Egyptian singer Sherine Abdelwahab arrived in Beirut a few days ago to prepare for a new artistic project with Fadl Shaker—years in the making and designed to mark his gradual return to the spotlight and Sherine’s strong comeback after a period of personal and professional stability. The plan was to record a romantic duet titled tentatively “Every Year, You’re My Love” inside the Ain al‑Hilweh camp in southern Lebanon, where Fadl Shaker has resided for years under legal restrictions preventing him from leaving or performing publicly.

However, Sherine was surprised to find that Lebanese authorities denied her the security clearance required to enter Ain al‑Hilweh. According to Lebanese media reports, the refusal came from the government commissioner to the military court, for reasons never officially disclosed—sparking widespread debate about the undisclosed objections, especially given the project’s purely artistic nature.

Sherine and Fadl had intended to record the song in the camp’s specially prepared studios, under tight confidentiality to ensure the surprise of the collaboration. The planned lyrics included heartfelt lines such as:

“Every year, you’re my love, every year, may you be well
Every year, you’re my destiny, no matter what happens in life
Every year, you’re my life, every year, you’re my passion
My very self is you, always with me, my dearest.”

This duet was expected to mark an extraordinary comeback for Fadl Shaker—who retains a large fan base despite his long absence—and Sherine, promising widespread attention.

To date, neither Sherine nor her media team have issued any official comment, leaving the project’s fate uncertain and raising the question of whether the recording might proceed outside the camp using alternative technical arrangements.

It’s worth noting that Sherine recently headlined the closing concert of the 20th Mawazine Festival in Morocco on Saturday, June 28—her first appearance there in nine years—drawing a massive audience and enthusiastic response, a milestone in her powerful return to the music scene.

In the coming days, observers will watch to see if the collaboration with Fadl Shaker will be revived under new arrangements or if security obstacles will indefinitely postpone its release.