Sherine Abdel Wahab Stumbles on the “Mawazine” Stage… and Ghada Abdel Razek Applauds the Shadow

ALDAR / Meriem Hafiani

On a night that was supposed to mark a powerful comeback for Egyptian singer Sherine Abdel Wahab to her Moroccan audience after a nine-year absence, her performance at the “Mawazine” Festival ended in what can only be described as an artistic misstep. Instead of delivering a live vocal performance – which her fans longed for – Sherine opted to open her set with playback.

The disappointment was palpable. The Moroccan audience – known for its refined musical taste – didn’t hesitate to voice its dissatisfaction. Chants erupted from across the venue demanding that Sherine “sing with her real voice,” a clear message that this audience does not compromise when it comes to authentic artistry.

Amid this unsettling scene, Egyptian actress Ghada Abdel Razek chose to strike a different note. She took to her Instagram stories, posting photos of Sherine along with overly dramatic captions such as: “A million well wishes, my love. You lit up the festival. We love you… a walking talent… the caravan moves on.”

But the question remains: what caravan, exactly? And does applauding mere presence—especially when the performance itself was lackluster—constitute support for art, or is it a distortion of reality?

It seems Ghada Abdel Razek reduced the matter to free compliments, failing to grasp that constructive criticism isn’t cruelty. It’s a form of respect—for the art, the artist, and the audience alike. Can an Instagram story really whitewash a public artistic failure witnessed by thousands live and millions via screens and platforms?

What happened at Sherine’s Mawazine performance cannot be brushed off as a mere “artistic hiccup.” Rather, it opens a broader conversation about preparation, audience respect, and whether the artist is truly ready to take on stages of this magnitude. It also raises questions about an artist’s responsibility in managing a comeback, especially when it’s wrapped in so much anticipation.

The Moroccan audience wasn’t harsh—it was honest. All it asked for was Sherine’s voice, as it was known and loved: unfiltered, unrecorded, and real.

So, is an Instagram story enough to erase a moment of public failure? Or have we entered a time where whitewashing under the guise of solidarity is no longer tolerated?