A love story

Singer Nawal Zogby's new album is called Khalas Samihet

Khalas Samihet (It's over, I forgave) is the title of Nawal Zogby's new album which has rocketed to No 1 in Lebanon, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. It features two songs with the Lebanese accent and six others with the Egyptian accent.

Perhaps the reason the album is having so much success is that the Lebanese star dedicates it to "every person that is living a love story".

"Passion is like the sea… Whatever the result is, every experience deserves to be lived and becomes a story that deserves to be told… I wish that all our love stories have happy endings," says Nawal.

Since the new album was released, Nawal Zogby has had no time to rest.

Happy ending

She just finished shooting the video for her song Qalbi Isalu (Ask my heart). Signed by director Yehia Saade, the video is a story of romance in a time of war. It tells the tale of a soldier and his young wife.

Qalbi Isalu was shot in the Bekaa valley in extremely cold weather with temperatures reaching -10C.

Despite the cold conditions, its message warms the heart with its happy ending: the soldier returns from the war carrying a sunflower in a sign of peace. Nawal dedicates the video to all countries experiencing war.

Lebanese singer Yara is preparing a new album

Lebanese singer Yara, who participated in Doha's festival, has assured she will never leave her mentor, successful Lebanese composer Tarek Abu Jaoude, saying that she is very happy to work with him.

She also said that she would like to sing a new duet like the one she sang with Fadl Shaker. However, Yara stressed it was her talent that made her famous and not the duet with Fadl.

She also announced that she would release a new album expected to feature 16 songs, all with the Gulf accent.

Funky Arab in America

Jad Choueiri has flown to the US to record a new song in a New York studio. Entitled Funky Arab, it is written in English and bears his signature — in the lyrics and the music.

Jad composed the song to change the image the Western World has of the Arab. "I want the Westerners to know that we have culture and civilisation and that we are against terrorism," he explains.