Biography
Who is Elissa?
Early life and education
Elissar Zakaria Khoury was born on October 27, 1971, in Deir Al-Ahmar, Lebanon. Her father, Zakaria Khoury, was a poet, and her mother was Youmna Suud. She grew up with three brothers named Ghassan, Camil, and Jihad, and two sisters named Norma and Rita. The family later lived in the Beqaa Valley. Because there was a lack of hospitals at her birthplace, a midwife delivered her on the day of her birth. Her grandmother initially left her because she was not a boy. During her childhood, she shared a close relationship with her father and her sister Norma. She experienced a difficult childhood due to frequent disputes between her parents. Her father was calm, while her mother was stricter and harsher. At her father's request, she and her sister Norma attended a French boarding school, where a nun named Sister Samira discovered her musical talent.
Early career and theatre
In 1989, Elissa began her professional career by appearing in theatrical comedy plays written by Lebanese actor Wassim Tabbara. She acted and sang under her birth name, Elissar Khoury, starting from the age of sixteen. In 1991, she moved to the Theatre de 10 Heures to continue her performance work.
Debut and breakthrough albums
In December 1998, Elissa released her debut studio album, Baddy Doub, in Lebanon through Lido Musique. EMI Music Arabia later provided wider distribution across the Arab world in early 1999. On the title track, she collaborated with Spanish singer Gerard Ferrer. Her second album, W'akherta Maak, came out on August 8, 2000, through Music Master, featuring the duet Betghib Betrouh with Ragheb Alama.
Awards and further success
In 2005, Elissa became the first Lebanese artist to receive a World Music Award for Best Selling Middle Eastern Artist, recognizing the sales of Ahla Dounya. She won the same award again in 2006 for her fifth studio album, Bastanak, and in 2010 for Tesada'a Bemeen. These victories made her the first and only female artist to win in that category more than once.
Birthday and age
Elissa was born on October 27, 1971, which makes Elissa 55 years old today. That birthday falls under the Scorpio sign. Elissa shares the date with 56 other famous people.
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