Asmahanأسمهان

Click play to listen to Asmahan while you read!

Introduction

The Empire is crumbling, and a rogue prince with a price on his head is left with no choice but to flee with his pregnant wife and kids on a ship across the Mediterranean where , amidst the crashing waves, his wife gives birth to a baby girl whom they name "Hope." It sounds like the beginning to what could be a suspenseful and/or terribly cliche film, so it's hard to believe that this is really the story of one of the first modern Arab celebrities, the Syrian Druze princess turned Egyptian diva, Asmahan. The life of Asmahan at times has been likened to that of Édith Piaf or Princess Diana, and indeed, her life events contain the intrigue of both of these figures combined. The story of Asmahan is among the most interesting biographies of modern history, and has in many ways come to transcend the music of Asmahan itself, despite the fact that she is the voice of some of the most celebrated and cherished recordings in Arabic music history. Asmahan rivaled the iconic Om Kalthoum in fame during her career, and she performed some of the most difficult songs composed in Arabic. Her concerts and recordings were and continue to be adored by millions, and her stunning face with her bright green eyes remains one of the immortal images of Arab music history. The life of Asmahan captivates the masses for all these reasons, but also tells us much about the times she lived in, an extremely formative period for the Modern Arab World.

Biographical Information and Career

Asmahan's youth was directly impacted by the turmoil that affected the region at large, i.e., the fall of the Ottoman Empire. Born Amal al-Atrash, her father was Fahed al-Atrash, a Druze leader from Sweida of the Arab Druze Mountains in modern day Syria serving at that time as Governor of Demirci (western Turkey) in the Ottoman Empire. By 1917, the Empire was crumbling at the hands of the Allies, Britain and France, as World War I dragged on, and fearing for his and his family's safety, Fahed al-Atrash boarded a ship from Izmir to Beirut along with his pregnant wife and children. On that ship the wife of Fahed al-Atrash gave birth to baby Amal in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea.

These dramatic and inauspicious beginnings did not foretell the fame and fortune that Amal would soon amass. Soon after their flight, Fahed al-Atrash and his wife Aaliyah Menzer separated, and she left for Cairo with her young children. To support her family, Aaliyah sang and played oud at private parties, and this musical talent was imparted to her children, particularly Amal and her brother Farid, the famous singer and oud player known to the world as Farid al-Atrache (see picture at right for Asmahan with her brother Farid).

Asmahan recorded her first album at the age of sixteen, and was singing at venues such as the prestigious Cairo opera house from the very beginning of her career, working with major composers such as Farid Ghosn, Daoud Hosni, Zakaria Ahmed and Mohamed El Qasabji. However, soon after, she was brought back home to her family's native Sweida in Syria after her cousin, the prince Hassan al-Atrash, asked for her hand in marriage. She had one daughter with Hassan and spent four years as a Druze princess in Sweida, however, this Druze mountain lifestyle did not suit Asmahan who had grown up living in the bustling modern city of Cairo, and thus, she and Hassan divorced and she returned to Egypt. There, Asmahan amassed greater and greater fame, rivaling Om Kalthoum in popularity and starring in two films during the 1940s entitled Victory of Youth (انتضار الشباب) and Passion and Revenge (غرام وانتقام).

Asmahan's love life was subject to public scrutiny, which did not prevent her in any way whatsoever from engaging in what was considered scandalous behavior by Egyptian moral standards. Asmahan was linked to many men throughout her career, and she was briefly married to multiple men working in show business, with none of her relationships lasting very long. She was also linked to the journalist Mohamed al'Taba'i. Many Egyptians were outraged and offended by this behavior, which would normally not be allowed due to societal and family pressures, however, they were at the same time drawn to it, and Asmahan's position as a celebrity and indeed powerful woman free of the domination of her family allowed her to occupy the space of the independent working woman of today, the first of her kind in modern Egyptian society.

During World War II, Asmahan became politically involved with the Allies, and was enlisted by the French to serve as an envoy to her people, asking that the Druze side with the Free French and allow them to move freely in Syria, which had come into the hands of the Vichy government after Germany took over France during the War. The Allies were successful in Syria in part due to the cooperation of the Druze, and Asmahan was thanked personally by Charles de Gaulle for her efforts.

This should have been the peak of a long musical and, who knows, political career as princess, singer and movie star, but tragedy befell Asmahan in July of 1944 when her car carrying her and a female friend plunged into the Nile after her driver, who survived, by leaping from the vehicle, lost control. Of course, conspiracy theories abounded. Some said she was assassinated by the British after possibly betraying them and working as a double agent; others said she was killed by the German Gestapo. Certainly either of the two was capable of such an act. Still others blamed her rival Om Kalthoum, or her many former lovers who can have sought revenge. This is added to the fact that Asmahan was known to have had an irrational fear of water from a young age based on an alleged Gypsy prediction. However, the truth was never fully known.

Despite her career being cut short when she was just 36 years old, Asmahan left behind a modest volume of songs. Here is a sampling of songs available on the site:

Is'iniha أسقينيها
Ahwa أهوى
Imta Hataaref إمتى حتعرف translation available
Intisar al Shabab انتصار الشباب
Ayuha al Naim أيها النائم
Ana Illi Estahel أنا اللي أستاهل
Al-Leel الليل
Dakhelt Fi Marra Jenina دخلت في مرة جنينة translation available
Rigaet Lak رجعت لك
Aleek Salat Allah عليك صلاة الله
Kan Lee Amal كان لي أمل
Layali al Uns ليالي الأنس translation available
Ya Bida El Ward (يا بدع الورد)
Ya Dierti يا ديرتي
Ya Toyour يا طيور translation available
Ya Habibi Taala يا حبيبي تعالtranslation available

Asmahan also starred in two films, the second of which was not released before her death in 1944,

1941: Intisar al Shabab انتصار الشباب
1944: Gharam wa Intiqam غرام وانتقام

Her Music and Impact

Taken apart from her intriguing private and public life and her breathtaking good looks, Asmahan's singing in and of itself was enough to make her an important feature of Egypt's modern cultural history. Asmahan possessed extraordinary vocal abilities and exceptional range, utilizing both Arab and European singing techniques (i.e. singing both from her chest and nose as did Om Kalthoum in addition to using an opera-style head voice, similar to the old Italian singers and Lebanese singer Fairuz), making her especially versatile, as can be seen if one compares "I Once Entered a Garden (دخلت في مرة جنينة)" and "Oh Birds (يا طيور)", which are in fact two technically very different parts of the same composition.

However, Asmahan is most noteworthy for her unique social role in the young modern Egyptian society and her continued role in the imagined history of the region, because Asmahan, more than any other celebrity, was directly affected by the tumultuous events of the modern Arab World's becoming, and was at often times, at odds with a society that sought to define her every-changing female role. Sherifa Zuhur comments at length on Asmahan's place in Arab society in her 1988 book Asmahan's Secrets (click here to read the introduction). The world of Asmahan's family was turned upside-down by the fall of the Ottoman Empire, which marked the beginning of a new era in the modern Arab states. As an immigrant in a truly foreign country (the notion of Syria and Egypt being sister Arab nations had not yet been established) in Cairo, Asmahan was able to take on a liberated alternate persona that allowed her to be a shocking, yet ultimately socially acceptable diva figure in Egyptian society. Asmahan was quite possibly the Arab World's first sex symbol, creating a new kind of entertainment in the new social space of the night clubs and opera houses of British Mandate Cairo. Yet, she was not immune to the effect of patriarchy and traditional rule of the family over the individual. Her return to Sweida, her marriage to her cousin as a teenager, and her eventual pregnancy were all very much contrary to the life that Asmahan seemed to imagine for herself, as she much preferred her celebrity life in Cairo.

Moreover, her political involvement during World War II reflects the uncomfortable and difficult choice with which so many Arab notables of the times were faced; which side to join in a war of outsiders. The French and British had colonized the Middle East and dismantled the Ottoman Empire, which itself was seen as a colonizer by Arabs; yet, in the end many Arabs sided with the Allies during World War II when faced with the possibility of the Third Reich taking over. The details of Asmahan's life are confusing, much like history of the countries of Syria, Lebanon, Egypt and Palestine in which she operated. Asmahan's story gives us a sense of the kind of change and upheaval that was taking place in the Arab World of the first half of the 20th century.

And thus, the legend of Asmahan is still being used to legitimize historical narratives of the time. As recently as 2008, a mini-series entiteld Asmahan was launched in Syria starring Syria's most enchanting TV star Sulaf Fawakherji (see right) depicting the events of Asmahan's life, casting it with a very Arab nationalist tone. Perhaps because she died so young, when the Arab nations themselves were in their very infancies, the legend of Asmahan remains one of the juiciest bits of Arab celebrity gossip sixty years after her death, and her music continues to play on Arab radio to this day.

Ziad Rahbaniزياد رحباني

Click play to listen to Ziad while you read!

Introduction

Those who are familiar with the Arabic music scene, know that for all the musical accomplishments of the early composers and singers, and for all the popularity of Arab musicians both in the Arab world and internationally, innovation, or perhaps appreciation for innovation, is noticeably lacking. This is only natural considering the economic and technological challenges of creating music and funding its continued production in these Arab countries, most of which are home to struggling economies, not to mention that freedom of expression is by and large muted and artists that address issues such as politics, sex, religion, minorities and the like have been and continue to be persecuted. On the level of content, art is subject to a large degree of state control and manipulation, and is threatened by a need to compete with the massive production capabilities of the United States and other Western countries whose cheap and crude cultural exports dictate the world music trends and fashion, resulting in an inexplicably bland and often obnoxious imitation of pop music aesthetics that are barely accepted as art in the West. Large corporations like Rotana monopolize production of these songs and video clips , spewing homogenized garbage music designed for mass consumption and the masses, due to this flood of noise and a lack of an alternative, either accept this music and enjoy it for what it is or reject it in favor of foreign products or lo-fi recordings of local artists.

Of course none of that dark picture is really any different than the state of the American music industry. It's the economic and sociopolitical problems that at the end of the day inhibit independent production of art, and more importantly, its distribution. In countries where not every 20-something has a MacBook and you could be jailed for disseminating your views on just about anything, artists are all the more at the mercy of those institutions that, rather than serving to promote art, seek to control it.

Perhaps for this reason the few artists that step out of the towering shadow of these institutions seem all the more impressive. Ziad Rahbani is one of these few and far between figures that has been able to innovate and, at times, instigate the Arabic music scene, making an artistic impact that transcends the music world. His plays have brought us some of the most creative and timeless musical compositions in the Arabic language, and his albums and words have inspired and enraged many. What is so remarkable about Ziad Rahbani is that he has sustained this high level of musical production and continued to transform as an artist across the decades, counted among the elite Arabic musicians to this very day. See this list of currently available translations of songs composed or performed by Ziad Rahbani on the site:

Performed by Ziad:

I'm Not a Heathen (انا مش كافر)
Pass it Around (دورها)

Collaborations:

Joseph Saqer - Living By Herself Without You (عايشة وحدها بلاك)
Joseph Saqer - The Bus (البوسطة) for Fairuz version click here
Joseph Saqer - It's a Bad Situation (الحالة تعبانة)
Fairuz - I Trust in You (عندي ثقة فيك)
Fairuz - I've Sent You My Soul (بعتلك روحي)
Latefa - Secure Me a House (أمنلي بيت)
Selma - Suit Against Anonymous (دعوى ضد مجهول)
Selma - Don't Just Call Me (مش بس تلفنلي)

Biographical Information and Career

One would think that all this aforementioned artistic energy and innovation might arise from hard life experience or some sort of rags to riches background, however, Ziad Rahbani was almost the complete opposite of this, born into Lebanon's cultural elite to parents Assi Rahbani, who along with his brother Mansour was Lebanon's premiere composer, and Nuhad Haddad a.k.a. Fairuz, the most iconic Lebanese singer in the history of Arabic music. The Rahbani family is Lebanon's musical dynasty, and as son of the biggest composer and biggest singer in Lebanon, Ziad was heir to this dynasty. Yet, this sort of an upbringing might not produce anything more than a privileged, uninspired youth who more often than not pales in comparison to his parents or rejects their craft entirely. In Ziad's case, he was not only a musical prodigy surrounded by music since he was born, working side by side with his father, but also proved to be an intellectual of sorts, excelling in writing as well. Ziad mastered the piano at a young age, but his first work of note was actually a collection of poetry written in his teens entitled My Friend God (صديقي الله) (for download click here). He made his musical debut in the play The Station (المحطة), when his uncle Mansour asked him to compose the music to the song "The People Asked Me About You (سألوني الناس)", which he had written about his brother and Ziad's father Assi, who at that time was unable to work on music due to illness. This song, sung of course by wife of Assi and mother of Ziad, Fairuz, was a hit and gained Ziad his first recognition in the Arabic music world (click here to read and listen).

Ziad worked on a few plays with his uncle before moving on to his first play entitled Sahriyye (view it here) in 1973. Often featuring the singer Joseph Saqr, Ziad composed several subsequent plays throughout the 70s and 80s, which often contained political content and were a huge success on Lebanese radio. Here is a short list, some of which have links to video clips or music, and most of these plays' recordings are available on Youtube.com without picture:

1974: Nazl el Sourour نزل السرور
1978: Bennesbe La Boukra Shou? بنسبة لبكرا شو؟
1980: Film Ameriki Taweel فيلم أمريكي طويل
1983: Shi fashel شي فاشل
1990: Bikhsous el Karameh wel Cha3b el 3aneed بخصوص الكرامة والشعب العنيد
1994: Lawla Fos7at el Amali لولا فسحة الأمل

In the late 70s Ziad's parents, Fairuz and Assi Rahbani, separated, and from that time on Ziad became the composer of Fairuz's subsequent albums as listed.

1979: Wahdon وحدهن
1987: Maarifti Feek معرفتي فيك
1991: Kifak Inta كيفك انت
1999: Mish Kayen Heek Tkoun مش كاين هيك تكون
2001: Wala Kif ولله كيف

Ziad has many of his own albums as well, some of which feature collaborations with other artists, especially as his career went on and his singing voice faded.

1979: Abu Ali أبو علي
1984: Shereet Ghayr Huduudi شريط غير حدودي
1984: Huduu Nisbi هدوء نسبي
1985: Ana Moush Kafer انا مش كافر
1987: Hekaya حكاية
1986: Bi Hal Shekel بهالشكل
1996: Bema Enno بما أنو featuring Joseph Saqr
1996: Musakkafoun Noun مثقفون نون for Makhoul Kassouf
2001: Monodose featuring Selma
2006: Maloumat Akeeda معلومات أكيدة featuring Latefa

These are only a sampling of some of the musical and theatrical projects Ziad has worked on or contributed to, in addition to his concerts all over the Middle East and Europe.

Ziad's personal life was not without some chaos. His first marriage ended in divorce, and in 2009 he filed to disown his son from that marriage Assi Jr. when it was revealed by DNA test that Ziad was not his father, see news article here

His Music and Politics

Ziad Rahbani is regarded as a versatile composer not only for the creativity and originality of his compositions but also for his mastery of both "Oriental" and Western musical styles, and thus, is responsible for some of the most popular as well as some of the most critically acclaimed music in the Arab world. More than any other artist, Ziad Rahbani was responsible for developing a kind of "Arab jazz" that was pioneered by his father Assi and uncle Mansour and incorporated Western musical elements while utilizing a combination of traditional Arabic instruments alongside new instruments. Many of his most famous compositions in his plays and songs for Fairuz are of this nature, however, he also has recorded much that would be considered more experimental and further removed from the Arabic music scene in such albums as "Relative Calm (هدوء نسبي)" and his collaboration with Selma "Monodose."

The lyrics of Ziad Rahbani's music, sometimes composed by his friend Joseph Harb, always feature a certain candidness not typical of Arabic music that blends nicely with his free and sometimes playful musical style. Ziad Rahbani more than any other Arabic composer successfully utilizes sarcasm and wit in a way that gives his songs a unique tone.

Following in the footsteps of his uncles, many of Ziad's works deal with politics, expressing his socialist and sometimes nihilistic views that contained real social criticism. The Lebanon of his heyday was certainly a society in turmoil; between the years 1975 and 1990 Lebanon was in an almost constant state of civil war that resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of civilians and the flight of millions. The civil war broke down along ethnic and religious lines, although these lines were not clearly drawn since different factions constantly changed sides. Moreover, the majority of Lebanese who were living in a once integrated, diverse society found themselves caught in the crossfire, being forced to choose sides in a seemingly senseless circle of violence and chaos. By 1985, Lebanon was in the throes what is often considered the fourth phase of the civil war in which violence hit the Palestinian refugee camps hard following the withdrawal from Beirut of Israeli forces who had overseen one of the biggest massacres of the war, Sabra and Shateela.

In the midst of this escalating and increasingly confusing violence, Ziad Rahbani recorded one of his most important songs entitled "I Am Not a Heathen (أنا مش كافر)" in which he railed against the leaders of Lebanon's religious communities, collectively blaming them for destroying the social fabric of Lebanon and bringing pain and suffering to the once prosperous nation (see link for music and lyrics). Ziad's boldness in such tense times and his insistence on continuing to live in the Sunni Muslim quarter of Beirut despite his being Christian sent a clear message and established him as one of the vocal figures of the Lebanese opposition to the status quo, influencing other artists such as Julia Boutros to follow his lead.

The bitter irony of Arab politics in the latter half of the 20th century is that the same problems recur, and thus, the plays and songs of Ziad Rahbani still resonate in countries like Syria and Egypt where little has changed and Ziad's old works can be heard as if they were commenting on the present. It's true that the Lebanese Civil War has long since ended, but political unrest remains a feature of the Lebanese political landscape, and likewise, Ziad Rahbani remains a prominent figure as a political and social writer in addition to continuing his music. He currently writes a weekly column in the newspaper al-Akhbar commenting on the important political events of the day and writing, unlike most writers, in colloquial Lebanese Arabic dialect (click here to view).

Without a shred of doubt, Ziad Rahbani is counted among the Arab world's most influential and talented composers; however, unlike most Arab musicians who have shied away from political controversy and outspokenness, Ziad has continued to exercise his artistic, musical, and social freedom throughout his career. Looking at the the state of Lebanese and Arabic music today, we can see his influences on the artists of today, yet no musician as of yet has risen to fill his shoes. Perhaps it is a matter of time, or perhaps he is the last of a rare and dying breed in the Arab world. Either way, it is safe to say that all of us are lucky to have lived in his lifetime.

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Amr Diabعمرو دياب

Amr Diab has been the face of Egyptian pop music for over 20 years. Currently we have the following Amr Diab songs in translation:

3awwadūnī عودوني - They Got Me Used To
3uyūnuh nādūnī عيونه نادوني - Her Eyes Called Me
al-3ālim allah العالم الله - God Knows
al-Layla di الليلة دي - Tonight
Allah la yaḥramnī minnak الله لا يحرمني منك - May God Not Keep Me from You
Ana 3āyiş انا عايش - I Live
Ana mahmā kibirt ṣuğayyar انا مهما كبرت صغير - No Matter How Old I Get I'm Young
Anta al-ğālī انت الغالي - You Are Most Precious
Aywa ana 3ārif ايوه انا عارف - Yeah I Know
Ba3add al-layālī بعد الليالي - Counting the Nights
Baḥibbak aktar بحبك أكثر - I Love You More
Ḍaḥikat ضحكت - She Smiled
Fahimt 3aynayk فهمت عينيك - I Understood Your Eyes
Ḥakāyāt حكايات - Stories
Kān 3andak ḥaqq كان عندك حق - You Were Right
Laylī nahārī ليلي نهاري - My Night is My Day
Malhāş ḥall ملهاش حل - The Perfect Solution
Mayyāl ميال - Inclined
Naqūl eh? نقول ايه - What Could We Say
Nūr al-3ayn نور العين - Light of My Eye
Qālat lī qūl قالت لي قول - She Told Me to Say
Rawḥī murtaḥā lak روحي مرتحالك - My Soul Is Satisfied With You
Ṣaddaqnī xalāṣ صدقني خلاص - Just Trust Me
Tamallī ma3āk تملي معاك - Always With You
Ṭūl mā şāyifak طول ما شايفك - As Long as I See You
Wa māluh? وماله - So What?
Wallā 3alā bāluh ولا على باله - Never On Her Mind
Xalīk ma3āyā خليك معايا - May You Be With Me
Xallast fīk kull al-kalām خلصت فيك كل الكلام - I Used Up All My Words on You

Abdel Halim Hafezعبد الحليم حافظ

Abdel Halim Hafez is one of the foremost names in Arabic music. Born in 1929, Abdel Halim Hafez's rise to stardom accompanied the rise of Egyptian nationalism and independence in the 1950s, thus making him into a national cultural symbol along with the great female singer Oum Kalthoum and the talented composed Mohamed Abdel Wahab. He died somewhat prematurely in 1977, but remains one of the most well-known figures in the world of Egyptian and Arab music. Currently, we have the following songs of Abdel Halim Hafez in translation:

al-Ḥubb gamīl الحب جميل - Love is Beautiful
al-Masīḥ المسيح - The Messiah
al-Sadd al-3ālī السد العالي - The High Dam
al-Waṭan al-akbar الوطن الأكبر - The Greatest Country
Aḥḍān al-ḥabāyib احضان الحبايب - In the Arms of Loved Ones
Baḥlam bīk بحلم بيك - Dreaming of You
Batlūmūnī leh? بتلوموني ليه؟ - Why are You Blaming Me?
Baynī wa baynak eh? بيني وبينك ايه؟ - What is there between me and you?
Bukra wa ba3do بكره وبعده - Tomorrow and the Day After Tomorrow
Ḍayy al-qanādīl ضي القناديل - The Glow of the Streetlights
Eh zanbi eh? ايه ذنبي ايه - What's My Crime?
Fī yawm fī şahr fī sina في يوم في شهر في سنة - Some Day, Some Month, Some Year
Gabbār جبّار - Ruthless
Ḥallafnī حلفني - Swear to Me
Ḥalw wa kazzāb حلو وكذاب - Beautiful and a Liar
Ḥabībati man takūn حبيبتي من تكون - Who could my darling be
Ḥāga ğarība حاجة غريبة - A Strange Thing
Ḥubbak nār حبك نار - Your Love is Fire
Kāmil al-awṣāf كامل الأوصال - The Perfect Woman
Maşğūl مشغول - Busy
Maw3ūd موعود - Accustomed
Nabtada minayn al-ḥikāya نبتدى منين الحكاية - From Where Do We Begin the Story?
Risāla min taḥt al-mā' رسالة من تحت الماء -A Message from Underwater
Qūllī ḥāga قوللي حاجة - Tell Me Something
Qāri'at al-Finjān قارئة الفنجان - Reader of Fortunes
Sawwāh سواح - Wanderer
Ṣaffīnī marra صفيني مرة - True to Me One Time
Ṣodfa صدفة - Accident
Toba توبة - Never Again
Taxūnūh تخونوه - You're Betraying Him
Xusāra خسارة - What a Shame

Julia Boutrosجوليا بطرس

Julia Boutros, alternate spellings: Julia Botros, Julia Butros

جوليا بطرس

Julia Boutros was born in Beirut Lebanon on the 1st of April 1968. Her Zodiac is Aires. She studied at the Rosary Sisters Schools. She is Christian.

Julia used to sing in her school choir where she has shown an excellent talent. Around the age of 12 sang her first original song, entitled " A Maman ", the song was recorded at Elias El Rahbani studios; It was her music teacher Fouad Fadel who introduced her to El Rahbani. Later that year, Julia recorded two more songs in french " c''est la vie" and " vien dans ma vie ".

Julia''s Family always encouraged her to work and progress in her art and talent. Julia comes from a mother with a nice voice, her brother Ziad Boutros is a famous composer and a talented musician. Ziad has accompanied his sister in all her music works. Julia and Ziad Boutros were influenced by Ziad El Rahabani.

At the age of 17, Julia sang the most influential song during that time, "Ghabet Shams El Hak". With this song Julia rose to stardom in the 1980s with a series of National-themed songs which later made her second Album out to the world.

During the year 1996 Julia got married Elias Abu Saeb; vice president at the American University of Dubai. In 1997, she had her Samer, her first born baby. Julia Boutros has many hobbies including swimming, tennis, and listening to Blues; When it comes to fashion Julia she is very elegant woman with love to French Fashion.

Julia Boutros never carried any political affiliations during the Lebanese war, which was one of the main reasons behind her popularity in the Arab world. She was icon for Nationalism, mixed with her modern style.

Julia Boutros has glamour in her style of music with seriousness and social responsibility in what she sings. Most of her songs concentrate on universal themes of patriotism, responsibility and love. Her sincerity and true feelings while she sings drove her audience to respect her and cherish her style. All of Julia''s concerts are unique; her art is devoted to national and humanitarian issues. Julia has fans of all ages but has found particular fans of 20 to 35 year old people whose primary concern is nationalism and serious issues in life.

Julia Boutros lives mostly in Dubai with her Husband.

Biography from Lebanonlinks.com

Najwa Karamنجوى كرم

Najwa Karam

نجوى كرم

Najwa Karam a famous and prolific Lebanese singer who was born on the 26th of February 1966 in Zahleh, Lebanon and she is known for having a distinctively Lebanese style in resistance to the influence of the international Arabic music market and world music in general.

Najwa Karam has three brothers, Tony, Jan and Nicola and one sister, Salwa. She is the youngest amongst her siblings. Najwa studied in Zahleh and gratuated with a degree in Philosphy, then she became a teacher for two years. Najwa musical talent was apparent from a very young age, Najwa used to sing at school parties along with her friends.

In the begining, Najwa''s father disapproved her interest in singing career. Around the year 1985, Najwa participated in Layali Loubnan, a famous TV show that supports young talents on TeleLiban.
Najwa won the Golden Medal, the success soon changed her fathers'' opinion.

After Layali Loubnan, Najwa participated in many concerts singing traditional Lebanese songs and joined the Arabic Music institute for four years to improve her skills as a vocalist.

Najwa Karam first song was Ala Zahleh, after this song she released a couple of other songs like Batalet Som wa Asally and Eddam Elforsan. Najwa released her first album Ya Habayeb in 1989.

Two years later in 1992 Najwa released her second album, Shams El-Ghennieh, the album succeeded in Lebanon and the name Shams Al Ghennieh has been associated with her ever since the release of the album. Naghmit Hob was a massive hit and one of the 1994 Best Selling Albums, the song Law Habaytak - Ana Mafyi Introduced Najwa Karam and Made her music known all over the Arab World.

Najwa Karam has released 16 successful albums so far, as well as a couple of singles, and continues to impress us with her Lebanese style of singing. One of the most remarkable songs in her career was the duo she performed with the famous Lebanese singer Wadih El Safi entitled Wekberna (we grewup).

She participated in many festivals in many countried around the world, such as, America, Europe and Australia. Her concerts in Jarash Festival - Jordan (1996) are considered the most successful concerts in the history of Jarash. Carthaj - Tunisia (1997) (2000) are considered to be among Najwas'' greatest concerts, especially when the audience sand instead of her. She also participated in Major festivals all around the Arab World, in Lebanon, Libya, Egypt, Dubai - UAE, Kuwait, Qatar and Syria.

Biography mostly taken from Lebanonlinks.com

Darine Hadchitiدارين حدشيتي

Darine Hadchiti, alternative spellings: Darine Hadshiti

دارين حدشيتي

Darine Hadchiti was born in 1981 to a family that is rooted in the world of art. Darine started singing, at the age of twelve.

Starting in 1997, Darine started studing music at the Lebanese National Conservatory. For almost five years she focused on vocalization, oriental singing, solfege, Oud, Byzantine music, and Syriac singing. Darine intends to proceed with higher studies in music to better perform in the future.

In the 2001-2002 Studio El Fann Darine won the bronze medal for her category. Darine soon started singing at Nahr El Funoun, Beirut Bilayl, Al Birkeh Restaurant and finaly she sang at Diwan El Mir at Chateau Raphael.

In 2004, she singed her first album contract with Lea Production, a subsidiary of Anastasia Group.

Darine produced two great albums and several videoclips.



Biography from Lebanonlinks.com

Amal Hijaziأمل حجازي

Amal Hijazi, alternative spellings: Amal Hejazi

أمل حجازي

Supermodel turned popstar:

Amal Hijazi was born on February 20th 1977 in Lebanon. Amal Started her career as a Fashion Model, she has stunned the Arab world with her ravishing looks and angelic voice. Her family and friends discovered her talent quite early and producers were easily convinced of her future success.

It came as no surprise to her family, friends, producers, managers and fans that she will become an immediate star, and so she did. Her first single entitled (Halan)(Right Away) in 2000 was followed by another single (Rayeh Balak) (Put your mind at ease) in 2001 coupled with her first music video for (Rayeh Balak)

Later that same year Amal Hijazi burst onto the music scene on May 2001 with her debut album Akher Gharam, produced by Dilara Master Production and distributed by Music Master, which included her hit single Rayeh Balak and wowed audiences and critics alike, with her powerful stage presence and vocal abilities.

She conquered the Arab World and secured her place on the charts when her album held the Number 8 position on the Official Sales charts published by the Chart Magazine, an achievement not earned by any debut album. That same album proved to be a great success scoring 4 Hit Singles for Amals stunning debut career.

All four Hit Singles Akher Gharam (Last Love), Ghanneit (I Sang),& Rayeh Balak(Put Your Mind at Ease) were all produced on Music Video and kept Amal on the Top Twenty Charts for 6 months.

Amal''s first single was called "Halan" ("Right Away") in 2000, it was followed by her second single "Rayyah Balak" ("Put Your Mind at Ease") one year later, for which she also shot a music video. On the same year her debut album "Akher Gharam" including the hit single "Rayyah Balak" was produced by Dilara Master Production and distributed by Music Master. The critics were thrilled and her first step on the way to becoming a super-star was a hit.

The debut album ranked eighth on the official sales charts, the album included numerous hits singles like "Akher Gharam" ("Last Love"), "Ghanneit" ("I Sang") and "Rayyah Balak" ("Put Your Mind at Ease"), which were kept Amal on the Top Twenty Charts for six months.

Yet her first steps in live performances were rather influenced by stage fright, even though her modeling experience gave her the ability to capture the audience. But soon she overcame her fears and on she went with her live performances.

Not much later, in July 2001, Amal performed as the opening artist for Ra star Faudel at La Marina in Lebanon, which was her first time in Beirut after her concerts in Dubai.

A short while ago Amal signed a contract, which should bring her into a new light and increase her popularity all over the Arab world.

Amal''s new album called "Einak" ("Your Eyes") is again produced by Dilara Master Production and includes as the title song a great duet with the Ra star Faudel, of which the music video was broadcasted all over the Arab Satellite Channels. Hijazi''s massive hits include ''Zaman'', and ''Romancia''.

Now, at the most critical stage in her career, Amal Hijazi signed a Management contract with Music Is My Life! s.a.r.l. who are shedding a new light on Amal, opening yet greater horizons for her and paving sure and secure roads to upcoming success.

In July 2002 and entitled Einak, produced by Dilara Master Production & Distributed by Music Master International will seal Amals success on the pages of music history taking her into yet another adventure performing a Rai Duet with Faudel entitled Einak (Your Eye) and was produced on Music Video for broadcast across Arab Satellite Channels.

Amals talents aside for a moment, this conservatively raised talent has not always been a very sure and strong presence on stage. Even after her modeling years where she learned to capture an audience with a haunting walk and a charming regard, Amal began with definite stage fright which led to comical performances where she would sing different songs than those played by the band.

Her fears now behind her and armed with a sure and capturing presence, Amal got chosen as the opening artist for Faudel during his concert at La Marina in Lebanon on July 2001, where she caught the eyes of fans for the first time on stage in Beirut, after she performed for the launch of her album on stage at Dubai Marine in the UAE.

Its not just one sound that carries you through Amals new album says Music Is My Life General Manager, Ghassan Chartouni, but a multitude of fusion and diversity of Arabic dialects which makes it much appealing album.

The career of Amal Hijazi is surely not over yet. With her passionate voice and her unique appearance she may possibly climb the ladder till the very top.

Biography from Lebanonlinks.com

Myriam Faresمريم فارس

Myriam Fares, alternative spellings: Mariam Feres, Myriam Faris

مريم فارس, ماريام فارس, مريام فارس

Myriam, is somewhat of a child prodigy who took her first ballet steps at the age of five, and at the age of nine earned first place on Tele-Liban (Al Mawahib Al Saghira), in oriental dance. She is still in the blush of youth, but she''s far older than her 20 years. Myriam''s voice has a personal stamp that doesn''t sound like anyone else''s and at whatever age, with such an innocent sensuality, one that seems to be of her own invention, she is bound for success.

At the age of 20 and with the guidance of her management company Music Is My Life, Myriam signed her first record deal with Music Master International and launched her first album on October 21, 2003 at the Virgin Megastore Beirut.

A twenty year old artist from south Lebanon, Myriam grew up in a family that respects education and believes in learning and growing. She was attracted to the arts, so she took this passion to the end. Holder of a degree in the Art of Fashion Designing, she is now attending courses in foreign languages.

Her early lessons in Classical Ballet improved her sense of music. Her multifaceted talents and abilities in the world of art astonished her teachers in school who encouraged her from the age of ten to improve and grow. At that age Myriam felt the need to express her feelings through her voice that springs from deep inside her, so she registered at the National Conservatory of Music and studied musicology for four years.

At the age of sixteen Myriam participated at the Lebanese Song Festival where she won the first prize for the public Lebanese song nomination. At seventeen she participated in Studio El Fan 2000 for the District of South Lebanon and earned the first prize, not to mention the Special Certificate from Dr. Walid Gholmieh for the three Districts of South Lebanon, Beirut, and Mount Lebanon.

Myriam Launched her debut Album entitled Myriam, produced and distributed by Music Master, on the 21st of October 2003 at Virgin Megastore Beirut. The Album witnessed immediate success and became a best seller for a debut Artist.

Her music video for the hit song Ana Wel Shouk became one of the most requested music videos as soon as it was broadcasted on local and cable televisions, marking Myriam''s talent and dynamic image in the public''s heart which was a turning point in her career. She says that what she has accomplished so far is nothing but a drop of water in the ocean of what she has yet to offer.

Myriam then, charmed the UAE on a promotional tour for the signing of her debut album. In Virgin Megastore Dubai on the 9th of March and Abu Dhabi on the 10th of March, the media representatives and her large fan base gave her a unique welcome. She was overwhelmed by the people''s response and appreciation for her art.


Myriam''s next move was to shoot her second music video of the same album Myriam, entitled La Tisalni. The creative music video quickly got the attention of the media and Myriam''s established fan base welcomed the new clip, La Tisalni soon became as close to their heart as Myriam''s first hit song.

All throughout her early career, which is still in its early stages, Myriam has had a continuous and unrelenting support from her family, especially her mother who persistently stood by her side all along the way. I would have never made it without my beloved mother''s help, said Myriam.

Myriam Fares Hits Singles include:
* Ana Wel Showq.
* La Tis''alni.
* Nadini.
* Haklek Rahtak.

Biography taken from lebanonlinks.com

Tamer Hosni

Tamer Hosny (Arabic: تامر حسني; born Tamer Hosni Abbas in Cairo, on August 16, 1977) is an Egyptian singer, actor and composer. He was initially featured on Free Mix mixtapes from Free Music, an Egyptian music production company. His breakthrough single "Habibi Wenta B'eed" garnered him success.*

While Tamer Hosny's musical style thus far has been innocuous if not nauseating heartthrob pop for most of his career, his life story is quite intersting. He grew up with a passion for soccer and said to have played it professionally for 9 years. He was introduced by Salma El Shamaa to opera. Afterwards, he was recognized by Nasr Mahrous, the manager and owner of Free Music production company. He later on signed a contract with Free Music in 2002. Tamer didn't debut, as most people believe, with Sherine's first mixtape. Instead, he was featured in previous mixtapes, and one of them featured other artists like Khaled Agag and Mohamed Mounir. However, the duet CD with Sherine was the launching point for his career in pop music and film.

He starred in the 2003 Egyptian movie, Halet Hobb (A State of Love). The movie featured music by Hosny himself. In 2004, he released his first studio album as a Solo artist. Titled Hobb, the album features the single "Arrab Habibi". The album was quite a success to Hosny as a solo artist. His hit, "Arrab Habibi", was heavily rotated on satellite music channels and became very popular.

When Hosny became more financially capable, he decided to look for his father. His father was away for 19 years, until Hosny found him in London. He went after him and encouraged him to go back to Egypt, which he did.

Sayyed El Atfy was released in 2005, and the movie featured 2 extremely successful songs. "Koll Marra" and "Nour Einy", both were performed within the movie. The full versions of the songs accompanied the performance in addition to scenes from the movie were made into music videos. They were initially exclusive to Melody Hits channel.

In 2005, Hosny was embroiled in a trial case in which he was charged with forging a passport and avoiding conscription. It was a heavily publicized case in the media, since he and fellow Egyptian artist Haytham Shaker. It has been reported that they both went to professional forgers to create a document that they completed military service in Egypt. This came in the middle of Hosny's preparations for a new Album and movie(Omar and Salma). It was also reported that the news leaked after the forger himself confessed to a close friend of his.

They were both sentenced to 3 years in jail, and were fined 50,000 L.E each. Rumors have circulated that Hosny's sentence was shortened. During his imprisonment, Nasr Mahrous released the album Einaya Bethebbak, as well as a music video from one of the album's singles.

At the end of March 2007, Hosny released his latest album "Ya Bent El-Eh." The album features 13 songs, 9 of them were stolen and leaked on the internet before it was released, which caused sales to suffer. Tamer Hosny's official site says about this album: "It's a nice album that considered to be his first real step in his musical life".

*Much of this article is copied from Wikipedia.org

Angham

Angham's full name is Angham Mohamed Soliman (أنغام محمد سليمان ). She was born in Cairo, Egypt on January 19th 1972, and has been an accomplished pop singer on the Egyptian music scene for years.

Angham is not a very common first name. It means "melodies" or "tunes." As it turns out she comes from a family in which "melodies" play a vital role. In fact, she has been raised and musically nurtured by her father, reknowed Mohammad Suleiman. Her uncle, Imad Abdel Haleem, is a singer and married to the famous belly-dancer, Najwa Fouad, but unfortunately, died at the age of thirty. Angham, affected by the death of her uncle whom she loved so much, released later an expressive and angry song called Leih Ya Donia Hazzi Ma'aki Kida?.

Angham has two siblings: her sister, Ghinwah, and her brother, Khaled. Her first contact with the audience was with her Mother Day song El Gannah Taht Akdamik in which she sang it among the public at the age of 17. She recalls the mothers who wiped their tears, moved by her performance.

Angham's sucess started with her first album Fil Rokn El Baeed elHadi. The success that it gained pushed the young singer into a further position among the 1989 generation of singers, reserving for herself a special position. Angham lived a state of relief and proud and soon continued to improve her vocal capacities with her father. She also studied in the Conservatory of Music in Cario and excelled in playing the Oud. Egyptian people recall Angham as a little cute girl with big teeth and had faith that this star will soon shine and expand its light around the arabic world.

Angham continued working on her following albums, concentrating on the classical melodies caracterised by the poetic words and the oriental flavour. She released many albums in full Egyptian dilact but also in the Gulf. Albums like "Khally Bokra La Bokra", "Betheb Meen" and "Ella Ana" gained many success in Egypt.

At one point Angham earned the nickname "The Queen of Romance" for her many love songs. However, during the high point of her career, Angham faced a depression affecting her personally and artistically: after successful albums, Angham refused to work with her father in her next albums in the goal of renewing her style. Her dad, surprised by the act of his daughter, disowned her and promised not to do any future artistic collaboration with her. At this time, the arabic music changed form with the apparition of the western influence with pop superstar Amr Diab, Mohammad Munir and Medhat Saleh. Thus, Angham's professional breakup with her father allowed her style to evolve in order to keep in step with the changing demands of the market.

In 1999, Angham made a new album Wahdaniya in which she worked with new composers and writers. In her album, she presented a new flavour of music that represent her only. While keeping the peotic lyrics, Angham changed the oriental music into a more rapid one, minimizing the long tunes. As music videos became increasingly popular, Angham was forced to shoot Ba'atly Nazra from this album in which she appeared in a classic look. The clip appeared simple, showing Angham in a summer flavour, beside the beach and the sand. After that, Angham shot another music video for her song Bithebbaha Walla in which she appeared at the same time in two new looks: an old classic one and a new young one, symbolizing the stylistic transformation taking place.

At this Angham was having more and more trouble with her marriage. She and her husband divorces over irreconcilable differences. Angham found herself obliged to take care of their child, Omar, and thus, slowed down the rate in which she used to produce albums. But this difficult time in which Angham passed through faded quickly as a new unattended surprise awaited her. In 2001, Angham released what she considers her favourite album, Leih Sebtaha, which achieved great success and reached number 1 in the Billboard for many months.

She received two major awards for this work: best clip 2001 and best female singer 2001 in Cairo's Annual Music ceremony. The success she gained caused lots of singers to be jealous. A few weeks after the broadcasting of Sidi Wisalak's clip, Angham fell ill and was hospitalised. In 2000, Angham made a song for the Palestinian cause during the Intifada by participating in a duet, Nihlam Eih?, with the now deceased Thekra (Zikra).

Omry Maak, produced and supervised by Alam Elphan, was finally released in August 2003. With this album, Angham returns to present a new flavour, similar to Amr Diab, in which most of her songs had western flavour in them.

Before the release of Omry Maak album, the press attacked Angham for marrying secretly her Kuweit-origined musical arrangist, Fahed. Angham responded strictly to the matter by annoucing officially her marriage from him after she joined another music production company, Rotana, possessed by Prince Walid Bin Talal. The mariage was done on a yacht on the Nile River and Angham invited many famous pop singers such as Sherine Ahmed, Elissa, Ehab Toufic, and the manager of Rotana Company, Salem Elhindy.

Angham supported her album by doing many interviews mainly Nawart El dar in which her fans consider as the one where she shined a lot. In that program, Angham sang Warda's songs to honour her and in return got praised by her powerful but soft voice. Also, Angham was guest in many famous talk-show and programs like Star Academy 1,El Beit Beitak, Moubashar with Mahmoud Sa'd, kalam nawa3em , Star Search and others.*

*This info is from Angham's website, but the style of writing has been altered in some places to improve clarity and neutrality

Bashar al-Kaissi

Bashar al-Kaissi (بشــار القيسي) was on the second season of Star Academy but did not make it to be one of the final eight contestents. In 2006, he began releasing singles and returned to the spotlight with a very popular song entitled "Zghayroun."

Bashar was born in Iraq during the early 1980s. Aside from music, Bashar is also interested in production, drawing, dancing and fashion. His hobbies are travel and chatting online. His sign is Cancer. He has a brother and a sister. And his life ambition is "to become a loved person or actor for a well-known group, or begin an international chain of restaurants."*

*Translated from his website.

Sherine Ahmed

Sherine (Arabic: شيرين, born Sherine Abdel Wahhab; also credited as Sherine Ahmed; October 10, 1980) is an Egyptian singer and actress from Cairo. She debuted with single "Ah Ya Leil".*

Born in Cairo, Sherine is a graduate of a prominent Egyptian music academy. Upon graduating, she sought a record company to represent her and manage her musical career. She met up with Free Music Productions' owner and manager Nasr Mahrous. Mahrous signed and released a debut album with fellow singer Tamer Hosny. The album included solo singles, as well as duets. Titled Free Mix, it is one of the mixtapes Mahrous usually produces but was exclusively for these two artists. Although Sherine was a new artist with Free Music, Tamer had signed with Mahrous earlier.

The album included Sherine's debut single, "Ah Ya Leil", which garnered huge success in Egypt and throughout the Middle East. Critics and audience were impressed with Sherine's vocal abilities, but wanted her to revamp her image. The song included local musical styles from traditional Egyptian tarab voice techniques to usage of traditional Egyptian music instruments of the Shaabi genre. Hosny's single, along with the music video, were also received very well and this mixtape was considered a milestone in Free Music's short history.

In 2002, Sherine released her first album as a solo artist titled Garh Tany. The album's first single was the title track, "Garh Tany", and it was well-received. The single consisted mainly of repetition, with intensive manipulation in voice tones and pitch. This is also considered to be a traditional Egyptian voice technique. The music video was released one week earlier from the album release, and the album made huge success in the Egyptian and wider Middle Eastern music market. The album succeeded immensely, to the extent that it sold more than Amr Diab's album "Allem Albi". Sherine witnessed rapid and explosive popularity after this album, and soldified her status as one of the most successful female singers. By North American standards, the album would be the equivalent of certified platinum.

Sherine's second single from the album was "Sabri Aleel", which was an uptempo song, uses slight traditional techniques, but included Nai, Tablah, Heavy Bass and multi-layered voices of Sherine in the choruses. The music video's version of the song was different from the album's, and it was titled "Sabri Aleel - Melody Mix". The song was exclusively broadcast on Melody Hits channel.

Sherine's acting career is short, as she just starred in one comedy movie titled Medo Mashakel. The movie was the #1 movie of the season, however, Sherine as well as critics did not approve of her role or her acting skills. In the movie, Sherine sings and one of the singles sung in the movie was broadcasted on music channels. The song was titled "Balak". It portrays Sherine, as one of the movie's scenes, getting on stage in a friend's wedding and performing the song. The song didn't get as much attention, as it wasn't released on any record.

By this time, and before releasing the single "Ma Btefrahsh", it was reported in magazines and tabloid-newspapers that Sherine was having a fall-out with Nasr Mahrous, but it was not confirmed. Sherine was on a hiatus during that time, as she didn't release any singles nor albums for quite a while, and according to some sources, Sherine was mad at her producer and manager, Nasr Mahrous, for not fulfilling the terms of agreement in their contract.

In early 2005, Promotions for Sherine's new song, "Ma Btefrahsh" showed up on Melody Hits, and a week later the music video was released. The song became quite popular, and it was heavily rotated on Melody Hits. It hit #1 on many countdowns, and like most songs of Sherine, several artists expressed their love for this song, like Ragheb Alama and Nancy Ajram. The song was almost like a comeback to Sherine. It was featured in a mixtape along other singles by fellow Free Music artists, such as Bahaa Sultan, Souma and Tamer Hosny. The mixtape featured another single by Sherine, "Einak". Both songs were frequently aired on Radio channels.

In August 2005, Sherine's new single was also promoted on Melody Hits TV, and it seemed certain that this was going to be one of the album releases as she had said earlier in TV interviews. The promotion shows a camera following Sherine's bare feet walking, up to a chair where she sits, but it doesn't show her face. Another promo had a sample from her second single "Mafeesh Marra".

More than a week later, the single, titled "Lazim Aïsh" was released. It was also produced and directed by Nasr Mahrous, the song took a different form as it was a ballad. This was the title track as well. The album, Lazim Aïsh, was released and bacame the best selling album that year. The album also would be certified platinum as it made huge success. This is the era that soldified Sherine as Egypt's # 1 female singer. No Egyptian female singer witnessed the great level of success she reached. Later on, the second single music video of "Mafeesh Marra" was released, it was an uptempo, fun, hip song which the audience were delighted by its new and unique sound.

In spring 2006, Sherine was chosen to perform the songs for the movie An el-Ish' wel-Hawa. The movie's theme song, Keteer Ben'sha', became a major hit. Recently, she released "Lebnan Fel Alb (Lebanon's in the Heart)", a song dedicated to Lebanon and the victims who fell in the Israeli-Lebanese conflict.

In February 2007, she released a new duet with Hany Shaker under the title Qalbi Leek (My Heart’s Yours). However, this duet was not meant to be released because both Sherine and Hany Shaker recorded the song separately. Sherne decided not to release the song in her album, so Hany Shaker decided to take it and release it in his own album. Nevertheless the composer of the song merged both of their voices, and released the song as a duet.

In early March 2007, she confirmed that she joined a new label: Rotana. A huge, extrvagant press conference and after-party was held in her honor, and now she is recording her album, to be released Summer 2007.

*This article is copied from Wikipedia.org