE and Qatar, she says.Asked if it is hard for a Qatari woman to make the choice of becoming a musician given that it is a conservative country, Amal smiled. “The Qatari society is ruled by traditions. Changing these traditions is not an easy task… The Qatari people love art and music. It’s not like the Qatari society rejects it. They enjoy (music and art)... perhaps they just need more time,” she said.What’s encouraging in today’s Qatar is that women have more opportunities than ever because of the progressive policies of HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser. “Everything is changing in Qatar now. Today, the people have a more open attitude (towards women and their choices) than what they had in the past.” But is it possible to change everyone’s perception? Amal hints at the importance of having a rebellious spirit. “I am trying to make my way gradually. I believe in my talent very much. It is through my talent that I want to change the attitude of people towards me,” she said. “I might not be able to change everyone’s mentality about me, but at least those around me may see the way. I know that even when I reach the peak, there will be some people who will still be against me.”Asked how she and others like her could face family pressure against joining the music profession, she said: “My advice to local Qatari women who want to be musicians is that first they must be convinced of their own talent. This is the most important part. It is only when you are sure of your talent that you can make your family accept it and make them support you,” she said.Also, it’s a good idea to find someone within the family to support one’s endeavours. “The satisfaction of the family is very important and one cannot ignore it,” she said.Amal says today she considers herself very lucky that there are many people around her who support and encourage her to achieve more. Speaking on the problems faced by musicians, she said: “The problem for all Qatari artistes, especially musicians, is that there are no production houses here. Anyone who wants to be musician has to pay money from his or her pocket to pay for the production cost, which is a huge sum. This is a problem that every musician faces here, not just women. Most artistes have to go abroad for their productions.”About her ambitions, Amal said she desired to represent her country again and would like to continue doing so in concerts and projects. “My plan is to keep learning. Music is like a sea, an ocean where one has to keep learning and improve oneself as an artiste. And that’s what I want to keep on doing.”