Elissa

Lebanese & International singer, 3 times World Music Award winner, best selling artist in MENA #ELISSA ELISSA—Biography and Career: Elissar Zakaria Khoury commonly known as Elissa was born on October 27, 1971 into a Maronite Christian family in the village Deir el Ahmar, in Bekaa Valley, Lebanon. At the tender age of 10, Elissa began participating in social events and had a role in the kids' festival at Mont la Salle, which was hosted by Sandy Oshakji. As she grew up, her passion developed and she grew more and more involved in the art scene by acting in theater plays, namely with well-known songwriter Wassim Tabbara and later, with the "Théâtre de 10 Heures". Having studied Political Science at the Lebanese University, she had a natural knack for her first play's tendency for political critique, and her talent, though in its infancy, left a lasting impressing on that initial audience. Her theatrical beginnings opened way for her to experiment with other modes of expression and soon found herself singing in front of audiences. In 1992, she participated and won a Silver Medal in "Studio Al Fan". The show was broadcasted on LBCI, one of the most renowned TV stations in the Middle East. Following this gentle, yet encouraging success, Elissa began performing in concerts, driven by her tireless determination until 1999, when Lido Productions released her first album, "Baddy Doub", distributed by EMI. Elissa’s debut on the commercial music scene was an event of considerable significance. The album was a success, and featured a smash hit with famous French gypsy artist, Gerard Ferrer. The release of "Baddy Doub" brought the musical talent straight to Cannes, where she participated in the International Music Festival of 2000. Following her success at the International Music Festival, Elissa released her second album, "We Akhertha Maak", which included the immense hit duet, "Betghib Betrouh", sung with Lebanese superstar Ragheb Alama. The emerging singer’s third album, "Ayshalak", was also quite successful and its musical quality was considered a big leap forward in her music career. In the making of "Ayshalak", Elissa took advantage of the significant momentum gained during her previous two albums and managed to surpass expectations at an amazing rate. The video clip of the album’s hit single and namesake was filmed in Paris, directed by acclaimed French director Fabrice Begotti. Elissa was officially dressed and made up by Christian Dior Paris for the video, marking the first time Dior collaborated with an Arabic artist. Hot on the heels of the well-received third album, Elissa continued her fiery path and sent shock waves through the music scene when she teamed up with the world-famous Irish singer Chris De Burgh. The collaboration of these two talents resulted in the historic duet, "Lebanese Nights". The hit song was included on De Burgh’s 2002 album, "Time is Everything". 2002 brought Elissa more consecration as she was awarded with the Murex d'Or award for Best Female Artist. And her, "Ajmal Ihsas" clip won the best video clip at the Arabic Music Awards, which took place in Dubai. To top off an outstandingly successful and memorable year, Elissa was also included in the anthology book, "100 Pioneers of Lebanon". The singer was celebrated alongside artists such as Fairuz, Wadih El-Safi, and many other celebrities who have left their everlasting mark on the Lebanese cultural, political and social landscape. Elissa’s fourth album, "Ahla Donia", recorded with Super Audio System, was released in May 2004. It broke record sales around the Middle East and the beloved artist won the World Music Award for Best Selling Middle East Artist. As a result, Elissa was recognized as the first Lebanese to win the award and went on to win the Murex d’Or fo