Najwa Karam

Najwa Karam Biography

Lebanese artist who became one of the best selling Arabic music artists in the Middle East. She has also appeared as a judge on Arabs Got Talent. Najwa Karam (Arabic: نجوى كرم ‎ Lebanese pronunciation: [ˈnaʒwa ˈkaɾam] , born 26 February 1966) is a Lebanese singer, songwriter, and fashion icon who has sold over 65 million albums worldwide, making her the best selling female recording artists in the Middle East. Karam gained an international audience for her distinct blend of traditional Lebanese music and contemporary sounds. In 2011, Karam debuted as a judge on the reality competition television series, Arabs Got Talent; she has since appeared on all six of its seasons. As one of the highest selling Arabic language singers, Karam holds the records for highest selling Arabic language album during the years of 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2008. 2011. In 2017, Forbes Middle East ranked Karam number 5 on the list of “The Top 100 Arab Celebrities” with 26.58 million social media followers. In 2018, Cosmopolitan included Karam on their list of “The 15 Most Inspiring Women In The Middle East”, and Forbes included her on their list of the “Top 10 of Arab Stars On The Global Stage”..

She was married to Yousef Harb from 2000 until 2003.

Najwa Karam Karam was born in Zahlé, Lebanon. Karam rose to stardom throughout the 1990s, earning the moniker, Shams el-Ghinnieh (“The Sun of Song”), from her eponymous album. Other albums include Naghmet Hob, Ma Bassmahlak, Maghroumeh, and Rouh Rouhi. In 2000, Karam’s tenth album Oyoun Qalbi became her highest selling album. In 2001 her album Nedmaneh sold millions of copies worldwide, earning Karam a Murex d’Or award for Best Arabic Artist and Rotana Records awards including, Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, and Highest-Selling Album of the Year. Throughout the late 2000s, Karam’s commercial success endured via her albums, Hayda Haki, Am Bemzah Ma’ak, and Khallini Shoufak. Karam frequently worked with the renowned musician and composer Melhem Barakat and has collaborated with the legendary singer, Wadih el Safi on their critically acclaimed 2004 duet titled, W Kberna (“We Grow Old Together”). In 2011, Karam collaborated with Sony Entertainment and Rotana to produce the Arab World’s first 3D music video for her song, “MaFi Noum” from her record Hal Layle… Ma Fi Nom. Karam has since released well-received singles and music videos and has continued touring throughout the Arab World and internationally.