Diana Haddad facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Diana Haddad
Haddad in 2013
Born	Diana Joseph Haddad ديانا جوزيف حداد (1976-10-01) 1 October 1976 (age 48) Bsalim, Lebanon
Occupation	Actress, singer, producer, television personality
Years active	1992–present
Spouse(s)	Suhail Al-Abdul [ar] ​ ​ (m. 1995; div. 2009)​
Children	2
Musical career
Genres	Pop folk, Emirati, Lebanese, Khaleeji
Labels	Stallions (1996–2002) Alam El Phan (2002–2005) Nojoom Music (2002–2009) Platinum (2011–2012) Rotana (2014–present)

Diana Haddad (Arabic: ديانا حداد; born 1 October 1976) is a famous singer, actress, and TV personality from Lebanon. She also has Emirati citizenship and lives in the United Arab Emirates. Diana Haddad has been one of the most popular Arabic pop singers in the Arab World since the mid-1990s. Her first album, Saken (1996), sold incredibly well. It was even certified platinum, meaning it sold a huge number of copies! This album also showed off her unique Bedouin music style to everyone.

Diana Haddad became even more famous in late 1997 with her third album, Ammanih. The song of the same name was a massive hit. For many years, Diana worked closely with her ex-husband, Suhail Al-Abdul, who directed all her music videos. Later, she started working with other directors. Diana also began singing in different dialects, not just Lebanese and Bedouin. Her fourth album, Yammaya (1998), included songs in Khaliji, Iraqi, and Egyptian dialects. Throughout her career, Diana has released many memorable hit songs. Some of these include "Saken" and "Ammanih" from the 1990s, "Mani Mani" and "Mas & Louly" from the 2000s, and "La Fiesta" and "Ela Hona" from the 2010s.

Life and Music Journey

Early Life and Discovering Music (1976–1992)

Diana Haddad was born in a small Lebanese village called Bsalim. Her father was a Christian, and her mother was a Muslim. Because of the Lebanese Civil War that started in 1975, Diana spent her early years in Kuwait. Her parents moved there in the 1970s, and she went to school in Fahaheel District.

In 1990, when Iraq invaded Kuwait, Diana's family had to move back to Lebanon. During this time, she also spent time in the United Arab Emirates, where she met her future husband, Suhail Al-Abdul. Diana was raised in her father's religion, along with her four siblings. She was known as a "tomboy" in her family.

Diana's amazing musical talent was noticed when she was only eight years old. As a teenager, she performed at many national events in Kuwait in 1988. Even though she was interested in archeology, Diana didn't go to college. She enjoyed filming her song "Yammaya" at the Giza pyramid complex in 1998. In 1992, she earned a diploma in computer science. Soon after, she joined a popular singing competition called Studio El Fan in Beirut.

Rising to Fame with Saken and Ahl Al Esheg (1993–1997)

Studio El Fan was a TV show that helped Diana Haddad become famous at just sixteen years old. She joined the competition in 1993 with her song "Tayr El Yammameh." This song was later featured on her first album, Saken, released in 1996. Diana was known for her traditional Lebanese folk song style.

When she first started, Diana was best known for her Bedouin music style. This style mixes traditional sounds with modern beats and instruments. People often compared her music to that of Lebanese musician Samira Tawfik. Diana's debut album also included other popular songs like "Lagaitek" and "Al-Sahra."

Her second album, Ahl Al Esheg, came out in 1997. It featured the hit song "Ahl Al Esheg," which is still one of her most famous songs today. Another song from the album, "Bizal Minak," had a very unique music video filmed in London. The video showed people walking backward, while Diana walked forward. She even said she memorized the song's lyrics backward to make the video work!

Big Hits: Ammanih, Yammaya, and Shater (1998–1999)

Suhail Al-Abdul chose to shoot the music video for "Yammya" (1998) in Giza pyramid complex. He allotted a budget of £E1 million for the video. Actors such as Muna Wassef and Sawsan Badr make an appearance in the video along with 100 extras and 40 dancers. The video is still one of the most memorable moments in Haddad's career.

After her first two albums, Diana Haddad carefully planned her third album to keep her success going. In late 1997, radio stations started playing "Ammanih," the main song from her third album. It quickly became her biggest hit! The song's success was partly due to its new use of a Turkish style called "Amanes" in a Bedouin song. The music video was also very important. It was filmed in Turkey and showed both modern and traditional parts of the country. This video helped introduce Turkish culture to the Arab world and encouraged tourism there.

On July 19, 1996, Diana gave birth to her first daughter, Sophie. This inspired her second song from the Ammanih album, a sweet song called "Ya Benti" (meaning "Oh my daughter"). The music video showed two-year-old Sophie with her mother in a rural area. The song is about a mother's love and apologies for not being able to give her daughter everything.

Diana's first three albums only had songs in Lebanese and Bedouin dialects. But her fourth album, Yammaya, released in late 1998, brought a big change. The main song, "Yammaya," used ancient Egyptian beats but still had a Bedouin dialect. The music video for "Yammaya" was filmed at the Giza pyramid complex and had a big budget. It featured famous Arab actors and showed Diana in ancient Egypt.

The song "Wainhom" from Shater (1999) was devoted to Kuwait's friends. Haddad lived most of her childhood in Kuwait until it was invaded by Iraq in 1990.

Even though there wasn't much promotion after her mother passed away, "Yammaya" and another song, "Emshi Wara Kidbohom," became very popular. "Emshi Wara Kidbohom" was Diana's first song in an Egyptian dialect, and it became a big hit in Egypt. Yammaya also included songs in Khaliji, Iraqi, and classical Arabic dialects.

In summer 1999, Diana released her fifth album, Shater. The first song, "Shater," was one of the most popular songs of 1999. It was especially loved by young children because "shater" means "clever," a word often used for kids. The music video for "Shater" was filmed in Jebel Ali in Dubai and featured colorful scenes with peacocks and dancers.

Another song from the album, "Wainhom," was about her childhood friends in Kuwait. This was Diana's first music video in a Khaliji dialect.

New Sounds and Challenges (2000–2003)

"Mani Mani" (2000) was shot in Haddad's home country of Lebanon. The city of Beirut attractions such as the Pigeons' Rock in Raouché can be seen several times in the video.

In early 2000, the song "Al Fosol Al Arba'a" from Shater was released as a music video. This Khaliji song was about a person who changes quickly, like the four seasons. The video used cool 3D graphics.

In summer 2000, Diana Haddad released "Mani Mani," the main song from her sixth album, Jarh Al Habib. She returned to Lebanon for the music video, as the song blended Bedouin and Lebanese lyrics. The song's unique sounds made it very successful. Jarh Al Habib also tried to reach the Egyptian music market, with four out of nine songs in Egyptian dialect. One of these was the title track, "Jarh Al Habib," a duet with Egyptian singer Mohammed Al Azabi.

In early 2001, "Adlaa Alaik" was released. This Khaliji song had some success in the Persian Gulf. Its music video featured Diana's daughter Sophie, who was four years old at the time. Diana's seventh album, Akhbar Helwa, came out in July 2001. "Elli Fe Bali" was the only music video from this album. It was an upbeat Egyptian song that became popular. The video was inspired by the musical Grease.

Around this time, Diana faced some challenges. Her record label was sold, which affected the promotion of Akhbar Helwa. She also had a personal health issue and faced a lawsuit from another Lebanese singer, Nawal Al Zoghbi. The lawsuit was about comments Diana and her husband made. However, in 2002, the court decided that Diana and her husband's comments were not harmful to Al Zoghbi's career.

In 2002, Diana signed with a new Egyptian record label, Alam El Phan. She released her first album with them, Law Yesaloni, in June. This album was her first full studio album entirely in Khaliji dialects. It included different styles from various Arab countries in the Persian Gulf. One music video was released for the song "Law Yesaloni," which was a duet with Emirati singer Eida Al Menhali.

New Beginnings and Collaborations (2004–2007)

Diana Haddad in 2005.

On March 12, 2004, "Waily," the main song from Diana's ninth album Awel Marrah (2004), was first played on the TV show Star Academy Arab World. The album had been delayed for a long time, but Diana's record company said she spent two years making it "perfect." To make up for the delay, three songs from Awel Marrah were filmed as music videos: "Waily," "Saheby," and "Awel Marrah."

The "Waily" music video came out in June 2004. It featured Kuwaiti actress Mona Shaddad and had scenes filmed at Dubai International Airport and a school basketball court. Diana even injured her leg while filming a scene where she was dunking! "Saheby" was also released in summer 2004. After the success of these videos, the "Awel Marrah" video premiered in November 2004.

In December 2004, Diana Haddad and Nawal Al Zoghbi, who had a past disagreement, became friends again. Diana called Al Zoghbi after hearing she was unwell, showing kindness and putting their past differences aside. They even appeared together on the cover of a magazine, showing their mutual respect.

In June 2005, Diana performed a new song called "Hassafah" from her upcoming album. This song later appeared on her tenth album, Diana 2006, which was released in March 2006. The album's main song, "Mas & Louly," became an instant hit. It had simple lyrics that many people in the Arab world could understand. It also featured Algerian musician Cheb Khaled, giving it an international feel.

Due to the 2006 Lebanon War, no more music videos were released from the album until later that year. Diana paid tribute to Lebanon by filming a music video medley of two of her older songs, "Ana Al Ensan" and "Maghdouche." She also worked with Egyptian director Yaser Sami for the first time on the "Zay El Sokar" music video, which helped the Egyptian song become popular.

New Paths and Personal Changes (2008–2010)

In late 2008, Diana Haddad announced her eleventh album, Men Diana Illa. This was her second album fully in the Khaliji style. Even though it's usually hard for non-Khaliji artists to succeed in the Gulf market with Khaliji music, Diana managed to do it! She has been warmly welcomed into Emirati culture.

Two music videos were released from Men Diana Illa. The first, "Sheft Itessalek," came out in October 2008. Before the second video, a Lebanese song called "Ya Aibo" was released in early 2009. "Ya Aibo" was successful in Lebanon, even though some people found its lyrics and video a bit unusual. The song was a message to older men who might not be behaving well, encouraging them to respect their age.

This was Diana's last song before she announced her separation from her husband, Suhail Al-Abdul, in August 2009. They had been together for over ten years. After the divorce, Diana kept busy with a mini summer tour in 2009. She performed in France, Morocco, and Algeria. Her concert in Morocco set a record for attracting over 150,000 people! She ended the tour in Lebanon with two concerts, including her first show ever in her hometown of Maghdouche. Footage from this concert can be seen in the music video for "Ya Zalan," which also shows Diana enjoying her life as a single woman.

New Labels and More Hits (2011–2015)

In 2009, Diana Haddad mentioned she was working on a duet with R&B artist Alicia Keys. However, the plans didn't work out because of the high cost. After a break of over three years, Diana announced her twelfth album, Bent Osol, in December 2011. Several songs were released before the album, including an Egyptian Islamic song for Ramadan 2010 called "Ya Hadieh Min Rabna," and Khaliji songs "Majnona" and "Gaalat Diana." Diana also recorded "Ya Wagt" for a Kuwaiti TV show. Only "Ya Wagt" and "Gaalat Diana" were included on Bent Osol. Diana funded this album herself after her divorce. She also signed a deal with Platinum Records to distribute and promote the album.

In late 2013, Diana signed with Rotana, one of the biggest music labels in the Arab world. Her first album with them, Ya Bashar, was released in December 2014. Before the album, many singles were released as music videos, including "Albi Wafi," "Naam Seedi," "El Kathab," "Thaleth Alaaiad," and the Moroccan hit "La Fiesta." Only "Hala We Ahleen" made it onto Ya Bashar. Diana supported the album with three more music videos in 2015. She also started producing music on the album. In June 2015, Diana received an award at the Murex D'Or in Lebanon for her contributions to music.

Continued Success with Singles (2016–Present)

In 2016, Diana Haddad started releasing more singles instead of focusing on albums. She released a duet with Lebanese musician Assi El Helani called "Romeo & Juliet." She also covered a song by Kuwaiti singer Mohammed Almesbah called "Tibassam." In summer 2016, she worked on a project with Saudi social media personalities called "Nisfi Althani."

On January 1, 2017, radio stations played her new single "Taabr Qalbi." This song marked her return to the Lebanese dialect. A lyric video for the song was put on her YouTube channel. Another Lebanese song and its music video, "Nayma Bel Asal," came out in August 2017.

Diana also filmed a song called "Ela Hona" in Tbilisi, Georgia. This video, released in October 2017, was her first Iraqi music video in four years. In 2018, "Ela Hona" slowly became very popular, gaining over 100 million views on YouTube by early 2020! Because of this unexpected success, Diana postponed plans for new albums. She released a follow-up single, "Ahebak W Katha," in July 2019, and another Egyptian song, "Gamalo," in September 2019. On February 10, 2020, Diana premiered the music video for "Ma Had Yehes Bi ElAasheq." This new Bedouin Arabic song is expected to be the main single from her upcoming fourteenth album. Diana has said this song will be as great as her 1997 hit "Ahl Al Esheg."

Personal Life

Diana Haddad is from the southern Lebanese town of Maghdouche, even though she was born in Bsalim. She even dedicated a song called "Maghdouche" on her album Jarh Al Habib to her hometown. In the 1990s, Diana married Emirati businessman Suhail Al-Abdul. They have two daughters: Sophie (born in 1996) and Mira (born in 2007).

Diana and Suhail divorced in August 2009. They agreed to share custody of their children and remained on good terms. Diana has always said her marriage was based on love. However, in 2012, she admitted she was very young when she got married.

In 1999, it was reported that Diana Haddad had embraced Islam to honor her Muslim mother, who passed away in 1998. She performed Umrah in Mecca that same year. While her father initially disagreed, he eventually respected her decision. Diana is the only one of her siblings who practices Islam. She rarely talks about her religious beliefs, saying they are private. Diana describes herself as a "private, yet observant Muslim" who prays, reads the Qur'an, and fasts during Ramadan.

Diana has lived in Dubai since she married Suhail Al-Abdul. However, she often visits her home country of Lebanon, where she owns property. In late 2009, Diana and her driver were attacked in Beirut. Her driver bravely escaped, and Diana called the incident very scary. In 2010, she mentioned that she hadn't voted in the Lebanese election because she lives in the United Arab Emirates.

Diana has also shared her thoughts on body image. She is not against plastic surgery as long as it's not overdone, and she has admitted to having a nose job. Diana is known for being quite small in size and height.

Helping Others

Diana Haddad has been involved in helping people during social and political challenges. In 2000, when the Palestinian Intifada began, Diana released a song called "Al Haq Yaktubo Min Dami" (meaning "the truth is written with my blood") to support the Palestinian cause. She even canceled a US tour to show her solidarity.

In 2003, Diana helped with a campaign against drugs and smoking in the UAE. She released a song called "Bi Edak El Qarar" (meaning "the decision is in your hands") for the campaign. She was chosen because of her positive influence on young Emirati people.

In 2007, she took part in a charity concert in the UAE to raise money for Lebanese children. A year later, she was honored for her work with children with disabilities.

In 2008, Diana was asked to join a charity song called "El Dameer Al Arabi" (meaning "the Arab conscience"). This song was about the difficult situations in the Middle East, like the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the Iraq War. However, Diana declined the offer. She explained that she felt patriotic songs hadn't been very helpful in the Arab world.

Music Albums

Studio Albums

• Saken (1996)
• Ahl Al Esheg (1997)
• Ammanih (1997)
• Yammaia (1998)
• Shater (1999)
• Jarh Al Habib (2000)
• Akhbar Helwa (2001)
• Law Yesaloni (2002)
• Awel Marrah (2004)
• Diana 2006 (2006)
• Men Diana Illa (2008)
• Bent Osol (2011)
• Ya Bashar (2014)

Live Albums

• Anida (1996)

Compilation Albums

• Best of Diana Haddad (2002)
• Best of Diana Haddad 2 (2003)

Singles

1990s

2000s

2010s

2020s

Duets

Special Recordings/Live Tracks

• Lematha Al Moshtaka
• Al Helm Al Arabi
• Ya Rayheen Ommi (1997)
• Jabalak Kanz (live in concert ) (1998)
• Mush Beedi (1999)
• Ya Carthage (2000)
• Naam Zayed (2001)
• Ard El Emarat (2001)
• Wily Mennak (2001)
• Asma Bilad
• Roof Roohi (2002)
• El Lilah Ghair (2002)
• Noor Aini (2002)
• Ela Falastin... (2002) (Live)
• Saat Kheir (2003)
• Ainawi (2003)
• Yal Samra (2003)
• Lgenawi (2003)
• Ya Keef Al Rooh (2003)
• Ya Fakr
• Ya Baad Omri
• Enta Al Shams (2001) (Song most famously by Najwa Karam) (Unreleased Studio Recording)
• Al EIn Molayetin (2005) (Live in concert in Algeria)
• Lanat Emaraa (Theme Song for a Drama in Bahrain) (2008)
• Yal Samra (2003)