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Fans moved by Zikra's death... but her tapes don't move
DUBAI/SHARJAH- The tragic death of the famous Tunisian singer Zikra Mohammed on November 28 has left many of her fans all over the Arab world in a state of shock.
Four days after she was shot dead by her husband, her fans still feel a sense of helplessness and now seek solace the only way they can - by buying and listening to her songs. Zikra is no more, but she, and her immortal songs, will always live in the hearts of her fans.
Khaleej Timesexplored the music stores to find out if her tapes, particularly the more recent ones, were still in demand after her death. While some music stores in Sharjah and Dubai did not report an unusual demand for her tapes, two particular tapes, namely the latest one that was released in the market on the first day of Eid Al Fitr titled Youm Aleekf(A day against you) and Zikra sings Omm Kalthoom songsreleased a bit earlier, did pick up on sales.
A salesman at Virgin Mega stores told Khaleej Timeson Tuesday that since Zikra's death, people have been asking for some specific songs, particularly the ones available on her latest tapes. However, the sales of her tapes, in general, was not too high as many were still unaware of her death.
"Five tapes of Zikra were sold in two days in Dubai and four in Abu Dhabi, but it to pick up over the next few days," he said.
A salesman at Yara Records in Sharjah said: "A few years ago, when people realised that they had lost their favourite singer, they scrambled to buy their tapes. Now, even though our shops are open all day, it's a different story. People are glued to their TV sets and show little interest in buying tapes, no matter under what circumstance the singing star died. Zikra had a lot of fans who had cherished her art, but they prefer to watch her video clips on the song channels rather than buying her tapes," he added.
Ali, of Al Rahawan Records in Dubai, expressed sorrow on the tragic death of Zikra who was among the most popular singers in the UAE. I expect a boom in sales over the next couple of days. Her unfortunate death coincides with the launching of her new tape in the market and in two days we sold six tapes."
Another salesman at Emirates Record observed: "We're living in a materialistic society. Unlike the older generation, people have turned less emotional and less affected by the deaths of celebrities. They might express their sympathy, but will not bother buying his/her tape. Even after Zikra's death hit the headlines, people just pass by, take a glimpse at her pictures, express their sympathy and move on," he said.
"Nowadays, seeing is more effective than listening. Watching her video clips rather than buying her tapes, is what people prefer," he said, ruling out any sharp increase in the sales of Zikra's tapes.
Dania Al Mour, a Zikra fan said: "It was really shocking to learn about the way Zikra died. I really admired and cherished all her songs. When I learnt of her death, I immediately went and bought her latest album as I have all her previous albums. Through her tapes, I will always remember Zikra.
Dr Dalia Abu Senaa, a pharmacist said: "Despite the fact that I really loved her voice and her songs, I did not buy any of her tapes after her death."
Mohammed Al Qambarji, a banker said: "Knowing the way Zikra died upset me. I was curious and wanted to know more about her death, so I preferred buying various newspapers rather than listening to her tapes.
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