Dubai-based Rasha Rizk starts singing for anime – News

Any Arab child who grew up watching anime series dubbed in Arabic will immediately recognize the very popular melodies of such productions, frequently sung by Rasha Rizk.

The 48-year-old Syrian singer, songwriter and voice actor has been singing cartoon-themed songs since the age of 19.

Among its most important songs is the heart-warming song of mothers. Reemi, Ana wa Akhi And Al Qannas.

He also starred in Arabic opera Avicenna In Doha, Qatar, in 2003.

His most recent works include Emirati science fiction animated series AjvanIt is considered the first of its kind in the Arab world. Rizk played the voice of the main character.

In this interview, Rizk tells us about his journey and aspirations for Arab youth amidst recent conflicts and turmoil.

What triggered your interest in the cartoon industry and how did you start singing in this industry?

The beginning was purely accidental. Venus Center, which specializes in dubbing animated content into Arabic, was looking for new voices, so I auditioned for them.

I was already a singer and a student at the Higher Institute of Music (Damascus, Syria), an opera singer, and was interested in exploring more musical genres and vocalizations. I found it quite entertaining when I tried it. If you don’t enjoy what you do, you won’t develop passion for it. This is how the journey began and continues to this day.

Which of the dozens of productions you have produced over the years would you say you connect with the most?

Mostly the productions I take part in, for example the Arabic adaptation. Anastasiawhere I do the voiceover AnastasiaI played the character of ‘s character and sang the music for it, connecting with the character and the music.

Can you tell us more about the Emirati cartoon? Ajvanand how do you believe this relates to Arab youth, children and even adults?

Ajvan The importance of the film, which has a symbolic story, stems from the fact that it is a pure Arab production, which is very rare in the animation market. It was also written by prominent Emirati writer Noura Al Noman, whose writings are particularly targeted at young people; We must produce more literature that will encourage young people to read and appeal to them.

Also, the character Ajvan The film is about a young woman who migrated to another planet and experiences war, tragedy and being a refugee, so it definitely relates to a large part of our youth and the situation we live in.

How have decades of crises and conflicts in the Arab world affected your work as an artist?

The artist must always express the voice of the people, especially those whose voices are not heard and who continue to suffer in silence. Artists cannot influence political conditions, but they can influence people’s hearts; An artist cannot stop a missile or a bomb, but he can change people’s mentality. I aim to convey a message when I write my songs. For example, my first album. Malak, He talked about our realities such as children of martyrs, homelessness and exile. I am also preparing a song for Palestine with the Algerian artist Manal Gherbi.

How do you think the messages behind anime productions have evolved over the years? In the 70s, 80s and 90s, the human aspect was quite prominent, most series featured an orphan girl, a homeless boy or a lost child, but lately we find them more action or comedy oriented.

True, but the human angle will always be there. The latest productions are definitely moving in a livelier direction, but they will never be lacking in humanity. For example, Abtal Al-Digital (Digimon Adventures – which started to be published in the early 2000s) highlights friendship, loyalty and values. Likewise, the comedy aspect has always been present since the 19th century. Tom and Jerry, and will continue to exist. Therefore, the core content will always highlight human values; It takes a new shape according to the age we live in.

How old is your daughter Sarah now? So, was he also interested in the industry?

My daughter will be 13 soon, she likes to draw manga and plays music too; He is a violinist and pianist but spends most of his time drawing.

What is the importance of festivals like Animenia for society and young generations?