Dubai: Fans around the Arab world were shocked today, as they were waiting for their favourite singer to release a video clip from her summer Album - instead she revealed she was fighting breast cancer.
Elissa revealed her video clip in a tweet.
“You are the reason I am strong and healthy… you are my strength. And this story is a thank you “For all those who love me”” and along came her video clip.
You are the reason I am strong and healthy... You are my strength. And this story is a thank you “For all those who love me” ❤https://t.co/8NxAWymtQG
— Elissa (@elissakh) August 7, 2018
“A reality music video beyond reality,” Tareck Karam, a famous Lebanese producer, tweeted after watching it.
The video clip begins with a women inside an MRI machine with the date December 26, 2017 and a subtitle ‘you have cancer.’
You would think this is a normal video clip of a cancer patient, but you’re shocked after hearing Elissa, talking in what seemed like a real phone call.
Describing her pain, her shock, her black thoughts, hiding her weakness, and her treatments.
“You know that moment when you wonder… Will I ever see the people I love again? Those who love me back…… Is that moment, when it’s all over here? You won’t exist tomorrow?”
You can hear her sobs, feel her fear and agony.
“I go to radiotherapy, then I enter the studio. I finish another session, rest for two hours and to the studio again. Once a week also I was shooting a live show. It’s not me who I felt sorry for. Angy, I felt sorry for the people I loved and this song is for the people we really love and don’t want to leave behind.”
Angy is a famous film producer and a friend of Ellisa, who produced the video clip and confirmed that these were real voice notes sent to her by Elissa.
“She calls me one day and said: I want to tell my story... she sent me all these voice notes that you heard in the clip... not knowing that I will find in them the best way to reflect her state of mind... her unbelievable story of illness, pain, and survival! “
Nidlal Alahmadieh, a Lebanese journalist, tweeted to Ellissa instantly: “The smartest Arab music video, the most moral and the most courageous.. This is the message of a respectable artist.”
Another singer, Maya Diab also tweeted replying to Ellissa’s tweet. “Today I woke up to Elissa new clip, that is talking about her fight with breast cancer.. A very touching clip from a real non-rival woman who suffered but stayed the strong Elissa we know. The woman who made herself by herself, who dreamed of fame and succeeded, for sure such a woman was able to hold up, fight and win to tell her story in the most intelligent and honest way, no for the sympathy but to say thank you and be aware.”
The video clip showed Elissa’s journey fighting cancer, with her family and friends around her, giving her strength when she wanted to give up.
In one of the scenes, we see the famous makeup artist Bassam Fatouh drying her tears before applying makeup for a concert in Dubai on the February 3 this year. She fainted on stage half an hour into the concert. The incident made headlines and her PR said she was tired from flying.
Ellisa didn’t want only to thank the people who love her and stood by her, but also built a campaign.
The video clip ended with date stamp, August 7, 2018 and a message from Ellisa
“I’ve recovered, I’ve beaten the illness, and I won…. Early detection of breast cancer can save your life, don’t ignore it, face it.
DO IT NOT ONLY FOR YOURSELF, BUT FOR YOUR LOVED ONES.”
