Biography
Who is Najwa Karam?
Early life and education
Najwa Karam was born on February 26, 1966, in Zahlé, Lebanon. As a child, she started learning how to sing. Her formal education included attending an Evangelical secondary school. Later, she pursued higher education and earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy.
Before embarking on her professional singing career, she spent two years teaching geography and Arabic at Eastern College located in her hometown of Zahlé. These early experiences in education provided a stable foundation before she entered the competitive music industry.
Music beginnings and competitions
In 1985, she entered the Layali Lubnan, or Lebanese Nights, television singing competition. She performed a traditional Lebanese Mawwal song and secured first place in the contest, despite her father’s initial hesitation regarding her participation. Following this success, she enrolled at the Lebanese Institute of Music, where she studied for four years.
During her studies, she received mentorship from prominent Lebanese composers Zaki Nasif and Fouad Awad. In 1987, she competed in another television show called Laylat Haz. Her official recording career started in 1989 with the release of Ya Habayeb through Relax-in International. This album featured seven tracks that focused on traditional Lebanese and folklore styles. While the album performed well within Lebanon, it did not reach a wider audience across the rest of the Arab world.
Rise to stardom with Rotana
After a three-year break, she released the album Shams el-Ghinnieh. This title was derived from her nickname, which translates to Sun of the Song. In 1993, she signed with a Saudi Arabian record label for the album Ana Ma'akon. Her career reached a new height when she joined Rotana, the largest recording label in the Middle East, owned by Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal.
By 1994, she completed the album Naghmet Hob, which successfully blended Lebanese traditional music with Arab pop. This release led to a concert tour and earned her the Best Artist award from the Lebanese Broadcasting Association. In 1995, she released the album Ma Bassmahlak, which maintained the traditional style of her previous work but featured more complex lyrical themes.
Career milestones and success
Throughout the 1990s, Najwa Karam continued releasing successful projects such as Maghroumeh and Rouh Rouhi. The 1998 release of Maghroumeh marked a stylistic shift, incorporating contemporary Arabic and foreign beats alongside traditional instruments like the tarabuka and mijwiz. Her 2000 album Oyoun Qalbi sold over 5 million copies and featured romantic, modern tracks like Majboura.
In 2001, her album Nedmaneh achieved critical acclaim, selling over 4 million copies globally. This success resulted in multiple honors, including a Murex d'Or award for Best Arabic Artist and three awards from Rotana, specifically for Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, and Highest-Selling Album. In 2002, she collaborated with singer Wadih el Safi on the duet W Kberna. She also toured extensively, performing in various Arab states, parts of Europe, and the United States. She remains a significant figure in the region, recognized by Forbes in 2023 as one of the influential individuals over 50 in the Middle East and Africa.
Birthday and age
Najwa Karam was born on February 26, 1966, which makes Najwa 60 years old today. That birthday falls under the Pisces sign. Najwa shares the date with 41 other famous people.
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