Lebanese singer Haifa Wahbi announced that she has won the Golden Lion Award from the Egyptian magazine "Huriyati" for the best Female Arab performing singer for the year 2003. Haifa express that it was an honor for her to receive the award from the magazine marking the first time she is presented with an award in Egypt since she began her career as a singer.
According to the UAE based daily, Al Bayan, Haifa added that she is grateful to all Egyptians for making her path a successful one and for showing their appreciation towards her music and performance. After giving a word of thanks to the organizers of the event, Haifa stood on stage and performed a number of her popular songs that witnessed success in Egypt and the Arab world.
The magazine had also presented Lebanese singers Ragheb Alama and Nancy Ajram with the Golden Lion Award for the best Arab singesr for the year 2003. Ragheb and the other singers were given the award at a big celebration that was held specifically for the occasion in which he expressed his honor at receiving the award stressing that it marks a step forward in his career. The singer sang a number of new and old songs as a way of showing his appreciation to the organizers of the big event.
Wahbi has since the beginning of her singing career managed to make a name for herself among the most popular names in the music industry. Her style and manner of performing has gained her so much popularity throughout the Arab world and especially in Egypt.
Dates merchants in Egypt have taken advantage of Haifa's popularity along with that of other singers like Alissa, Nancy Ajram, and more, and used them to name the different kinds of dates they sell. The merchants had replaced the names of Egyptian actresses they had used last Ramadan and replaced them with those of new rising Lebanese singers.
Merchants used Haifa's name for some of the most expensive dates and as so was the case with Alissa and Nancy. It was added that their names were used due to the large popularity they enjoy and the fact that when a product is acquired with the name of a known singer, it naturally sells more.
Haifa also begun choosing the new look in which she will present herself with in the new album, stressing that change is an important factor for her success. While in Cairo, Wahbi held work sessions with a number of Egyptian poets and composers as part of her preparation for her upcoming album, a new experience for Haifa, in which she hopes will meet the satisfaction of her fans. Haifa did not specify when her new album will be ready, saying that she is intends on spending more efforts on it to make it better than her previous album.
Haifa held a spectacular performance at the Lido Stage in Paris that was marked with success by the large number of Arabs who attended coming from all around Europe especially for the event. Haifa was part of the Oriental Magic Festival, in which a number of Arab singers participated in like UAE singer Ahlam.
The Lido festival is one of many festivals Haifa has taken part in this summer, adding tremendous success and increasing her popularity. Haifa had worn a splendid white dress made especially by internationally known Lebanese designer Zuhair Murad for the event. The singer has revealed that she will resume preparations for her upcoming album and is hopeful it will be as successful as her first. -Albawaba.com
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
