Elissa - Lebanese Singer

Lebanese singer Elissa was born Elissar Zakaria Khoury on October 27th, 1972 in Deir el Ahmar, Lebanon to a Lebanese father and a Syrian mother.
The "Queen Of Romance" or "Queen Of Feelings" is one of the most well known female singers in the Arab world and she is also one of the best selling female artists in the Middle East.

Elissa started out in theater when she was attending Lebanese University (where she earned a degree in Political Science).
From theater she moved on to signing, appearing on the Lebanese talent show, Studio El Fan.
The contestants in the different singing categories were awarded gold, silver or bronze medals and Elissa won a silver medal.

Elissa released her first album, the flamenco-influenced Baddy Doub in 1999.
The album which featured famous French gypsy singer Gerard Ferrer, was a hit, and led to Elissa appearing at Cannes in the International Music Festival of 2000.

Following up on Baddy Doub, Elissa released her second album, W'akherta Ma'ak the next year in 2000.
Her duet with Lebanese superstar Ragheb Alama, Bitghib Betrouh, was a huge hit all the over the Arab World.

Elissa released her third studio album, Ayshalak, in June 2002.
The second single from the album Agmal Ehsas was a hit, and the video for another single, Ajmal Ihsas, won the best video clip at the Arabic music awards.
At the same awards Elissa also won the Murex d'Or award for best female artist.

The same year, Elissa did a duet with British singer-songwriter Chris de Burgh (Lady in Red, Don't Pay The Ferryman) called Lebanese Nights which released on DeBurgh's 2002 Album, Timing Is Everything.

In 2004, Elissa released her fourth album, Ahla Donya, which became one of the fastest selling albums ever in the Arab world.
The album's first single Kol Youm Fi Omrey was a hit, and again Elissa won the World Music Award as best selling artist of the Middle East and the video Hobak Wajaa (Inta Lameen) won Best video clip.

Elissa released her fifth album Bastanak in 2006.
To promote the album, Pepsi launched an international commercial in May 2006 with Elissa and Christina Aguilera singing a duet.
Because of this album, Elissa again received the World Music Award as best selling artist of the Middle East.
Bastanak has already sold over 3.2 million copies. 

Elissa's sixth studio album, Ayami Beek, was released in December 2007.
Her first single from the album, Betmoun debuted at number 1 on Rotana's PEPSI Top 20 Charts, the second song to ever do that.
The songs Ayami Beek and Moush Keteer Alek were both used in commercials, and Elissa performed Ayami Beek, at Mission Fashion 07 on LBC TV.

On December 26, 2009, Elissa released her seventh studio album, Tsadaq Bmein.
Elissa won the World Music Award as best selling artist of the Middle East for the third time thanks to this album.
This album has thirteen songs in both Lebanese and Egyptian dialects.

Baddi Doub (1999)
W'akherta Ma'ak (2000)
Ayshalak (2002)
Ahla Donya (2004)
Bastanak (2006)
Ayami Beek (2008)
Tsadaq Bmein (2009)