Leila El Hjaiej

“I come from a family of singers. My grandfather was a member of the Rashidiya, an institute that continues the Tunisian traditional maluf music.

My mother and sister are also singers. So I was raised in a family that listens to music, that loves music and that truly values music. My family has taught me a great deal. I have learnt to listen, to sing and perform.

Why do I sing old songs? Because I believe that singing such songs is a school in itself. It is a school that teaches the art of singing.

I breathe music, and it plays a very important role in my life. Both literature and music.

Literature is food for thought and music for the soul. When we talk about literature, we talk about poetry. Poetry is very important in Arabic music. The word is very important.

Before I sing, I must understand and feel the words in order to pass them on to the audience. This is the relationship between music and literature.”

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