The 5 interview, part 5: Kazem Chamas on fame, fans, fights, and why the band should only sing in Arabic

Kazem Chamas of The 5. Courtesy of MBC Group

To celebrate the recent debut single from The 5 — the pan-Arab boyband who found fame on the inaugural season of the Arab X-factor this summer — we sat down with each of the band-members.

In the final of our exclusive five-part series of one-on-ones, we got to know 19-year-old Lebanese singer Kazem Chamas.

At least two of your bandmates said you’re the laziest member of the band, what do you say to that?

The reason they say that is because I’m always relaxed — I’m not lazy, I’m cool.

So who is it then?

We’re all equally lazy.

What does being in The 5 mean to you?

It’s an amazing feeling, it makes me feel whole. It gives my life another meaning, because I feel I belong to a great project. I always dreamed of being a star. I started singing when I was three years old.

Did you find X-factor difficult?

Of course. It was the most difficult thing I went through in life. No sleep, the hours we had to work and practice were insane. With singing you always have to be fresh — because I’m cool and relaxed that was hard on me. I need my rest to perform best.

But you didn’t win ...

I thought we would win, but the fact we didn’t wasn’t unfair. It was a great experience, we learnt a lot, and now the outcome is ever better because we’re signed, and already have our first single.

What does the new single, El Donia Shabab, mean to you?

It’s very youthful, very vibrant. It reflects who we are.

Do you ever fight in the band, about who gets the most focus or the best vocal parts?

Not at all — each of us takes the right part for our voices, what we are capable of, and everyone sounds their best.

You’re getting a lot of attention from fans — particularly female fans — how do you deal with it?

What matters to me most is the fans of The 5 — whether they’re female, male, kids, teenagers, adults — all I care about is their lives and their support.

The rest of band told me they would like to sing songs in English. Are you comfortable with that?

For me, I think we’re an Arab band, and we should sing in Arabic only.

Where do you see The 5 one year from now?

After one year we’re going to be further than the Arab world, we’re going to crossover [internationally]. You like my confidence, right?

• Click here for our interview with the whole band.

El Donia Shabab is out now on iTunes.