ERBIL, Kurdistan Region—Some Kurdish singers are keeping an eye on performing next month’s Kurdish New Year concerts abroad, believing they have little prospect at home due to the region’s financial crisis.
Azizi Waisi, a popular singer from Iranian Kurdistan (Rojhelat) has already made plans to go on a nine-day tour in Norway, Sweden, Germany and Denmark starting March 18.
Waisi has a contract for $8,000 for his Sweden appearance some of which he says will go to charity.
March 21 marks the Kurdish New Year of Newroz which is celebrated with bonfires atop mountains and music across Kurdistan and abroad.
Singers like Waisi have regularly entertained the Kurdish diaspora community in European countries in wedding parties or national events.
This year however, the prospect seems more attractive than before as the Kurdistan Region itself is suffering from a severe financial crisis caused by two years of budget freeze by Baghdad and a sharp decline in oil prices.
Bakhtyar Salih, a voice known for making anyone stand up and dance also has got invitations to enliven Newroz parties in Switzerland and Norway.
Invitations from home haven’t completely dried up. Haval Ibrahim has received some calls for concerts in Europe, but has as well been contacted in Erbil for a Newroz performance.
“I would personally like to be home in Kurdistan for Newroz but that depends on my contracts,” Ibrahim told Rudaw.
He also makes it a condition that if he sings in Erbil, the sound system, lighting and musical instruments all should be in order and without a hitch.
It appears that flocking European capitals by these Kurdish singers is not all about money or getting a good deal.
Hamid Osman who has a performance in Norway on March 26, says, “My performance there is not for financial gains. I even pay for the air fare myself,”
Osman has been invited by some Kurdish cultural organizations in the Scandinavian country.
Among the singers, Arab Osman stands out for his regular tours of Europe and his strong fan base in the Kurdish communities there. He has answered the call of his fans every Newroz.
This year however, he doesn’t seem to be in a party mood.
He has a standing contract for Germany and Denmark and has filed an application for a Schengen visa at the German consulate, “but because of the situation in Kurdistan, the financial crisis and war with ISIS no one is happy at home or abroad, therefore I’m not going on that tour even if I get the visa.
Arab Osman says that he will boycott all Newroz parties in Kurdistan, too.
