Pop stars Amr Diab and Tamer Hosny to perform at El Gouna Film Festival

Both singers are promoting their latest tracks

Egyptian singers Amr Diab and Tamer Hosny will perform at El Gouna Film Festival. AFP / EPA
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Amr Diab and Tamer Hosny will perform at El Gouna Film Festival this week.

The Egyptian pop stars will make the journey to the Red Sea resort town for private performances at the festival, which will also feature the cream of the country’s entertainment industry.

Hosny will play on Thursday, October 29, and Diab will headline the official after-party on Saturday, October 31.

Their appearances will round off a series of musical performances that have been held in conjunction with the film festival.

On Wednesday, October 26, singers Hisham Abbas and Moustafa Amar performed a joint gig at the end of the day's programme, while Abu took to the makeshift outdoor stage the previous evening.

Diab is back with more new music

While not their usual arena surroundings, the film festival will be a great opportunity for Diab and Hosny to showcase new material.

For the former, El Gouna's picturesque setting will be an opportune time to unveil his new single El Gaw Gameel (The Weather is Beautiful).

Previewed through three teasers uploaded to his YouTube page, the track appears more restrained than Diab's previous upbeat offerings and carries a heavy Mediterranean vibe with accordion, flamenco guitars and elegant strings.

El Gaw Gameel is the follow up to Ahe Ahe, which released on October 24. A bilingual duet with Eirini Papadopoulou, the song finds Diab delivering a sunny pop chorus to offset the yearning verse by the Greek soprano.

Diab’s appearance at the festival is also highly anticipated for reasons other than his music.

Having confirmed his long rumoured relationship with Egyptian actress Dina El Sherbiny back in August, after she starred in the music video for his song Amaken El Sahar (Night Life), fans will be watching out for a red carpet appearance from the couple while at the festival.

While confirming their relationship status, the couple has not addressed rumours they have secretly wed.

Hosny to preview songs from new album

Hosny is also on the promotional trail with an upcoming new album, Khaleek Folazy.

Fans got a taste of the project with the October 15 release of single Mabatalnash Ehsas (We Haven't Stopped Feeling).

Carried by leisurely Egyptian percussion and summery strings, Mabatalnash Ehsas is classic Hosny as he croons about the wisdom that is earned with time. "We grew up to understand that pain comes and goes so it can to teach us," he sings. "We may have stopped loving more, but we haven't stop feeling."

Judging by its breezy pop sounds and the A-list production team working on the album, which includes songwriters Mohamed Rahim and Amir Teima, fans should expect a crowd-pleaser of a release.