Shakira is set to perform in Lebanon this summer during the 2018 Cedars International Festival, organizers announced.
The world-renowned Colombian-Lebanese singer added Lebanon as part of her “El Dorado World Tour.” She will perform at the Cedars International Festival on July 13.
In a statement, festival organizers said they invited Shakira to “send a message of peace from the cedars and from Lebanon to the world.”
Organizers expect about 14,000 people to attend the opening ceremony.
Music manager Wassim Slaiby, who directs the Anghami music distribution company, helped bring Shakira to Lebanon.
“We are confident that the concert will be exceptional,” Slaiby said. “We will continue to attract world stars through Anghami and allow them to enjoy Lebanon and the Middle East.”
The Cedars International Festival aims to honor Lebanon internationally through the beauty of the Lebanese cedars.
Lebanese-Brazilian singer Luciana Zogbi is back with an amazing mashup of some of the hottest songs of the year.
The mashup includes lyrics from Havana, Mi Gna, Mi Gente, New Rules, Strip That Down and IDGAF.
“I took the most requested songs and slammed them together into this crazy multicultural mashup,” Zogbi posted on Facebook.
The independent multilingual singer shot to fame in 2014 after her cover of John Legend’s “All of Me” went viral, garnering more than 76 million views worldwide.
Her YouTube channel has more than 1.5 million subscribers, and nearly 180 million total views.
Lebanese superstar Elissa is breaking new records after the music video of her new song “Aaks Elli Shayfenha” hit more than 3 million views in its first week.
The song was posted on July 19 by Rotana Records, the Arab World’s largest record label, which has 4.5 million subscribers.
WATCH: “AAKS ELLI SHAYFENHA”
The hit music video is directed by Lebanese director Angy Jammal, who collaborated with Elissa for the fourth time after music videos for “Ya Merayti,” “Hob Kol Hayaty,” and “Saharna Ya Leil,” according to a press release.
“Aaks Elli Shayfenha” is composed by Amir Teima and with lyrics by Walid Saad. The song comes from Elissa’s album, “Saharna Ya Leil.”
Elissa, whose real name is Elissar Zakaria Khoury, is a popular Lebanese recording artist, and the first Lebanese singer to receive the World Music Award for Best Selling Middle Eastern Artist in 2006.
She has sold over 30 million albums worldwide.
Examiner StaffComments Off on WATCH: Elissa music video hits 3 million views in first week 8095
(BEIRUT) — Lebanese superstar Myriam Fares announced on Instagram she is pregnant! The songstress posted a photo in a long black dress exposing her baby bump for the first time.
Fares married Lebanese-American businessman Danny Mitri last year, but never revealed photos of the mystery man. The wedding hosted only 14 close family members and friends.
Fares first spoke of Mitri in detail on the Lebanese TV show “Al Mutaham,” when she revealed he lived in Miami and traveled often to see her.
“Danny was very close to me,” Fares said. “Every time he came to Lebanon he knew that he had another home in Lebanon.”
Speculations of Fares’ pregnancy started months ago, but she immediately dropped rumors and said it was something she “dreamed” of.
Fares has insisted that Mitri did not want to be in the public limelight. She said hotel security banned cell phones and cameras at her wedding last year.
Lebanese diva Amal Hamadeh is understandably angry with the news. She, along with millions of fans, have been eagerly waiting to see a photo of Mitri.
The new mystery: will Fares reveal photos of the baby?
(DETROIT) — Syrian singer Rouwaida Attieh on Tuesday honored Lebanese musical legend Sabah during a tribute concert in Dearborn, Michigan, the home of the largest Arab American population in the United States.
The Lebanese American Heritage Club hosted the international songstress for a concert titled, “Sabah, The Musical Dream.”
Attieh traveled to Paris last March to perform at the famous Le Trianon Theater, where she presented a collection of Sabah’s most popular songs.
Sabah was once quoted at the Beiteddine Festival in Lebanon saying she considered Attieh the best person to have performed her songs.
Attieh was presented with a special tribute from State Senator David Knezek and recognition awards from Dearborn City Council President Susan Dabaja and Council Member Mike Sarieni.
LAHC Executive Director Wassim Mahfouz also thanked Attieh for headlining the concert.
Attieh was the first runner-up on the first season of Super Star, the pan-Arab import of “Pop Idol,” where she quickly rose to fame. She has worked with several Arab musical giants, including Lebanese composer Imad Shamseddine and Lebanese legend Wadih El Safi, among others.
Sabah, one of the leading Arab performers of her generation, died at the age of 87 last November. She was said to recorded over 3,500 songs in her lifetime.
VIDEO: Singer Rouwaida Attieh pays tribute to the Lebanese musical legend Sabah at a concert hosted by the Lebanese American Heritage Club in Dearborn, Michigan.
(SAO PAULO) — Lebanese-Brazilian singer Luciana Zogbi will leave you speechless after you listen to her cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.”
At just 19-years-old, Luciana’s singing career is already off to a great start! With 310,000 Facebook likes and more than 52 million YouTube views, she’s become internationally known as a YouTube star.
The independent singer shot to fame after her cover of John Legend’s “All of Me” went viral, garnering 36 million views worldwide.
WATCH her recently posted cover of Hallelujah:
Examiner StaffComments Off on Lebanese-Brazilian singer wows thousands with cover of ‘Hallelujah’ 7496
(LOS ANGELES, CA) — After releasing her first-ever English music video in April, Lebanese superstar Haifa Wehbe revealed plans to enter the U.S. music market with two additional English songs.
Haifa is planning partnerships with R&B singer Ne-Yo and Moroccan-born rapper French Montana for her new songs, “Habibi” and “Snake Charmer.”
Her first English music video, “Breathing You In,” pulled in a whopping 7.6 million views on YouTube.
“For me its about taking risks – lots of them,” Haifa told Entertainment Scoop. “I want to continue to push myself to do things that are outside of my comfort zone.”
“Breathing You In” featured a provocative Haifa flaunting around Jennifer Lopez’s ex-lover, Casper Smart. In June, celebrity tabloids revealed an alleged scandal between Haifa and Casper.
“I wanted to make sure that my video delivered visual impact,” Haifa says of her music video for “Breathing You In.” (YouTube screenshot.)
In Touch Magazine said a source told them Haifa and Casper began a “secret affair” that lasted until the spring.
“J-Lo saw texts between Casper and Haifa, that’s how she uncovered the affair,” the source is quoted by In Touch Magazine. “She became possessive and controlling, she was furious and forced him to sever all ties with Haifa.”
Haifa did not respond to the allegations, but admitted to being an “easy target” for controversy.
“The world is changing and people are ultimately frightened by the unknown so they lash out and I regrettably am an easy target,” Haifa said. “I work at not taking it personal because the issues are much bigger than me.”
“Breathing You In” was directed by Dubai-based businessman and film producer Tarik Freitekh. The music video was shot in Las Vegas in studios previously used by the likes of Shakira, Snoop Dog, and Justin Bieber.
WATCH Haifa’s first English music video:
Examiner StaffComments Off on Haifa Wehbe reveals plans to enter U.S. music market 7962
(TORONTO, CANADA) — Lebanese-Canadian opera singer Miriam Khalil recently recorded the first Arabic version of Canada’s national anthem through a project led by the Canadian Arab Institute.
According to the Institute, the project aims to encourage Arabic-speaking Canadians to be “more engaged” with their citizenship.
Khalil said she hopes the Arabic-version spreads a message of “solidarity and affinity” with the larger Canadian family.
The Canadian Arab Institute released the song one week before Canada’s 148th birthday, which is celebrated on July 1.
“This is a celebration of our citizenship in this country,” Raja Khouri, president of the institute, told Canada’s Metro News.
“When you hear something that is being said in your mother tongue, it has more emotional impact, and makes you pay more attention,” he said. “We hope it will be a step further in fostering responsibilities as citizens of this nation.
LISTEN to Khalil’s rendition:
Examiner StaffComments Off on Lebanese-Canadian opera artist sings ‘O Canada’ in Arabic 6973
(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — Lebanese singer Najwa Karam released a new patriotic Lebanese song called “Kelmit 7a2” where she appears to address “enemies” of Lebanon.
The song was written by Nizar Francis, composed by Sam Al Amir, and distributed by Tony Saba.
Karam was born and raised in Zahlé, Lebanon to a Catholic family, where she attended a Christian school in Zahlé and later earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy.
Karam was previously placed on a black list of “disgrace” artists when she released a song titled “Bashar Al Qaed” where she praised Syrian president Bashar Al Assad at the beginning of the Syrian revolution. She has since been removed on the so-called blacklist after altering her position.
“(The songs) didn’t necessarily take political sides and I don’t like to get involved with revolutions,” Karam once said. “I’m happy to sing patriotic songs, but I avoid politically tense situations.”
But her new song “Kelmit 7a2” seems to offer a new perspective on Karam’s patriotic tunes.
“You make me love Lebanon even more,” wrote one fan on YouTube.
LISTEN to Najwa’s “Kelmit 7a2”:
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(BARCELONA, SPAIN) — Lebanese-Colombian superstar Shakira gave birth to her second son on Sunday.
“We are happy to announce the birth of Sasha Piqué Mebarak, son of Shakira Mebarak and Gerard Piqué, born January 29 at 9:54pm, in Barcelona,” the birth announcement on Shakira’s website said.
“The name Sasha is of Greek and Russian descent and means ‘defender of mankind’ and ‘warrior.'”
Shakira’s boyfriend Gerard Pique, a Spanish professional soccer player, played for FC Barcelona in Madrid the day before the birth.
Shakira began dating Pique in 2010 and spoke about the joy which she gets from being a mother, saying, “motherhood is everything to me.”
The 37-year-old star, who previously said she wants her own “football team” of “8 or 9 kids,” also gave birth to 2-year-old son Milan in Spain.
