We all like good looks, but when Assala made her big dent on Arabic music she did it through her music and radio voice. But then the rule of the game changed with network TV, the internet and reality TV. Assala is a pioneer on all those. She made music videos when the times asked for them, she made a website and then a Facebook/YouTube channel followed. And now she has her own TV show where she hosts on her home groups of performers together.
But before this era, she worked with names like Hilmi Baker who kept her original and not pop-centered. The music they have given her were a bridge in time lining the Syrian Diva with the golden classical days. But there's little money in that. Money is in pop and in Gulf music so Assala as any business woman made the transition.
I do not see her doing gigs in houses of opera--it's not because of Syria no matter what she says. She still sings around the world. I loved her 2012 album, I thought it has some fresh ideas, but only a song or two have lasting powers unlike the two songs below from the late 90s, they are the kind of songs everyone wants to copy.
Assala - Ya Sabra Yana / أصالة - يا صابره يانا
Assala - Sam7tak / اصاله - سامحتك
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