Reaching for the moon

After nearly a two-year absence, Lebanese singer Amal Hijazi has made a comeback with her new album Keef Al Qamar (How's The Moon), released by music production company Rotana. The album features 10 songs in Lebanese and Egyptian.

The album also features the song Nafsi Tefhamni (I Would Like You To Understand), the single in the Gulf dialect that Amal released last summer.

In order to release this album, Amal collaborated with a group of artists, poets and composers such as Haytham Zayat and Nader Nour. She will soon begin shooting the first video — Ahla Ma fi el Ayam (The Best There Is In Life) — directed by Rindallah Alam. Sources claim that Amal spent a large amount of money on her wardrobe for the video.

Her previous album Baya' Al Ward (Flower Merchant) generated criticism after she appeared on the album cover and in a video wearing a T-shirt displaying a symbol associated with gay people.

According to the London online newspaper Elaph, Amal Hijazi has severed ties with her previous manager Sharbal Damoot, although the two are on good terms. Rumours has it that they had a romantic relationship, but could not marry since they practice different religions.

'I just felt I needed to come back'

Eileen Khatchadourian will perform with her band comprising five Lebanese musicians — Mihran Gurunian, Mazen Siblini, Haytham Chalhoub, Jad Awad and Ahmad Khatib at the Skywards Dubai International Jazz Festival on February 29.

Eileen, who started singing at 18, also participated at the Dubai International Jazz Festival, last year when she sang with Lebanese-Armenian pianist Guy Manoukian.

Eileen is also set to release her new album, Midane, soon featuring 10 traditional Armenian songs with a modern touch.

In an interview with tabloid!, Eileen said that she "decided to record traditional Armenian songs with gothic, electro and oriental touches".

"I am Lebanese Armenian, but I discovered this traditional art a little bit late," she said.

Eileen loves Dubai and speaks with a big smile about the city, its people and its sights. "I just felt I needed to come back," she says.

Ashqar and Hana sing together

A duet by singer Joe Ashqar and one Star Academy finalist Hana Al Idrissi has just been released. It is called Lal Sahar Sahar.

The song is written by Elias Nasser and the music is composed by Tarek Abu Jaoude. It took two days to shoot the romantic video, which is directed by Toufic Traboulsi.

Al Idrissi says she is ecstatic that she is to launch her career with a prodigy like Ashqar.

Machaalani attacked

Lebanese singer Pascale Machaalani was recently attacked by a violent fan. It all started several years ago when a fan started calling her, sending flowers and messages and also stalking her at concerts and parties. But recently things took a nasty turn when he turned violent.

Pascale, who refused to reveal the nationality of the fan, said: "He arrived at a party with a bunch of bodyguards. He told me that he wanted to speak to me alone. He took my hand, squeezed it violently and said that he wanted to marry me.

"I said that I was engaged, so he threatened to kill my fiancé." The police were then called.

The singer, who has had problems with violent fans many times, added that despite his earlier behaviour, she always thought him to be a normal fan.

But there are hundreds of her fans, who are just happy collecting her photos and CDs, memorising her songs and going to her concerts.