Amr Diab

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Amr Diab
عمرو دياب
Diab in 2022
Born
Amr Abdel Basset Abdel Azeez Diab
عمرو عبد الباسط عبد العزيز دياب

(1961-10-11) 11 October 1961 (age 62)
Port Said, Egypt
Other namesEl Hadaba ("The Plateau", "The Hill")
Occupations
  • Singer
  • composer
  • actor
Years active1983–present
Musical career
Genres
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • oud
  • piano
Labels
  • Delta Sound (1984–1998)
  • Alam El Phan (1996–2003)
  • Rotana (2004–2015)
  • Nay for Media (2016–present)
Websiteamrdiab.net

Amr Abdel Basset Abdel Azeez Diab (Arabic: عمرو عبد الباسط عبد العزيز دياب, IPA: [ˈʕɑmɾe deˈjæːb]; born 11 October 1961) is an Egyptian singer, composer and actor.[1] He has established himself as a globally acclaimed recording artist and author.[2] He is a Guinness World Record holder, the best selling Middle Eastern artist, a seven-times winner of World Music Awards and five-times winner of Platinum Records.[2]

Early Life[edit]

Diab was born as Amr Abdel Basset Abdel Azeez Diab (Arabic: عمرو عبد الباسط عبد العزيز دياب) on 11 October 1961 in Port Said[3] to a middle-class Muslim family from the Egyptian countryside of Menia Elamh, in Sharqia Governorate, Egypt. Diab graduated with a bachelor's degree in music from the Cairo Academy of Arts in 1986.[4]

Music Career[edit]

Diab released his first album entitled Ya Tareeq in 1983. Diab's second album, Ghanny Men Albak (1984), was the first of a series of records he released with Delta Sound; including Hala Hala (1986), Khalseen (1987), and Mayyal (1988), with the title track becoming one of the top 10 songs in the world at the time[citation needed]. His later releases include Shawa'na (1989), Matkhafesh (1990), Habibi (1991), Ayyamna (1992), Ya Omrena (1993), Weylomony (1994), and Rag'een (1995).

By 1992, he became the first Egyptian and Middle Eastern artist to start making high-tech music videos.[5]

In 1996, Diab released his first album with Alam El Phan entitled Nour El Ain, and he won the World Music Award for the first time, which proved an international success and gained Diab recognition beyond the Arabic-speaking world. Diab recorded four more albums with Alam El Phan, including Amarain (1999). Diab also collaborated with Khaled (on the song "Alby") and with Angela Dimitriou (on the song "Bahebak Aktar").

According to research by Michael Frishkopf, he has created a style in the song "Nour El Ain", termed as "Mediterranean music", a blend of Western and Egyptian rhythms.[5]

In the summer of 2004, Diab, having left Alam El Phan, released his first album with Rotana Records, Leily Nahary, which he followed up with the hugely successful Kammel Kalamak (2005), and El Lilady (2007).

Wayah was released for sale on the internet on 27 June 2009; however, the album was leaked online and was downloaded illegally amid complaints of slow download speed on the official site. Diab's fans initiated a massive boycott of the sites with the illegal copies.[6]

On 18 October 2009, Diab won four 2009 African Music Awards in the categories of best artist, album, vocalist and song for "Wayah"; Diab had been nominated by the Big Apple Music Awards.[7]

In February 2011, Diab released his hit single Masr Allet ("Egypt spoke"), followed by the release of his album Banadeek Taala in September, produced by Rotana. In 2012, Diab hosted the first Google Hangout in the Middle East during his performance in Dubai. In October 2014, Diab released his album Shoft El Ayam, which topped his last album El Leila (2013) and again became the best-selling album in Egypt on iTunes andp eaked at No. 1 on the Billboard World Albums Charts, making him the first Egyptian and Middle Eastern performer to accomplish such a feat.[8] In July 2015, Diab released a music video for his song "Gamalo" from his album Shoft El Ayam. In March 2016, he released Ahla w Ahla, his first album since he left Rotana Music. The album was produced by the record label Nay For Media. His new album Maadi el Nas was released in July 2017 with Nay Records.[9]

In October 2018, he released a new album called Kol Hayaty. In 2019, he released a mini-album, Ana Gheir, and in February 2020, he released his 30th album, Sahran, which included 16 songs. In the same year, Amr Diab released another album, Ya Ana Ya La, at the end of the year, December 31, 2020.

From April 2021 to July 2023, Amr Diab released a huge amount of singles, many of which topped the charts on digital listening platforms until his album release in 2023.

In February 2022, Anghami announced an exclusive partnership that will see the Diab's entire Nay Label audio and video catalogue and future releases available only on Anghami.[10][11]

In December 2023, Amr Diab released an album called “Makanak” which contains 12 songs exclusively on Anghami.[12]

Then released two singles called El Kelma El Helwa it was an Ad for Vodafone MUSIC (Egypt) and Hekyatna Helwa for Hyde Park both of them on the same March 11th, 2024.[13][14]

In April 2024, Rolling Stone picked Tamally Maak to top the Best Arabic Pop Songs of the 21st Century.[15]

Musical style[edit]

Diab is known as the "father of Mediterranean music".[16] David Cooper and Kevin Dawe refer to his music as "the new breed of Mediterranean music".[17] According to author Michael Frishkopf, Diab has produced a new concept of Mediterranean music, especially with his international hit, "Nour El Ain".[5] Moreover, Diab is known as a composer, having composed more than 97 of his own songs.

Music videos[edit]

Diab is one of the first singers to popularize music videos in the whole MENA region and is the first Egyptian singer to appear in music videos.[5][dead link]

Film career[edit]

Diab's fame in the music industry has led him to experiment with other forms of media, such as film. Diab played himself in his first film, El Afareet, which was released in 1989. It also starred Madiha Kamel. His second film was Hussein El-Imam's production Ice Cream in Gleam (Ays Krim fi Glym), in which Diab starred in 1992, was chosen as one of the best five Egyptian musical films by the University of California, Los Angeles (ULCA) School of Theater, Film and Television.[citation needed] The film was featured in the UCLA Film and Television Archive's new program "Music on the Nile: Fifty Years of Egyptian Musical Films" at James Bridges Theater at UCLA on 6, 8 and 10 April 1999. David Chute of the LA Weekly termed it "observant" and "a big leap".[18] His third movie was released in 1993, and was named Deahk We La'ab (Laughter and Fun). The film premiered in the Egyptian Film Festival in 1993. Diab played alongside international Egyptian movie star Omar Sharif (Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago) and Yousra. Overall, Diab did not experience the same level of success in film that he had with his music career. Since 1993, Diab has focused on his singing career.

Amr Diab in movies[edit]

Diab's songs have been used in several films, including:

Egyptian Revolution[edit]

During the 2011 uprising, some protesters criticized Diab for staying silent, and for fleeing Egypt for London.[20] A few days after former President Hosni Mubarak stepped down, Diab composed and sang a memorial song, "Masr A'let" (Egypt Said),[21] and released it in conjunction with a music video showing pictures of the martyrs who died in the uprising. He initiated a charity campaign "Masry Begad" ("Truly Egyptian").[22] His online radio station Diab FM often presents talks and discussions about what the Diab FM team can offer to the community as well as applying it practically by being present in different sites across Egypt with a new humanitarian project each week.[23][better source needed]

Personal life[edit]

Diab has an elder daughter from his first marriage to Egyptian actress Shereen Reda. In 1994, he was married to Saudi businesswoman Zeina Ashour. They have three children. In 2018, he went on to marry Egyptian actress, Dina El Sherbiny, after his relationship with Ashour ended.[24] It is unknown whether they were separated or divorced.[25] However, Diab and El Sherbiny separated in late 2020.[26]

Discography[edit]

Main article: Amr Diab discography

Main Studio Albums[edit]

Year Original Title Translation Label
1983 Ya Tareeq O Road Sawt Al Madina
1984 Ghanni Min Albak Sing From Your Heart Delta Sound
1986 Hala Hala Welcome Welcome
1987 Khalseen We're Done
1988 Mayal Leaning
1989 Shawa'na Make Us Miss You
1990 Matkhafesh Don't Be Afraid
1991 Habibi Baby
1992 Ayamna Our Days
1993 Ya Omrena O Our Life
1994 We Yloumouni Let Them Blame Me
1995 Ragein We're Coming Back
1996 Nour El Ain Light of the Eye Alam El Phan
1998 Awedony Made Me Used To You Delta Sound
1999 Amarain Two Moons Alam El Phan
2000 Tamally Maak Always With You
2001 Aktar Wahed The One That Loves You The Most
2003 Allem Alby Teach My Heart
2004 Lealy Nahary Night and Day Rotana
2005 Kammel Kalamak Keep Talking
2007 El Lilady Tonight
2009 Wayah With Her
2011 Banadeek Ta'ala Come I'm Calling You
2013 El Leila This Night
2014 Shoft El Ayam I saw the days
2016 Ahla W Ahla Prettier and Prettier Nay For Media
2017 Meaddy El Nas Greater than People
2018 Kol Hayaty All My Life
2020 Sahran Up All Night
Ya Ana Ya La Either Me or No One
2023 Makanak Your Place

Singles[edit]

Year Original Title Translation Label
1999 Eleos - with Angela Dimitriou Mercy EMI
Ana Mahma Kibirt Whatever I Get Old, I Still Young Alam El Phan
2000 El Quds De Aredna Quds is Our "Arabs" Land Rotana
El Helm Da Helmena This Dream is Ours
2002 Bahebak Nefsi Aaolhalak I Hope to Say I Love You Alam El Phan
2003 Rouh Alby Soul of My Heart
2005 Elly Beiny We Beinak That Between You and Me Rotana
2007 Allah Aliha God Bless Her
2008 Oldies Singles
2009 Leh Youm Ma Abeltak Why That Happened When I Met You?
Makontsh Nawy I didn't intend to
2010 Nokia 5800 Releases
Aslaha Betefre’a It's different
2011 Masr Alet Egypt Said Nay for Media
La' Yestaheil She deserves Rotana
2012 Fe Haga Feek There's Something With You
We Redet I'm Satisfied
Ayesh Maak I Spend Days With You
2013 Dawam El Haal What Goes around Comes around
2014 Mesh Kol Wahed Not Everybody
Ya Hob Dawebna Oh love, Melt us in you
2015 Balash Teb'ed Don't Go Far Nay for Media
2016 Al Qahera - ft. Mohamed Mounir Cairo
2017 El Farha El Leila The Joy is tonight
2018 Bahebak Ana Me, Love You
2019 Maa'darsh Al Nesyan I cannot afford to forget
Gamaa Habybak Gather Your Loved Ones
Africa (2019 Edition)
Aha Gheir I'm Different
2020 Ya Baladna Ya Helwa Our Country is Beautiful
Amaken El Sahar Nightlife places
2021 Inta El Haz You're the Luck
2022 El Ser The Secret
2023 Shokran Min Hena Le Bokra Thank you from here on out

Famous Songs[edit]

Year Original Title Translation Composers Album
1984 Ghanni Min Albak Sing From Your Heart Hani Zaki, Azmi Al Kilany Ghanni Min Albak
Ashof Ainaik I See Your Eyes Traditional, adaptation Issam Abdallah
1986 Hala Hala Welcome Welcome Magdi El Naggar, Amr Diab Hala Hala
1987 Khalseen We're Done Reda Ameen, Khalil Mostafa Khalseen
1988 Mayal Leaning Magdi El Naggar, Haggag Abdel Rahman Mayal
1989 Shawa'na Make Us Miss You Shawa'na
1990 Matkhafesh Don't Be Afraid Magdi El Naggar, Amr Diab Matkhafesh
1991 Aeh Pas Ille Ramak What made you love? Amr Diab, Medhat El Adl Habibi
1992 Ice Cream Fi Glym Ice Cream in Glym Ice Cream in Glym
Raseef Nemra Khamsa Sidewalk Number Five
Wehna Maak We'll Sing With You
1992 El Mady The Past Magdi El Naggar, Abdel Azeez Al Nasir Ayamna
1993 Ya Omrena Our Days Together Magdi El Naggar, Amr Diab Ya Omrena
1994 Africa Africa Zekrayat
1995 Ragein We're Coming Back Medhat El Adl, Tarek El Hamshari Ragein
1996 Nour El Ain Light of the Eye Ahmed Sheta, Nasser Al Mezdawy Nour El Ain
1998 Awedouny Made Me Used to You Abdel Monem Taha, Amr Tantawy Awedouny
1999 Amarain Two Moons Mohamed Refahey, Sherif Tag Amarain
Alby
(featuring Khaled) 		My Heart Magdi El Naggar, Amr Mahmoud
Bahebbak Aktar
(featuring Angela Dimitriou) 		I Love You More Mohamed Refahy, Sherif Tag, Panos Falaras
2000 El Alem Allah God Knows Amir Teima, Amr Mostafa, Amr Diab Tamally Maak
Tamally Maak Always With You Ahemd Ali Mousa, Sherif Tag
We Heya Amleh Eih And How is She Doing Bahaa El Din Mohamed, Essam Karika
2001 Wala Ala Balo Not On Her Mind Mohamed Refahey, Mohamed Rahim Aktar Wahed
Aktar Wahed The One Who Loves You Most Ahmed Ali Mousa, Amr Mostafa
Kan Tayeb He Was Good Ayman Bahgat Kamar, Amr Diab
Baed El Layaly I Count The Nights Mohamed Refahey, Khaled Ezz
2003 Allem Alby Teach My Heart Waleed Galal, Amr Diab, Khaled Ezz Allem Alby
Ana Ayesh I'm Alive Rabea El Seuofey, Amr Diab, Amr Mostafa
2004 Lealy Nahary Night and Day Khaled Tag Eldeen, Amr Mostafa Lealy Nahary
2005 We Malo Why Not? Kammel Kalamak
Kammel Kalamak Keep Talking Amir Teima, Nasser El Mezdawi
2007 El Lilady Tonight Ayman Bahgat Kamar, Amr Mostafa El Lilady
2009 Wayah With Her Tamer Hussien, Amr Mostafa Wayah
2010 Aslaha Betifrek It's Different Magdy El Naggar, Amr Diab Single Release
2011 Banadeek Taala Come I'm Calling You Tamer Hussien, Amr Diab Banadeek Taala
2013 Al Leila This Night Tamer Hussien, Amr Tantawy El Leila
2014 Shoft El Ayam Did You See the Days Tamer Hussien, Shady Hassan Shoft El Ayam
Gamalo Her Beauty
2016 Ragea You're Back! Tamer Hussien, Islam Zaki Ahla W Ahla
2017 Ya Agmal Eyoun Most Beautiful Eyes Turki Al Alsheikh, Amr Mostafa Meaddy El Nas
2018 Yetalemo They Learn from You Tamer Hussien, Amr Mostafa Kol Hayaty
2019 Youm Talat On Tuesday Tamer Hussien, Aziz El Shafei Sahran
2020 Amaken Al Sahar Nightlife places Single Release
Ya Ana Ya La Either Me or No One Ayman Bahgat Kamar, Mohamed Yehia Ya Ana Ya La
2021 Inta El Haz You're the Luck Tamer Hussien, Aziz El Shafei Single Release
2022 Hatedalaa You'll be spoiled Mohamed El Kayaty, Mohamed Yehia Single Release
2023 El Hafla The Party Ahmed Marzouk, Mohamed Kammah Single Release
Ya Amar Oh Moon Mostafa Hadouta, Amr Diab Makanak

Awards[edit]

He has been awarded the World Music Award for Best Selling Middle Eastern Artist four times: 1996 for album Nour El Ain, 2001 for album Akter Wahed, 2007 for album El Lillady and 2013 for El Leila album. He has also won (Best Egyptian Artist, Best Male Arab Artist and World's Best Arab Male Artist Voted Online) at the World Music Awards 2014.[27] Amr Diab is the only Middle Eastern artist to have received 7 World Music Awards.[28] Five of his albums reached the top 10 of Billboard's World Albums chart, with Shoft El Ayam reaching No. 1 in 2014, the first for an Arabic performer.[29] Alongside that accomplishment, two of his albums (2014's Shoft El Ayam and 2016's Ahla w Ahla) both peaked at 29 and 14 respectively on Billboard's Heatseekers charts.[30]

On 28 September 2016, Diab announced that he achieved a Guinness World Records title for "Most World Music Awards for Best Selling Middle Eastern Artist".[31]

List of awards received by Amr Diab[edit]

  • Seven World Music Awards (1997/2001/2007/2014)
  • Six African Music Awards (2009/2010)
  • Two All Africa Music Awards (2016/2017)
  • Guinness World Record (2016)

Program "Al-helm"[edit]

A program produced by Amr Afifi, consisting of 12 parts aired on Rotana Music, Rotana Cinema and Egyptian Channel 1 station. The program detailed the biography of Diab and was scheduled to be launched simultaneously with the release of Amr Diab's new album, but the album's release was postponed to a later date.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Lesswing, Bryan (October 2009). "Sounds of the Middle East, Minnesota provide options for listeners". The DePauw. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 20 December 2009.
  2. ^ a b Egypt's mega star Amr Diab to perform live in Riyad
  3. ^ "عمرو دياب عن"سهران": جيت من بورسعيد عشان أعمل ألبومات مش أغانى سنجل". youm7.com (in Arabic). 15 February 2020.
  4. ^ Sada elbalad newspaper: Amr diab was born in Portsaid
  5. ^ a b c d Frishkopf, Michael (2003). "Some Meanings of the Spanish Tinge in Contemporary Egyptian Music". In Plastino, Goffredo (ed.). Mediterranean mosaic: popular music and global sounds (PDF). Routledge. pp. 145–148. ISBN 978-0-415-93656-9. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 March 2009. Retrieved 4 June 2009.
  6. ^ "Amr Diab's album sweeping cassette market" (in Arabic). Musicananet. 30 June 2009. Archived from the original on 4 July 2009. Retrieved 2 July 2009.
  7. ^ Taha, Khaled (25 October 2009). "Amr Diab wins four African Music Awards" (in Arabic). ART. Archived from the original on 27 October 2009. Retrieved 28 October 2009.
  8. ^ "Shoft El Ayam's Billboard World Albums Chart performance". Billboard. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  9. ^ "Egyptian veiled women banned from Amr Diab concert".
  10. ^ "Anghami signs exclusivity music deal with Arab Megastar Amr Diab". Campaign Middle East. 24 February 2022. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  11. ^ "Amr Diab signs exclusive partnership with Anghami". Egypt Independent. 24 February 2022. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  12. ^ "Makanak, New Album for Amr Diab | Amr Diab Official Website". Amr Diab. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  13. ^ "El Kelma El Helwa with Vodafone | Amr Diab Official Website". Amr Diab. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  14. ^ "Hyde Park with Amr Diab | Amr Diab Official Website". Amr Diab. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  15. ^ Hajjar, Danny (26 April 2024). "The 50 Best Arabic Pop Songs of the 21st Century". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  16. ^ Crane, Kelly (April 2010). "Egyptian superstar Amr Diab is set to rock Dubai". Gulf News. Archived from the original on 26 April 2010. Retrieved 24 April 2010.
  17. ^ Cooper, David; Dawe, Kevin (2005). The Mediterranean in music: Critical perspectives, common concerns, cultural differences. Scarecrow Press. p. 117. ISBN 0-8108-5407-4.
  18. ^ Chute, David; Behnan, Irene G. (8 April 1999). "All Singing! All Belly-Dancing". Los Angeles Weekly. Archived from the original on 27 June 2009. Retrieved 4 June 2009.
  19. ^ "Amr Diab Filmography". Yahoo! Movies. Archived from the original on 20 May 2009. Retrieved 11 June 2009.
  20. ^ "Egyptian celebrities face protesters' wrath in post-Mubarak Egypt". Asharq al-awsat, 18 February 2011. Retrieved 7 May 2013.
  21. ^ Amr Diab (20 February 2011), Amr Diab – Masr A'let (Translated) عمرو دياب – مصر قالت, archived from the original on 23 November 2021, retrieved 19 March 2018
  22. ^ "'Amr Diab commences the "Masry Begad" ("An Egyptian for Real") campaign to revitalize the tourist sector following the revolution". El Cinema. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  23. ^ "Article". Archived from the original on 28 April 2011. Retrieved 14 April 2011.
  24. ^ Sameh, Yara (22 May 2020). "Did Amr Diab and Dina El Sherbiny Get Married?". See.news. Sada El Balad. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  25. ^ "اليكم سبب عدم نعي عمرو دياب لوالدة زوجته زينة عاشور". El Bashayer (in Arabic). 8 May 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  26. ^ "Amr Diab SHOCKINGLY Kicks Dina El-Sherbiny Out of His Four Seasons Apartment!". albawaba.com. 30 November 2020.
  27. ^ "LG concert 2003". amrdiab.net. Archived from the original on 15 December 2014. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  28. ^ "Egyptian singer Amr Diab recognised by Guinness World Records for Most World Music Awards wins". Guinness World Records. 28 September 2016. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
  29. ^ "Diab's Billboard World Albums Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  30. ^ "Diab's Billboard Heatseekers Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  31. ^ "Most World Music Awards for Best Selling Middle Eastern Artist". Guinness World Records. Retrieved 19 March 2018.

External links[edit]

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