Assala Melody Dispute Puts Rotana in Court
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A new legal dispute has emerged in the Arab music industry after Egyptian composer Tamer Ali filed a lawsuit against Rotana over the melody of “Aktar Min Elli Ana Bahlam Beih,” a song famously performed by Assala Nasri and written by lyricist Mohamed Refai.
The case is not only about one song. It raises a broader question about how far production companies can go in licensing or reusing melodies, especially when a composer says his approval was not obtained. According to entertainment reports, the dispute centres on allegations that Rotana allowed a Turkish singer, whose name was reported in Arabic outlets as Ebmu Gumdes, to use the melody with modifications without returning to the original composer.
Through his lawyer, Ali is seeking to stop the disputed work from being broadcast on YouTube and digital platforms. He is also demanding 2 million Egyptian pounds in compensation for what he describes as damage to his artistic and moral rights.
The significance of the case lies in placing the composer’s rights at the centre of the conversation. In many music disputes, the singer’s name dominates the headlines, while the creators behind the melody and lyrics receive less attention. Here, Assala’s name is attached to the controversy because she performed the well-known version of the song, but the legal dispute is mainly about the use and licensing of the melody.
The case also reflects growing sensitivity in the Arab music market as songs move across languages and audiences. If a melody is reused in another language or musical format without the proper approval, the issue becomes more than a creative adaptation. It becomes a question of intellectual property, financial rights, and the composer’s moral right to control how his work is used.
No final court ruling has been issued yet, so the matter remains at the stage of claims and legal demands. Still, the dispute places production companies under closer scrutiny over how they manage catalogues, international licensing, and the rights of composers and lyricists.
