Singer Asalah Nasri's former manager and ex-husband of 15 years, Ayman El Dahabi, recently talked with Elaph.com before the season finale of "Album", the reality show he is a judge in. Here are the highlights; his discussion of budding singer Sara El Hani (the strongest new voice in the industry) and his feelings towards ex-wife/project Asalah:

You are known to be a sensitive & caring man, where is your love life today, after a failed marriage & engagement?
My engagement was rushed as a response to Asalah leaving me. I engaged quickly and left it quickly.

Today, you are in a talent show, have you found another singer of Asalah's caliber?
"I have found another Asalah," Ayman coolly said, "She is Assil, the female Iraqi contestant on Album. She has just signed a contract with [Saudi singer] Rashed El Majed."

Do you believe that Assil can shake Asalah's throne?
There is no comparison [contradicting himself]. Every singer has her own style and state. The difference is Asalah has experience, Assil possesses the charisma and the voice, like Asalah.

Do you consider yourself a "star maker"?
Yes, and thanks be to God, I am successful in doing so.

Where is your project, Sara El Hani, whose star qualities we bet on? They say your are the reason of her delayed entry into the music scene.
On the contrary, I agreed with her manager Mrs. Anoud to "sell" her to Rotana after Anoud and I had a bitter dispute and we couldn't work together anymore. So we have "sold" her to Rotana now.

You sold Sara El Hani?
No, I sold her contract and album, and I found that it is better for Sara to be in a large company like Rotana. This was in Sara's favor, despite the great loss it was to me, my costs were not covered.

But Sara is not prominent today, despite her great abilities.
This is all due to the laziness of her manager and production company.

Do you not feel guilty at all over how her musical career suffered after you abandoned her?
No, I worked very hard with Sara. I built her a foundation to work from, presented her with a debut album, helped her shoot her debut video clip, and handed her over to the greatest production company. Her manager's laziness however, is none of my business because I do not carry the load of others failure.

How would it be in her manager's benefit to keep Sarah out of the limelight?
I don't know, her manager is inexperienced, that's all.

What is the reason behind your dispute with Anoud?
There are many reasons, the smallest reason is that she seized all the fruits of my deal with Rotana, and I did not see a penny of it.

It is said that you are about to board [Lebanese singer] Yara's management, but [her mentor/composer/former manager] Tareq Abou Jaoudeh denies this.
There is still some discussion, I might work with Yara & Tareq on a couple of things, but nothing is official yet.

Asalah has cursed you before, for every singer you try to "create" is a project to harm Asalah, or create a "new Asalah".
This was a long time ago, when we first divorced. And what is wrong with me launching another Asalah? The experience, knowledge and talent is out there, and there are many fish in the sea. I wish Asalah the best, and I hope she makes the right decisions so that she presents the same work that you got used to when she worked with me.

Do you believe Asalah is still on the throne she occupied when you worked with her?
No, Asalah has changed a lot.

So her career has declined?
Without a doubt.

... The rest of the interview will be published in few hours.

By Ahmed