The Israeli Singer And Lebanese Dancer

Israelis and Lebanese do not dance together, there is bad blood between both sides, but the Lebanese have seen the worse of the Israelis. That's why when you get to see footage some some random Israeli singer and some Lebanon flag carrying belly dancer you have to wonder out loud: What the hell?

To start, many white girls and non Arab girls take up belly dancing, so that does not make the girl Arab--she might be though. Two anyone can purchase a Lebanese flag and sport it. There are so many Lebanese leveling all over the world, so this global community might have attracted this dark hared belly dancer.

Also not sure about the singer and his politics, he might be a lefty or a hipster who is all about locking hands and getting along with everyone. But I do also know that leftists realize that the flag of Israel represents oppression for many. So this makes one bizarre story to tell. We do not even know much about the venue of this concert. I do get the feeling it's in some Western country.

Update: thanks to a reader of the blog. The dancer's name is Johanna Fakhry, the talented and courageous Lebanese dancer who joined Orphaned Land on stage, has penned a response to her inspiring and controversial artistic collaboration with the Israeli band.

one question does Ms. Fakhry know anything about Qana Massacre? But to her credit, she is just a belly dancer, she is not going to be the sharpest tool in the box. She makes her money dancing. The only voice defending her is none other than the man who shared the stage with her Kobi Farhi, the songwriter. I am sure both entertainers thought they are making history. Ms. Fakhry's dance with the flag of her country is not to be compared with the popular movie "Dances With Wolves".

راقصة لبنانية ومطرب إسرائيلي يثيران زوبعة "سياسية" .

It's Good to Be in the Mai Selim Business

You know an Arab star is pregnant when they record the music of their album, make tons of media appearances, and book as many concerts as they can. That's the story of Mai Selim, the Jordanian singer turned actress. Mai has a great energy and unlike many Arab ladies of pop she seems like a real person. She does not strike me as a fake.

She has officially taken a break from her career to take care of her body and her soon to be baby. But that does not stop her channel from releasing older footage of hers. Mai has also appeared on Star Academy and performed with the students. She will also be sen this Ramadan on TV as an actress.

She is a mellow romantic song, a very apologetic tone. Just check out how much the ladies in the studio look impressed. This is an Elissa territory for sure, but Mai is not on a stranger's land.

Mai Selim - Fehemtk Ghalat / مى سليم - فهمتك غلط

Sherine Abdel Wahab Rare School Concert

I do not believe this, this video is at least 25 years old and does Sherine still sound the same as she did then? She is the leading voice of Egypt now, int terms of voice quality and sales. She is the hottest voice in the young voices. And she throws the best live concerts becasue she can actually sing and engage the audience.

Now check out this video of hers, when she was at school in Egypt leading the choir and dazzling with her young voice. The song is a tribute song for mothers, a very famous song indeed. And Sherine owned it, she has no fear this little girl and her skills on stage were second to none. It takes a lot of guts to do this, and she did not think about it, she knew she will be a star and she become one.

This video tells me with Sherine is this, what you see is what you get, her voice is really awesome, she needs no computers or sound engineers to coach her. She just had a strange phase in the early 2000 when she wanted to do pop. Glad to see she is back to doing Tarab songs and respectable pop songs.
المطربة شيرين و هى تلميذه

Star Academy Season 8 Finale, Egypt Wins BIG

Nismah from Egypt won this season title for Star Academy Season 8 with 48.37% of the votes going for her. Runner up is also Egyptian Ahamd Ezzat (the guy best known for his amazing covers of Abdel Halim Hafiz songs) with 29.8% total votes and the Syrian singer Sarah Farah got the third spot with 21.83%! I think Nismah Mahgoub (a cover os Ismahan's Al Toyor and Whitney Houston's One Moment) won the title with the affection most Arabs now have for Egypt and its most awesome revolution.

I wish Sarah had won, because frankly I did not know much about Nismah. From what I gathered, she has done some work in the opera and her skills in doing non Arabic songs, Arabic Tarab songs, and light pop songs registered with many. I am sure she is a great singer with a lot of professionalism. But Farah seems to be the contestant to defeat, you watch her and see the places she will go.

I fear there is some politics involved here. A Syrian won last year, and Syrian is in war right now so taking the time to vote for a singer might not be a priority. But to be frank Sara Farah was not on her A game with Najwa Karam. She put a good performance, but you really have to put some much energy to match that of Najwa Karam's. Love it or hate it no other contestant on this season packs as much energy and charisma as much as Sara does.


Nothing against Egypt and the two leading voices on the show, I just think that will make them happy for winning the title. Ahmad Ezzat or Mido as he likes to be called did a great last performance on the show, he is that cool confident dude under pressure. Sharing the stage with Tunisian singer Saber El Rebaei wasn't easy, but he made it look so.

20 participants competed for the title for the duration of 105 days, but we are glad this season and the last prime have finally came to an end. Maybe now we can focus on the Arab spring. Congratulations for the winners....

ستار اكاديمي 8 - نتائج البرايم الأخير وفوز نسمة باللقب



نجوى كرم و سارة برايم الأخير - ستار أكاديمي



صابر الرباعي & احمد عزة - ببساطه ستار اكادمي 8.

Ammar Hassan Concerts in Amman Jordan

The second home for most Palestinians in the West Bank is Jordan, and that's also true for Palestinian entertainers in the West Bank, they perform in Jordan and feel they have finally made it. So when you are a big name in Palestine pop and romance, and you almost won the title for Super Star, then you go on Tour in Jordan.

That's what Ammar Hassan did. Except that he did not sing pop, he went for the oldies that he has mastered with his manly voice. Music Boss, the production company Ammar Hassan singed with organized those concerts. Of course the young singer sang Palestinians song as part of the show like Rozana.

A number of TV network aired the concert live, we have a clip of his concert.

عمار حسن_ يما مويل الهوا

Best of Star Acedemy 7 Sings Live

He is from Jordan and has a manly voice as well as romance. She is from next door Iraq, excelled in romantic songs and Gulf Dialect, there was rumored romance between them. But as of now they all want to be stars. Frankly, they are quite some of the finest singers on the season and any other season.

Are they going to establish stardom? or will this be their honeymoon period--usually one year following the season they participated in. I really like those two singers and I think they are among some of the finest young voices in the entertainment world. It's a shame it takes so much to put out an album, I think they will entertain.


شاهد محمد رمضان يغنّي في ويكيزات

شاهد رحمة أحمد تغنّي في ويكيزيات

Iraqi Singer Sings a Libyan Song

Iraq is the home of many great Arab singers, one of those is Majid Almohandis who sings and composes some fine melodies. Majid sings in in Iraqi and the Gulf dialect, he has also mastered the Egyptian and Lebanese styles of singing. But for some of reason, he had performed a Libyan song in a very Libyan setting.

While Libyan singers are not mainstream entertainers in Arabia, there is some great musical tradition in that country. Most Arab singers have performed in Libya becasue the regime back then used festivals and music as a tool to tell the people that their country is important. After all, what makes a great country is Nancy Ajram and Kathem Al Saher does not visit?

While I can tell that Majid might not look to upbeat in this performance, he might be intimidated by the whole setting. I have tremendous respect fro his willingness to go there and entertain.


لمه الجلسه الليبيه ماجد المهندس

The Next Najwa Karam Is Sara Farah

Najwa Karam is the next Najwa Karam, but if you want a newer version of this Lebanese singer with a hint of Syrian Rouida Attiah, then you need to check out Sara Farah. Sara is Syrian, something millions are proud of. She already sang with Warda, the Algerian diva.

She has the vocals, and the confidence to shine, I am very impressed with the voice quality of this young woman. I have blogged about her once before, but this time when I saw her performance with her home boy Nassif Zaytoun, I was dully impressed. She reminds of great performers in the 70s and the 80 who took this Syrian/Lebanese singing style to new lands.

As far as rumors are concerned, Sara seems to get along with everyone and as she hangs a bit more on the set of Star Academy, I am pretty sure she might be the title winner if they judged by voice quality, stardom and not politics. I hope she doe snot go on and try to do a sexy makeover instead of worrying about making great music.


ناصيف زيتون و ساره فرح - طال السهر / ستار اكاديمي

Christine Saade And Mohamed Rafe Golden Duo

Nothing gets me excited as the sight of young Arab stars singing oldies songs live and showing a great resepect for those sings. By that I mean not letting their personality get in the way of enjoying a great song as it was mean t to be enjoyed.

Watch Christine Saade and Mohamed Rafe' the two young Star Academy participants who are great at what they do. I enjoyed this random clip very much and I wish all the best to the young stars who are projecting some much potential

Christine Saade And Mohamed Rafe' Singing In Jbeil

Black Theama Alexandria Concert

This concert took place at Lycee El Horreya Stadium 30-6-2011 in the captivating Egyptian coastal city of Alexandria. Cairo is too small now if you are a hip band singing about Egypt and for all its people. Now you can be bolder and louder with your concerts, for long you have not been able to say what you wanted to say, now is the time.

And for Black Theama the time is now and the place is Alexandria. Cannot wait for the new album, they must be working on something hot, all the other bands have been doing just that, but you are black theama you sang for the revolution before it started and you highlighted the cause for it in Zahma


Black Theama - في اسكندرية

Nicola Sa'ada Nakhla, Man Behind Many Hits

The guy whose poetry has celebrated women, their beauty and their brain. He goes for the emotional appeal and passion and every time he wins over new listeners. The way he sings for women, make us all envy the women of his life as he seems to never stop from showering them with praises, gratitude and affection.

some of his critics accuse him of advocating a more traditional role for women in his country like Lebanon. He maintains there is nothing with pampering women and not pressuring them to do something they they do not want to do. He also quotes the misery index for a lot of women living in western communities due to pressure.

As for the business side, he is a composer with a lot of popular melodies that goes mostly to the A list singers in Lebanon. And if they are not from Lebanon Nicola Sa'ada Nakhla makes sure they do. Like Gulf singers like Hussian Jassmy, And Ibrahim Al Hakmi. Aside form that he has dabbled into national/patriotic songs.

He seems like a nice guy even when talks about delicate subjects like politics ini his hanging by a thread county Lebanon.

Nicola Sa'ada Nakhla - Beta'ref - Live / نقولا سعادة نخلة - بتعرف - حفلة

Your Dinner Comes With a Serving of Myriam Faris

When not making another song in morocco and when you are done making the Gulf fall for you, you get a chance to go tour and bring your fans some entertainment, even if those fans are in Cyprus--the home of many Lebanese and Arabs. Cyprus is so close of most Arab countries so it's natural to go and visit or live there.

This is not the first time Myriam, Faris went there, she has been there few months ago, but this time it seems at a larger party or dinner. @ The Golden Tulip the fans were lining up for a sneak peak of Myriam and her dance moves. She is known to always keep it fresh when it comes to her outfit. She also is liked by the dudes. See the picture there is only one other girl in the concert surrounded by the guys.

This concert comes hours after Myriam Faris's appearance on the singing and dancing show you know as Star Academy. Which makes the point that Myriam is one unstoppable chick. This is her fourth time at this venue where Arabs and locals enjoyed a bit of Myriam.

Sherine Ahmad Lights Up Star Academy

Sherine Ahamd, or Sherin Ay Ya Leel as some call her made a brief stop by the Lebanese show Star Academy to give some of the young participants a shot at fame and a shot to reveal the quality of their voices.

At least two the three ladies on the stage can sing, I won't name any names, you can see that in the video. But I am saying one of those ladies on the stage doe snot belong there. Aside from that, this is a great song by Sherine about a women who just wants to settle with the one she loves in a small place with a locked door.

Did you know if you want to book a concert with Sherine, you ought to pay 90 thousand dollars for her services. You know what I think she is worth every nickel of it, becasue she works hard for those money and she interacts with the audience, she is there for them not the other way around--looking at you Elissa.


البرايم 14 شيرين واميمه ونسمه بطمنك Star Academy Season 8 Prime 14

Meryam Faris Goes The Old School Route

Knowing that the young adore you, and so does the media and the business executives, might give some singers a thought that they now have made it. But clearly, this is not the case for Lebanese starlet Meryam Faris who seems to have owned the last week of June with a number of concerts, appearances in Lebanon, the Gulf and Morocco.

This time she covered one of the old songs "Ganeely", sing for me, the beloved Egyptain classic. To her credit, she changed all her style and nailed this song on the head. Her vocals have always been bold and uncompromising, This time around she slowed down and dressed up to live up to the song's legacy. She scaled back on her dance and sexy stage moves and that served the song well.

ميريام فارس - غنيلي / ستار اكاديمي 8 - البرايم 13

Yara Is... What Yara Does @ Star Acedemy

Everyone's good girl of Lebanese romance and pop is Yara, no two people can disagree on this singer that surprised us in 2005 when she refused to become famous with her body, instead she just sang and we listen and asked for more. Six years later she is still a big star and her songs are memorized where every she goes.

For the most part she still sticks to the nice girl persona and refuses to get in fights with other stars, she also does not take much time to talk about gossips and rumors about her relation with her long time music partner Tarik. But summer season comes and goes, she must have a song, her last album was more than two years ago, so very few remember it that well.

Yara took her new single Magroom and performed on the Star Academy Stage and with the help of the dancers she crafted another happy song. While the song is cute and sets well with mostly females, I think Yara can do better. I bet there are not much new lyrics been sent her way.

يارا مغروم البرايم 11 ستار اكاديمي 8 Yara Magroom @ Star Academy

Darine Hadchiti, Ya Zaman Al Wafa

Every now and then a pop princess comes out of the wood with a mature song that leaves a good taste in your ears. that's why Darine Hadchiti is doing this month. she is using some wisdom in one of her songs about loyalty to the loved ones.

So far we have 2.18 minutes of the song, the lyrics are pretty good, solid Lebanese and the beat is very Lebanese. enjoy this performance at studio El Fan where Darine got her first big break years ago.

Darine Hadchiti MTV Studio El Fan Ya Zaman Ilwafa Naja7 Salam

Watch Kathem Al Saher In Morocco (Fez)

Live with Kathem Al Saher in Morocco who makes his second visit for a concert in Morocco thing summer. Fez is the concert venue where the Czar of Arabic music entertained the tarab loving singers who came form all over Morocco and even France to enjoy a night of music and first class entertainment.

The night was dubbed as a night of spiritual music and poetry and Kazim Al saher is the go to guy for those songs, he can do it all accompanied by a world class orchestra that is nothing short of captivating.

تقرير عن حفل الساهر في فاس


كاظم الساهر في مهرجان فاس للموسيقى الروحية 2011

A Thousand Times Live By Sami Yusuf

He is the Muslim rock star, who can also fit as a hippie, let's get along everybody musician. He plays the piano and whatever musical instrument you put on his way. His concerts live are worth seeing. His vocals do the trick, but he also put a good show and he gets the fans rallied up.

The best of both worlds, music and religion are combined for entertainment. Unlike Christina rock, the meaning here are easy to find and there is no outlandish themes. Songs might as well be prayers.


Sami Yusuf - A Thousand Times

Hiba Al Kawas, God's Gift to Lebanon

Hiba Al Kawas is a Lebanese gem, she is a great vocalists and a performer of serious songs accompanied by live orchestra. She is also a lot more than that. Hiba is operatic soprano, composer and academic.


Hiba Al Kawas has composed for symphony orchestra, chamber orchestra, string orchestra, various ensembles, piano, and voice. In her compositions traditional Arabic instruments are included in the orchestra. Her compositions combine Oriental-Arabic music components with international composition techniques, forming a bridge between Oriental-Arabic music, classical and neo classical forms, and contemporary music. Making her One of the few remarkable women in the world of music today, remarkable for her talent, creativity, artistic and intellectual personality.


Since her first concert at the age of six, Hiba Al Kawas has performed in many concerts in Lebanon, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, Cairo, Tunis, Bahrain, London, Paris, Italy, Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Portugal, and Amsterdam. She has established a career in Lebanon and the Arab world, bringing into existence Arabic opera. She developed and adapted operatic vocal techniques to find the proper voice placement to preserve the Arabic pronunciation and singing tradition. She frequently performs her own vocal compositions in concerts.



Hiba al Kawas - sawtiya alsama2 - هبة القواس - صوتي السماء

Mohamed El Ezaby, The Arab Dylan

I would love to see a concert by this iconic Egyptian singer, the blast from the past Mohammad Al 'ezabby. He is a legend in his country Egypt, but anyone who went to school in Egypt or listened to the radio in the 70s and 60s, then you know this guy, but most of all you will know his songs.

I know him because my dad used to sing his old songs to me, and I miss those songs and go back to them as often as I can. He took part of the song about Arab issues in Al Dameer Al Araby, he was Egypt's response to Wadee3 Al Safy. The folk legend, I think he ius the Bob Dylan of Arabic music. Perhaps the story he tells are like those of folk music John Prine.

This song of his was remade so many times, most famous cover was by Waleed Tawfik who sort of made the song his. But again nothing beats the orginal song by the lively voice of this never too old entertainer to entertain. Last time I check he is taking a break from singing. But this song about Bahyah, a girl he is fond of and follows around from the people's stories. Here comes 'Oyoon Bahya...Bahya's eyes.

بهية وعيون بهية