December 2016—the announcement of the first episode of my program with my dear mentor, Samir Sabry.
A show we had dreamed of, and whose first episodes we had prepared under the name “Stars and Melodies”, set to air weekly on the Songs Radio.
Yet, only 48 hours before the broadcast, Mr. Samir surprised me with his familiar smile:
“We want to change the name… let’s call it ‘My Memories.’”
I froze for a moment.
The credits were ready, the first episode recorded, the publicity launched, and the press notified.
Most importantly, the credits were voiced by Ms. Nadia Mabrouk, head of the sector at the time, whose busy schedule left no room for last-minute changes.
But I had always trained myself to be ready.
I carried modern external recording devices I had bought with my own money in my bag, as if they were part of me.
At that moment, it was nine in the evening. I left Mr. Samir at the seventh-floor studios and headed to the fifth floor.
I found Ms. Nadia by the elevator, about to leave for an important meeting. I stopped her and explained the situation in seconds.
She said, “Now? I have a meeting… let’s do it tomorrow.”
I replied confidently,
“Ma’am, I have a solution… we can record it right now.”
She looked at me in surprise: “Where?”
I smiled:
“In the elevator.”
Door closed…
Recording device ready…
Stand by… record…
I stepped out of the elevator with a new credit sequence titled “My Memories.”
I worked on it immediately, and it was broadcast at the beginning and end of the program for over forty weekly episodes. From that moment, my role in the program changed completely—from merely an assistant in preparation to taking full responsibility: contributing to planning, external recordings, editing, sound engineering, and directing.
We were a team of just two: him… and me.
No engineering team, no directing team, no support staff.
I handled every detail—from recording to editing to coordination.
That moment—a simple shift to recording inside an elevator—was the start of an unforgettable radio memory…
May God have mercy on my mentor, Samir Sabry, who taught me that creativity does not wait for circumstances—it creates them. And even if some try to obscure or distort the facts, the work, real success, and good relationships remain the lasting imprint that dust cannot erase.
Press coverage:
Youm7
El Watan News
El Fagr