Showbiz Arabia: Latest gossip from the Arab world

'Music has no dialect'

Shatha Hassoun has come a long way since her appearance on Star Academy in 2007.

Following her win in the fourth season of the talent show — making history as the first Iraqi contestant, as well as becoming the very first woman to win the pan-Arab singing competition — 30-year-old Hassoun, who is also of Moroccan descent, is back with a new album produced by record company giant Rotana.

Entitled Wajih Taney, the record features 12 Iraqi and Khaleeji songs written and composed by the who's who of the GCC entertainment world.

Earlier this week, Hassoun launched Wajih Taney in Doha . 

On Wajih Taney, you have worked with a host of big names. That must have been a surreal experience, considering you have only been in showbiz for a few years.

It was so exciting working with everyone, such as the legendary Ahlam, and Abdullah Ruwaished and Hatem Al Iraqi, for example. I was incredibly happy that I was able to work with them, because I love what they do, and I am a huge fan of their songs.

I also have to give huge credit to Nasir Al Saleh, who composed one of the songs on the album, called Aladdin. He really helped me throughout the experience.

What made you decide to record a Khaleeji album this time?

The most important thing to me was to record beautiful songs that would appeal to my fans. In terms of the dialect, I chose Iraqi and Khaleeji songs this time as I wanted to release something that represented my roots, because at the end of the day, I consider myself Iraqi. It is important to maintain your identity and show it through your art.

Additionally, there are not a lot of well-known Iraqi female singers, therefore I felt it was my duty to represent my home country.

I can relate to a lot of the songs on the album — they're about love and marriage. Songs that a great number of people — especially women — in the region can relate to.

You're with Rotana. Did they have a problem with you taking the Khaleeji route for this album considering a number of your hits were in the Lebanese dialect?

To be honest, this album was a gift to Rotana, because they did not interfere at all. And at the end of the day, Rotana is a very respectable record company and if they did not like the record, they would not have gone ahead and produced it. All the execs really were impressed with the songs, and liked the fact I used Khaleeji and Iraqi songs.

Iraqi and Khaleeji communities are quite similar, so the mix did not sound weird on the album. But that is not to say that I will not explore other dialects. I have already done Lebanese obviously, as well as Moroccan, and I look forward to singing in Egyptian.

Universally, music does not have a dialect. I love exploring all sorts of styles — not just Khaleeji.

When working with a superstar such as Ahlam, was it difficult not to take on her singing style with the song she composed for you?

Like I mentioned before, she is legendary, and I was so proud to be working with her. With the song she composed for me, I would say I sung it in my own style, but the life and soul of the song is Ahlam's.

It is important not to imitate. It is better to maintain your originality. Fans won't like it if you attempt to be someone else.

How did the name of the album come about?

Wajih Taney is also one of the songs on the album, written by the Iraqi artist Hamed Al Garbawy. It is a very nice, classical song. I felt the name was best suited to the album, because it represents what I am doing at the moment, because I have decided to explore the Khaleeji route.

Wajih Taney literally means "another face", so it is a way of saying this is another side of me.

A number of artists have put their albums on hold at the moment due to the current political and civil unrest in the region. Were you hesitant about releasing an album this year?

Actually, we were meant to release the album a while back, but we didn't want to release during the very difficult times. So then when we saw the situation beginning to improve, we decided to release after Eid.

Yes, everyone is watching the news and we all greatly care about the Arab world, but we also need things to lift our moods, therefore I hope the album can make people smile.

Arabia Online

"Of course there is no dispute between Ola and me. Why can't two females star in one show without the media accusing us of not getting along?"

— Egyptian actress Hana Shiha insists she got along with Ola Ganem during the filming of Sharea Abd Al Aziz. 

"I have a passion for designing my own clothes and over 90 per cent of what I wear are my personal designs. I am unique, because I am a talented dancer, singer and actress as well."

—Lebanese artist Dolly Shaheen

Sherine: Maysoon's claims are ‘ridiculous'

Sherine Abdul Wahab (pictured) has hit back at Saudi Arabian artist Maysoon Abdul Aziz after Maysoon accused the Egyptian singer of being racist.

According to reports, the two were meant to sing together on the entertainment show Duo Al Mashaheer, and Maysoon had been practising Sherine's song Ana Mish Bita'it Kalam for three days prior to the filming of the episode.

Reports quote Maysoon as saying: "I had been practising for days, but as soon as Sherine arrived and found out she was going to be singing with a Saudi, she threw the microphone and walked away."

However, Sherine has since told reporters the allegations are "ridiculous", adding that she has previously released an entire album in the Khaleeji dialect proving that she doesn't have anything against the region.

"Seriously, why would I act like that when I have so many friends from the region, and I love visiting the GCC?"

Razan gets booted

Razan Moughrabi has been let go by Al Hayat television. Multiple sources at the Egyptian broadcasting channel have confirmed that the Lebanese presenter's contract has been terminated. To add insult to injury, Razan will be replaced by arch rival Nicole Saba.

The news comes after Al Hayat decided not to air a programme originally commissioned by the channel featuring Razan promoting tourism in Egypt. A number of groups had called for the channel not to air the show following the release of a controversial video on YouTube where Razan is seen making various lewd remarks and simulating sexual acts with her husband.

Ironically, when the video first emerged, she stated that a woman artist was behind leaking the clip, and news reports had quickly speculated it was Nicole.

Congrats, Nadine

Lebanese director and actress Nadine Labaki won the People's Choice Award for her latest film, W Halla La Wein (Where Do We Go Now?) at the Toronto International Film Festival.

The film follows the story of several women living in a village during the war in Lebanon. The women, who are close friends, try everything in their power to stop their men from participating in the religious war.