Fledgeling diva Dev is coming our way. Yes, she is going to hit three venues in the Middle East. One in Abu Dhabi and two different ones in Beirut. Great to hear that. Click here for more information.
Tag Archives: lebanon
Sophie Ellis-Bextor to perform in Beirut!
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Sophie Ellis-Bextor is putting the final touches to her new album Make A Scene. When the album is released she is going to embark on a heavy tour to promote it. One of the stops includes the Middle East. The singer is set to take the stage in Beirut, Lebanon of September 3rd, 2011 for the Mix FM Summer Festival. The tickets are not on sale yet, but click here for more information. Continue reading
Video Premiere: “Rouge” by Nadine Khouri
1Nadine Khouri’s song “Number One Boy” rattles our senses. We are glad to see her back on top form with this new song and visual. Lovely.
Arab-American wins Miss USA pageant 2010!
Rima Fakih, a Muslim Lebanese-American, has been crowned Miss USA 2010. She is from Dearborn, Michigan. This is a first in pageantry and most people will probably regard this as some sort of accomplishment. Well, pageants are not really scales of social progression. In fact, they are a constant reminder that we live in a misogynistic world filled with double standards and female objectification. At any rate, we wonder if it was politically motived or just by chance or luck. Click below for the crowning.
Premiere: Video: “Raksit Leila” by Mashrou’ Leila
2New Lebanese music project that fuses the Arabic laguage with experimental alt-folk beats. Well, at least in that video clip, which is scrumptious, might we add. Lovely burst of talent from the Middle East that need all the support they can get from music lovers in the region. Subscribe to their YouTube page.
Middle Eastern drag queen living it up in New York City
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That’s the spirit. Doing some belly dancing on the side is always good, especially if you know how to. Sister’s strutting it!
Lebanon fights Israel over hummus!
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In an attempt to thwart Israel’s claiming of the hummus dish a bunch of Lebanese chefs and helpers gathered to make the world’s biggest hummus dish ever – breaking Israel’s record. AP explains: “Lebanese chefs react (above) after preparing a massive plate of hummus, seen in the middle, weighing more then 2,056 kilograms, during a bid to break a record previously held by Israel and reclaim ownership over the popular Middle Eastern dish, in Beirut, Lebanon, Saturday Oct. 24, 2009. The event is part of a simmering war between Lebanon and Israel over regional cuisine. Lebanese businessmen accuse Israel of stealing traditional Middle Eastern dishes, like hummus, and marketing them worldwide as Israeli products.”
Kuwait: Best place in the Middle East for press freedom
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Speaking technically, Kuwait is currently #1 in the Middle East and the Arab World when it comes to freedom of the press. As much as we’d like to boast and rant on this accomplishment, it was not really due to Kuwait’s adamant effort on rectifying some of its freedom faults, but is a result of other countries faltering. This comes on because of Israel’s atrocious behavior in handling media rights during the horrific Gaza Strip massacre. Yes, Kuwait rose to #60 and became the Middle East’s champion merely because Israel fell hard. Inching closer is Lebanon right after at #61 (rising). Then the UAE at #86 and Qatar at #94, both of which steeply down. Still, is #60 good enough? It’s 60 out 175, which gives Kuwait a grade of 65.8/100. That’s a D!
Nancy Ajram on the Oprah Winfrey show…
4Jad Choueiri does another laughable video for “Stop Popping Pills”
21Just when we thought that Jad Choueiri couldn’t be more of a cliched tacky wannabe, he goes and outdoes himself. This time, in his quest to propel his drug-persona, he has opted for a house song with some of the worst vocals we had heard in a while (and Heidi Montag has an album coming out). It’s called “Stop Popping Pills,” which is contradictory as we have all seen him tweaking a couple of times. Regardless of what substance he abuses or uses, because he can do whatever he pleases, but it’s only bad because it’s been done before so many times and in the same format. This, still, won’t break him to the English-speaking market he was trying to attain and maintain. This whole album is a failed attempt at trying to cross over and it won’t happen if all he does is regurgitated tracks. If you are trying to break a market don’t try to imitate, but try to add. In any case, his videos are so painful to look at, one can’t help but watch. As my friend puts it: “Stop making videos,” is more like it.
Arabian feminism grows and grows
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There has always been a correlation between a culture’s treatment of women and it’s own brand of linguistics. This has prevailed on for way too far and even as the Arabic language is one of the most eloquent languages in the world there seems to be no way around using gender non-specific words. It’s time we removed gender from the vocabulary. That’s the only way to progress. You know, gender is an illusion.
Jad Choueiri thinks Arabs are “funky”
30OK, aside from the fact that the song is so horrid and has a completely outdated beat and appalling lyrics, this video is all types of wrong. It’s a vile misrepresentation of the “liberal” Arabs, firstly. Secondly, it’s a complete contradiction to what he thinks he is trying to say. I don’t now where he gets off portraying liberalism as a big club orgy of Botox-pumping, hookah smokers who love themselves some “party boosters.” Granted all these things can be fun occasionally, but it’s a far cry from a quality portrayal.
Anyway, from a musical perspective, if he thinks this track will break him into a Western market then he’s in for a surprise. The song is utter crap. The beats are tired and done. The lyrics are complete blather and the “message” in them would even make India Arie cringe. It’s just too two-thousand-and-late.
Also, notice the “Louise Ciccone” tattoo. Oh, he likes Madonna! How scandalous and original. The only authentic thing in this video is his pronunciation of “bombers.” If he wants controversy he should just come out.
One more tip to Jad: the word “funky” has been uncool for a decade and a half now. It just means “bad smell” these days.
The state of speech in the Arab world
The end is near…
When the economic crisis hits you…
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Kuwait Crime: Sexism is still alive and well…
5| Missing lady found living in lover’s flat as his ‘wife’ |
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KUWAIT CITY : Police have arrested a Kuwaiti woman and her Lebanese lover and referred both of them to the concerned authorities, reports Al-Dar daily. The arrest came following a ‘missing persons’ report filed by the woman’s husband at a local police station. Police investigations showed the woman was living in an apartment in Salmiya. Acting on this information police put the woman under surveillance for some time and discovered the Lebanese man was a frequent visitor to the apartment. Armed with a search and arrest warrant issued by the Public Prosecution, police raided the apartment and caught the lovers red-handed. However, following the arrest the woman reportedly claimed the man was her husband. She also produced a civil marriage contract.
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I don’t understand why she was arrested? She left her husband and is in love with someone else. So what? Things like that happen all the time. She was arrested for being in love? Or is it too much for the general public that a woman sought independence and happiness? I had never heard of arrests of a runaway husband before. Why?
Fashion from Oman…
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MOK is the brand name of acclaimed Omani fashion designer Mohamad Khadra. As one of the finalists of Project Fashion, Khadra made a name for his pieces and unique sense of style that has its roots in his multi-faceted past, which includes degrees from Hong Kong, Dubai and Madrid. MOK is truly fledging force in Arab arts and design. This is his Spring/Summer collection for 2009. For inquires, send an e-mail:
