The Odd Duet of "Zay El Amar" By Dolly Chahine

Few people remember Dolly Chaine, the Lebanese Brazilian import who sang and acted in a number of movies and music videos. Few years ago, she married Richard El Hajj who used to produce for her. Noe she has gone into hiding.

Right before she left the entertainment business, she released an album, a girly pop album. The album was centered around a duet that she sang along iconic actor, a blast from the past Mr. Sameer Sabry. Mr. Sabry sang along and he did sounds really good.

The actor played the role of a father who is walking his girl down the aisle. He misses his wife and wishes she was there to witness the moment. It was a pleasant treat, but whoever paired those two is quite the creative force. The song forgets about the husband and all the flirting is geared toward the father and his little girl.

Dolly Chahine - Zay El Amar / دوللي شاهين - زي القمر

Elissar Or As The Lebanses Queen of The Dance

The prelude to the music video is so cheesy and so forced, what follows may disappoint some. But when it comes to belly dancers in Lebanon, Elissar is the go to belly dancer of the stars. She does dance in private clubs in some of those artist (shady) parts of town.

Elissar who was born in Lebanon, spent a great deal of her life living in the UK and the USa due to the civil war at home. Elissar's father did not want her to get into dancing, but she did anyway. She dances to Western and Arabic music with the same level of excitement and energy. Elissar is making a bold move at a career many Arab women have little interest in anymore.

I do like the effort of building a theme for the music video where the dancer moving along and the actors appear to be from a distant era. The cheap graphic in the background takes away from the experience, but overall watching the clip I am left with one question: what do they put in Elissar's coffee to get her to move with such energy?


Elissar - The Queen of The Dance

How Good Is Waynak? By Sabine Atallah.سابين عطاالله وينك

Here comes a Lebanese single for this summer with a new singer that goes by the name Sabine Attallah. While the song won't be winning awards for lyrics, but for clubs, parties concerts, she will be a big hit this summer. I like the single and the music accompanying it...

There might be an album coming soon for this young Lebanese singer who wants to entertain. K Music picked her up and they are producing her music. Sabine Attallah is a bankable pop stat as she is young, good looking and wants the fame. I do enjoy chick pop, where the girl tells the boy how it is.

I am reminded my Darine Hadchiti and few other singers who have done similar songs before.

Waynak sabine atallah.سابين عطاالله وينك

May Matar, The Lebanese Girl Of Chick Pop

Few years ago, Mai Matar's name came out of nowhere, she might have been a local singer at her home Lebanon, but all of sudden she was everywhere. She can thank a song she did in response to a song she perceived to ask women to sit at home and not work.

Her song was mad and raised some critical points, once this was over nothing has been heard from Mai. Ms. Matar was on radio and TV telling girls that they can be all they want to be. Mohammed Iskander, the guy who sang the original song that pissed off Mai and other ladies, moved one and did a very good song about plastic surgeries.

But it seems there's a new single in town for Mai, the song is titled, I loved you, but I do not anymore. Here's a clip from the filming of the music video for the song. The song does not have the pizzazz decent pop songs usually have. It seems like a cute girl karaoke.
may matar teaser final 3  مي مطر: كنت حبك وبطَّلت

"Lie To Me" Or اكدب عليا By Yasmin Niazy

Here comes the funk, here comes the funk! Yasmin Niazy, one the hotter Egyptian pop singers in the market now is enjoying the release of her music video with Rotana. Late last year, they released her album, which was pretty good--a mixture of funk pop and girly stuff. There was also drama and blues, and to be honest, the album was such a treat.

Out of its 8 tracks, I know I adored 7 of them. Yasmin does the kind of songs that only a girl with a sense of humor and a deeply rooted sense of self-wroth can record. She might have as well labeled her album, calling guys on their bullshit. That's what you will get from her music video.

It's a song about a boy toy who cheats on Yassmin and then he sends her a text message meant for the other girl. She is a rock star and deals with him just like that.
ياسمين نيازي - اكدب عليا / فيديو كليب 2012

A Walk To Remember With Aya Mustafa

Aya Mustafa is an Egyptian singer who seems to be influenced by half a dozen female entertainers of the world. Her flow and her guitar reminds me of the likes of Joni Mitchel. The ballad as told by nostalgic Aya in her quest for love  is telling. This might sound like a different song in Arabic, but the way it has been produced and put together offers hope for a different genera of Arabic music--something that could make a compromise.

American sounding songs, but with meaningful lyrics come in Arabic. I see other Egyptian indie singers appear in the music video, which speaks to Aya's street cred with other entertainer and activists.
Aya Mustafa - Hodour w Gheyab آية مصطفى - حضور و غياب

Mashael In Baghazelah, All Colors, Flirts and Smiles

If bright colors, festive mode, zany pictures are what you are looking for, then you have landed in the right place. Mashael picked a young Lebanese female director for her latest song music video, and it does leave you wanting some more because it does something fresh. The colors remind me of the movie the Cat in the Hat with Mike Mayer.

The song opens with the voice of Soad Hosny and her beloved classic ya wad ya tikeel. Mashael is ready to pick the torch as she sings about her being flirtatious with the guy she likes. She looks just right with the colorful outfits, well done makeup work and her world famous smile. The director and the team did a fine job with the decoration and the set.

The color pink is back to rule the universe. I have always enjoyed the voice and the song choice of Mashael now I have a hundred more reasons to enjoy her latest music video. I love the stairs bit with the piano. I now think Mashael might want to try acting, she seems to be a natural.
مشاعل - بغازله | Mashael - Baghazelah

MJK Teaser! The Pop That Only Haifa Can Make

Haifa is a cool cat, and that has served her well, but she is no dummy. She has shown that she is a smart business women with a lot of strong opinions, but as an artist she has an image and that image works well for her. She makes it look effortless and the fans--young and old appreciate that about her. Her new album, titles MJK abbreviation in Arabic for Malikat Jamal Alkoon--Miss Universe. Something about glamor, youth and dazzle that attracts Haifa to this business, it's a creative title.

 It brings back memories with the queen of Arab pop, she is good at what she does, and her team is mindful of who she is and what style first her best. Haifa was largely missing last year, but it seems the sabbatical has helped her refocus and regroup. Now comes her big album that offers a Haifa style entertainment. The pop with gillie feel to it, there's an art that Haifa has mastered which is make songs that appeal to both kids and grownups. Sure there are those who think they can see through her, but that never stops half a dozen of other wannabe Haifas out there form copying her style or trying too.

I have liked songs in the past from Haifa, the are the light ones that can be easily classified as cute songs, that way they are light, catchy and hot. She has released dozens of those songs and those are always popular in her concerts. Say what you say about Haifa, but she is no elitist, she comes across as the girl next door. She answers when people call her Hiafa, she doe snot want to be a diva, it's enough that she is popular and adored.

 Haifa MJK Teaser #3 - Bokra Bfarjik / هيفا وهبي - بكرا بفرجيك

I Would Buy Fayrouz Karawya's 2012 Album

Girls cannot make the kind of album Egyptian singer Fayrouz Karaywa has just released. Only a full grown woman can. This experimental album delivers one knockout song after another and you do not even notice that the tracks are changing. It's like a really compelling story that draws you in. The album took 6 years to make, so the artist has not been in a hurry to release it.

A soul exploration albums are not so common in mainstream Arabic entertainment, they are all too common in Western Music. I am currently enjoying the album and learning few things about Fayrouz and what she thinks of both men, boys and girls. She sounds like an honest person telling a story....Girls we are crazy sometimes when we do not maky any sense. Then she turned around and tells a judgmental male in her life to stop acting like he owns her.

This is just a test of what this album offers, I wish more people would tune in and enjoy this fresh take on Arabic music in both the melody, and the lyrics. Finaly, if you are looking for some wisdom in music, this is a very wise album to check out, at times I think Fayrouz sounds like a sage.


01.El Wshosh
02.Barra Menny
03.Mangam 7ob
04.7aga Wa7da
05.Bataly El Mesaly
06.Yekon Fema3lomak
07.Garrabt
08.3ashe2
09.Ba3ady El Share3
10.Ya Nina
11.Banat
12.Baft7
13.Qahwa


Fayrouz Karawya - Alb El Woshoush


Fayrouz Karawya - Mangam Hob