Mona Amarcha In It For The Money And Here's Why

The Moroccan songstress Mona Amarcha has yet to hold a concert outside the Gulf region where her career has been transformed from a celebrity singer into a wedding singer. After taking part of the Star Academy competition years ago, she made a decision not to go back to Morocco, not to Egypt and certainly not to Lebanon. Instead she followed the money and made a home for herself in Dubai.

She is a big player in the pop scene in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and in between. She makes good music and has a great voice. But if she is not getting paid, she is not singing. That means she has yet to release a song in Egyptian or the Lebanese dialect.

She does not seem to care about branching our or at least maintaining her celebrities status outside Dubai where she does concerts and private events. She does go back to Morocco for vacation with her lovely family and friends. But the only place she works is Dubai

Again the money is great we all love it, it's just the attitude that matters. She can make a decent living doing songs by this Sheikh and that poet, but to last you need to cover your tracks and open up new markets.

منى أمرشا - وينك | Mona Amarsha - Weinak

Saudi Rakan (راكان) Not The Other Man

Saudi Arabia is changing, one of the faces of this change is fresh Saudi pop prince Rakan. The boyish looking singer who is ever proud of his motherland by sporting the national dress and head gear in his music videos. But he also incorporates the same music that his country has known for close to a century--the drums.

His lyrics read like a conservative love poem, so there's not major trouble with this young man who is introducing generations of Arabs to Saudi music. He does Incorporated various hip elements of dance, computer affects and CG into his music videos. He is that funky kid that has always manged to impress his fans with how cool he has manged to become.

One thing, I like about Rakan is that he does not push the envelop too far, he tries to do cool things, with a local flavor. He is the star many young people look up as he gives them more reasons to be proud of. I know I personally like his very Saudi Dance moves.

Rakan Weily weily - راكان ويلي ويلي

Sally: A Bimbo And a Womanizer Walk Into A Bar

She is acting like a bimbo on screen to tell us the guy she likes is a womanizer. I do not know which one is worse, using sex is a marketing strategy or seducing women for fun. Sally sings about how is is quitting the love game, and how she is much prettier than the other girl

The best part about the song is the dialect the lyrics are written in, the music is upbeat but I cannot say it's something new. The fact is Sally is drop dead gorgeous. She has an album where she tries to appeal to the rich Gulf market. She is from Lebanon, hoping for a slice of the pop pie

Sally - Zeer L Nessa' / سالي - زير النساء

Rawad Saab Is Looking For A Wife And He Needs Your Help

Rawad likes brand names, he is driving a Mercedes, wearing cool trendy gear, all to declare his intentions. He wants to get married and he is asking you folks to introduce him to her. He wants a sweet girl whom his parents would approve of. He does not have many pictures of his floating around the net--he should look into that.

Good manners, good looks, you gotta go with the Lebanese Rawad sings. Tunisia, Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Iraq and Morocco all get a shout out in the song. Then the Arab Gulf gets its shout out too. Just marry an Arab girl that's the song if you could not find the Lebanese one It's a clever song to break into the show business. Arabs are suckers for such songs.

Rawad is a young and good looking lad, he would not find it hard to find a lady.

Rawad Saab - Baddi Etjawaz / رواد صعب - بدى إتجوز

Tell Your Mom! Nadia Moustafa's is BACK

One of the iconic singers from the 80s is a lady with a golden hair Nadia Moustafa. The Egyptian singer who dominated the charts of her time, and has made many people happy including my own mother and mother in law has just released a new song into the world.

I do not know why she has disappeared and why she chose to came out of her retirement, but I am glad she did. Her pal singer Medhat Saleh is still in the business and has not hang her microphone yet. Her comeback song is about not letting the guy get away with a wrong behavior.

The music video tells a love story of two people--models not Nadia. The guy is mean and the lady is full of life. Then comes Nadia who has manged to maintain her good looks. The song has been sang by Assala earlier this year. It was written from the Gulf, a poem of course.

Someone did a great job getting Nadia to do this song, we have missed her voice and her grace. welcome back Nadia. One thing, why have the comments been disabled? I am sure people were saying some mean stuff. The song is a bout a women who will not take it anymore--she leaves the guy and gets in the car with another lady--Nadia Moustafa.

A great song hard to imagine it was written by a dude.

Nadia Moustafa - Ma Asmahlak / نادية مصطفى - ما اسمحلك

Dubai Mall Fashion Show And Models

Many people have many opinions about Dubai, some love it, others not so much. One thing, this city is trying to do is be an open city....you want to put a fashion show in a fancy hotel, Dubai! Want to party till the morning and stay in the highest hotel in the world, come to Dubai! Want to drive nice and obnoxious cars, Dubai as it too. You want sports? Dubai got awesome venues!

Now, the city is doing something I am fond off, promote women fashion designers from withing that country. They sponsor local brands, and bring in the local ladies who have a knack for fashion, then they put on a good fashion show and with that sales come.

This has been going on since 2004, and the latest fashion show for modest dresses just wrapped up in Dubai. Rich Arab ladies form all over the world come and help stimulate the Dubai economy. Just look at the cat walk and see all the people standing and cheering for this new fad.

I think this is a cool idea, they close a section of the mall and put out a good show. I have always liked Dubai and people form there, but I am sensing the city is changing and women are trying to speak like they do in places like Beirut--dropping English and French references..

إماراتيات يتفوقن في أزياء الشلية والعباية

Ali Abdel Sattar Sang My All Time Favorite Gulf Song

Technically, he did not intend to make a big hit. I am learning that he made this song for his little kid, he wanted to sing it for him--"I love him and I like to hear his tales". This was the song that introduced generations to Gulf music as a hip and catchy song easy to fall in love to and music that gets you to move around. I was in Dubai at that time and his song was on every radio and in every cassette store, at that moment I know music can gap about of differences....

Ali Abdel Sttar is actually from Qatar and he is proud this way. He has a sweet voice that sounds the way it would had he not been a big name. I am trying to say he has that intimate voice, he is not the one to party, he  does a lot of business ventures on the side and as we can tell he has a loving supportive family. He does have this wide name recognition across the Arab world.

Ya Nas Ahba came in the late 80s and paved the way to Ali Abdel Star stardom. He kept at is in the 2000s, but then quit briefly once his contract with Rotana expired. I do not think he has ever made a song that rivaled his initial hit song. But in other news, his son is getting into the singing business as his father has produced that album for Naif--the son.

HD علي عبدالستار يا ناس احبه YouTube

عايش غريب - شذى حسون 2012 | Aish Garib - Shatha Hassoun

The music of India has played a big role in the local music scene in thew Gulf due to the long history of exchange between those two lands. That's what you get when he hera the latest single from Iraq's finest pop export Shatha Hassoun.

The music is composed by the busiest and most popular gulf music composer Fayez Al Said, he channeled some elements of Bollywood music. Hands down he is the best composer and most accomplished composer who crank up one fins song after another. He seems to really like working with Shatha who seems to have moved her operation to Dubai

A female poet composed the lyrics, and she did one heck of a job, she wrote all the things that guys often overlook. I am talking about the emotional stuff of course. Shatha chose the right song and the right time to release this single. Shatha is a music force not to be reckoned with, she is way smart and way more expediences than many of her peers. She makes good choices, sounds really good too and her fans would do anything for her.

عايش غريب - شذى حسون 2012 | Aish Garib - Shatha Hassoun

LISTEN: Angham - Law Kont Single اغنية انغام - لو كنت

Angham might not have had her Ramadan Drama on TV this year, but she is not out, fresh of a round of media interviews and a rumored feud with her co star Dalia Al Bihiry, Angham has never striekc me as a team player, she is a lone wolf and she sems to have few freinds in the business.

She has a combative style and almost always take things the wrong way, and insist that she has no problem, but the other party does have the problem. Fine, but why do most people do not have nice things to say about Angham? I like the lady and I like how sweet she can be. She might be misunderstood too. But by the same token she should look inward too

She is not mean, she got baggage dating back to her father and her working together when she was a little girl, then family drama. It really shows, as most of her interviews, it's easy to get Angham to talk about her personal life--her her divorce from the Kuwait composer and the father of her children.

Luckily for her the Gulf adores her voice, and luckily for them she keeps on doing songs in that dialect like her most recent single, a happy song really about imagining the moment...this is a hit song with some fresh music with some cool violin. The song's lyricist and the composer is the same person whose name is Al Sima- a female perhaps?

The composer did a really good job. A fitting song for the Eid with a lot of well wishes. Dream on....

 اغنية انغام - لو كنت | Angham - Law Kont

Fadel Shaker Is Like The Crazy But Nice Uncle

When you home speaks a language, you better speak the language if you wan to get comfortable at the place where you have been granted peace. Fadel Shaker told us he will quit the music business, but then this latest single of his is the answer---he is not going anywhere.

This time he has a lady in his music video and he seems to be frozen and a lot older than he once was. But the salt and pepper hair brings some maturity to this poem turned into a song . I love the gracious part where the song credits the creator with making such gorgeous people.

I think Fadel does well when he sings, when you ask for his opinions, things get ticky as he gets emotional

Fadl Shaker - Ma Assadda' / فضل شاكر - ما أصدق

حلا الترك - زهقانة | Little Rascal Hala AL Turk - Zahgana

Kids cannot get into clubs, but who to say they cannot sing to club music? Ask Hala Al Turk who might be the cutest Arab kid in the entertainment business. She has lots of fans all over the Arab world, but she is also growing fast too.

She brought another boy for the music video of hers, where they are both bored, they want to go around the world eating popcorn and drinking juice. She leaves home and travels around the world with her brother. She travles in style too.

She also sends her parents post card and gifts from the places they visited. For me, this song is a mixed bag but that does not stop it from being entertaining.

حلا الترك - زهقانة | Hala AL Turk - Zahgana

Child Star Hala Al Turk Is Bored, Not Us Though

The most popular kid on Arab TV is Hala Turk, the little girl form Bahrain that almost won the title for Arabs Got Talent. Despite her not winning, she has scored the largest contracts in the business. She has already released an album, filmed dozens of commercials and appeared on numerous TV shows.

But she is just getting warmed up, as she is gearing up for a song--a teaser is below, where she is feeling bored at home, I do like the bright colors and the kiddish Hala. Girls grow so fast, she is way taller than I remember her when we met hear more than a year ago.

She is still so cute and so fun to look at, I hate how people in the comment sections telling her parents to have her memorize the Koran instead--like you cannot do both. I do not like mean people who are turning the comments into a negative Nancy blog. She is a young girl, she makes songs for the kids--not you overgrown idiots out there.

 حلا الترك - زهقانة - قريباً | Hala Al Turk - Zahgana - Soon

Fadl Shaker - Ma Asadeq Teaser / فضل شاكر - ما أصدق

Fadel Shaker has told us he will quit singing, but sol far he has not. We know he does not like Bashar and we also know that he sill performs live. He also goes o prayer and takes pictures with fans there. He has also moved to Qatar with his family where he lives

Since he is now in the Gulf, it's a master of time that he would release a Gulf song, poets in that part of the world pay top dollars for singers to turn their songs into poems. So, it's no surprise that a song by Fadel Shaker is being promoted at the moment.

It's a safe song for Fadel, but from the teaser, the song might be lacking. But it could be that we are only hearing seconds of it. There's a female lady in the music video, and some tourist stuff, but the song seems romantic and poetic. What I do not think it has is energy or originality. But it's too soon to fully know that.

Fadl Shaker - Ma Asadeq Teaser 2 / فضل شاكر - ما أصدق


Fadl Shaker - Ma Asadeq Teaser 1 / فضل شاكر - ما أصدق

HOT: Assala - Kabrtak Ala Sedak / أصالة - كبرتك علي سيدك 2012 Album Promo

Syrian singer Assala is having the year of her live, she has been rocking this summer music festivals, keeping political blogs active and interested in her opinions and jetting around the world for concerts and engagements.  Then she would release singles, she released three of them so far. And host that popular TV shows of her where she gets to sing with her buddy singers. A duet with Ramy Sabry and a dozen of interviews.

But she has also been working on an album, and we have a stare of art comeback album, her first since 2008--she has released at least on other album but that was in the Gulf Dialect. This upcoming album of hers will have romance, and will have both Egyptian and Lebanese dialect songs--the ones that made her a pop star in the first place. The kind of songs that radiates happy

The album will have ten tracks. Her husband company Star Gate is producing the album and Pyramdia will distribute it around the world. By looking the list of musicians and composers she has worked with, one cannot help but realize hoe serious Assala is about this album of hers. This is the Assalah we love and this is the kind of songs that make the world a better place.

In other news, I just learned that one of the youngest and most promising composers Karim Mohsin composed this song. I knew I was a fan of his songs, but I am no certain that I like his music work too.

Assala - Kabrtak Ala Sedak / أصالة - كبرتك علي سيدك



Assala " Shakhsya Aneeda " Album Promo | برومو ألبوم " شخصية عنيدة " أصالة

"Layalina" 2012, The Album No One Asked For

The marketing monkeys at Rotana met with the department of packing old crap no body cares about and together they put forth an album that offers nothing new and nobody seems to have noticed it. The singers come from Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Iraq and they sing in different dialects.

 In this day and age, you cannot get away with releasing an album with 6 tracks of no original material and no theme. What does Elissa have to do with Majid Al Mohandis and Rashid Al Majid? and what does Carol Samah have to do with Abdel Majid Abdallah?

1.  اليسا - جوايا ليك Elissa Gowa Ya Leek
2. راشد الماجد - سلام عليهم Rashid Al Majid Salam Alyhom
3. عبدالمجيد عبدالله - مااذكر متى Abdel Majid Abdallah
4. فضل شاكر/ يارا - خذني معك Fadel Shaker and Yara Kedny Ma'ak
5. كارول سماحه / مروان خوري - يارب Carol Samaha and Marwan Khoury Ya Rab
6. ماجد المهندس - فرصه مجنونه Majid Al Mohandis Forsah Majnoonah

These are all talented entertainers with different fans and different strength points. But unlike previous albums, that Rotana did there was a clear theme...romantic songs, sad ones, Lebanese ones....etc. If this album sells 5 thousand copies, Rotana should do a victory dance.  

راشد الماجد ...سلام عليهم

The Lebanese Dalida And Her Magic Ring

Let's get one thing off my chest, Dalida is a good looking lady. She does have a a good enough voice to carry a pop song, and her music video is pretty cool if you ask me. I like the funky and bright colors it has. I love the TV bars affect and the way the music video came together.

I do not love the song, but I am fine with it. Many comments on the video come from chauvinistic pigs who are calling this clip soft core porn. I beg to differ. This is a Lebanese singer who is doing a song in the Gulf Dialect and thus she tends to get gigs to perform in concerts in places like Kuwait.  

 Dalida - Khatem Sehry / داليدا - خاتم سحري

Nabil Shuail, The Gulf's Finest One Hit Wonder

speaking of enchanting poetry, tune in to Golf Nightingale or as yo know him Nabil Shuail, the chunky singer form Kuwait. Nabil was the first face of Gulf music that made it big in the Arab mainstream. He was carried to every Arab home with the satellite wave that stroke in the 90s. He has one of the finest sense of humors in the biz and it shows in his interviews and various appearances.

His bit hit was Ma Ar'wak "How Wonderful You Are", a light pop song that plays like a poem whee the singer is telling his other half how much in love he is with such a wonderful soul. The song came in the late 90s and it was the romantic song of its time, Arabs were blown away with this new star. To his credit, he has had dozens of other songs prior to that one--I know this because I grew up in the Gulf with his music.

Nabil enjoyed a great deal of fame, but none of his songs has manged to outgrow that one hit of his. Nabil has not been very active--his last album was in 2009. One thing I like about Nabil is his music videos, he does not fall in love, he hires other models to tell a love story where Nabil only provides the audio track of his magical and poetic words.

Enjoy Nabil's most famous song to date

نبيل شعيل ما اروعك اغاني نبيل شعيل -الكليب الأصلي

Review: "The Inevitable Change" Album By Qusai

Qusia might have just figured out how to make an album with a true positive message that speaks to the youth and speaks of their aspirations and frustrations. The word rapper and intellectual should not belong to the sae sentence, but Qusai might have merged the two world with the release of his much celebrated album "The Inevitable Change" an album not made on the cheap, an album in which traditions and heartfelt lyrics are crucial ingredients.

This is an album that will seal the mouths of those who have criticized rap and rappers, because with his lyrics flow and uplifting verses Qusai puts it all together in one album. The album has 12 tracks and offer a verity of songs in both English and Arabic. Qusai seems like a nice guy whose fans are truly in love with him. Those who might not love him cannot help but respect the Saudi rapper who knows that for rap to go mainstream in Arabia, it has to promote old values and things that people like to hear--pan-Arab unity and good virtues.

The album is a huge collaboration between the West and East--do not miss the hard rock bit and other fusions. I can now safely say, that with Qusai making music, the excuse to "I do not listen to Arabic songs" is no longer relevant. Why? Because Qusai can do both languages/styles and you would not tell the difference. For those politically savvy, will cheer the track on what see around us as a result of the Arab Spring--the album does not forget about Palestine--which he rightfully dubs, the Number one issue

Qusia kicks of his album with the verse Peace Be Upon You and then jumps into it. Qusia who has spend his time well in the States perfected (and perhaps improve) on this rebellious art form. But don't panic, the album has its fun parts with fresh beats and dance moments. The album is like an autobiography for Qusai who takes his listeners into a eye-popping journey that started in Saudi Arabia with a layover in America. You will feel that you move form the local mosque, to the souk, into the coffee shop, then into the club without ever getting disoriented or bored.

While thee has been many popular Arab rappers in the past 15 years or so, no one has worked as hard as Qusai has shown. Qusai has a lot of offer which he makes look easy because most of his hard work is behind the scenes. This is one produ rapper who has manged to be different by being proud of what makes him so great--home.
  
Arab World Unite (Official Music Video) | اتحاد العرب


قصي - يلا | Qusai - Yalla

Something Very Unsexy About Gulf Jalsat Music

Jalasat (جلسات وناسة) is a unique form of entertainment in the Gulf. It's a band of brothers sitting in the floor with their instruments and vocalist. They tend of be mi aged men, and it can be called a jamming session where the image does not mater as much as the voice does. One question though:

Why is there are only men in the room? The only females who perform are the vocalist and women tend to watch these things on TV as they either choose not to be present or they might not be able to join in. Jalasat are often hosted in the house of some rich person who hires big names to come jam with his boys.

This time, they have hired Marwa from Tunisia to jam with them. She is even sitting apart from them. I guess who doesn't like a pretty face? My thing is this, those men are probably the same ones who call for strict Islamic law as they preach virtue. I do not think sausages fests have made anything better.

Again, Jalasat is a proud tradition from the people in the Gulf, it does preserves the legacy of their ancestor. The art form took an interesting form when it choose to air on TV, TV required remaking it by putting sexy back in music. Morcan singer Mona Amarcha, Lebanese singers Yara and Diana Haddad are only few of the ladies that broke into this art form.
 
الفنانه مروى التونسيه - فرقة التلفزيون - برنامج القايله

If You Are Tired Of Arabic Pop Buy The Inevitable Change By Qusai

Arabic pop can feel old sometimes, and the same goes for any kind of popular music. Change is good, and finding something exciting to jam to is priceless. This is about I feel about Qusai, new album "The Inevitable Change" The Saudi rapper who made it huge on Arabs Got Talent.

His stage name is also Don Legend the Kamelion, which makes sense of a TV personality, a rapper and a songwriter who can also be a mean DJ. Qusai was picked by Platinum Records which is based in Dubai and they are releasing his debut album to many--it's really his third.

Qusia is no lightweight, he does have a good brain over his shoulder. Educated in the United States Florida where he has two degrees including an MBA. It's there where he picks his interest in rap and music where he rolled with a number of RB producers. Qusia brought something cool to the rap game. He does have a solid background in both English and Arabic. So when he spits out lines in both languages at the same time, one cannot help but be swoon.

Qusai have hosted a number of TV shows about hip hop and music, he remains active as a TV personalty. He does have a large fan base throughout the Arab world and outside. This might be the upside of having an MBA and a rare talent that many are hungry for.

This will be a good social album with many uplifting messages that youth ought to hear. Perhaps we have the many talents of Qusai to thank for this incredible album.

قصي - قريباً | Qusai - The Inevitable Change - Soon


قصي - يلا | Qusai - Yalla