Iraqi singer Kadim Al-Sahir discusses poverty and personal losses on ABtalks

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraqi artist Kadim Al-Sahir appeared on ABtalks, a prominent Middle Eastern long-form interview platform, where host Anas Buhaş spoke with him about his music career and personal life. Known by his stage name "Caesar," Al-Sahir reflected on his childhood, experiences with poverty and the deaths of several close family members over the years, including his parents, siblings, an older sister, a childhood love and a former spouse. In the interview, the singer described how those losses shaped his songwriting and his outlook on life, adding that he sought therapy to cope with the grief. He also addressed the responsibility that came with becoming an international music figure and spoke about the guilt he felt while pursuing music during periods when his family faced hardship. Al-Sahir said he had chosen to live alone and did not plan to remarry. The program combined discussion of his career with reflections on his personal life and on key periods in Iraq's recent history.