Elissa

Review by Leah Shedrow

The short: 

Elissa is one of Lebanon’s most popular recording artists and one of the most renowned singers in the Arab world.

The long: 

Elissa has reigned among the highest-selling female artists within the Middle East. After graduating from the Lebanese University with a degree in Political Science, Elissa proceeded to win the silver medal for the Lebanese music competition show Studio El Fan. Since her 1992 debut into the music world, she has enjoyed a prolific career with a total of twelve studio albums. In August of 2019, she announced that Sahbit Raey, her twelfth studio album, would be her last record before her unprecedented retirement. Elissa is also an avid activist for breast cancer awareness and consistently speaks out against ISIS’ targeting of minorities in the Middle East.

To listen or not to listen:

Listen! Elissa’s expansive career gives listeners such a wide repertoire of music to explore. You can start with her most recent music, which blends Arab sounds with calming Spanish guitars-- or rewind back to the beginning to hear the early 2000s sound mixed with Arab riffs.