Najwa Karam

Najwa Karam (Arabic: نجوى كرم, Lebanese Arabic pronunciation: [ˈnaʒwa ˈkaɾam]; born 26 February 1966) is a Lebanese multi-platinum singer-songwriter, producer, fashion icon, and TV personality. Nicknamed Shams el-Ghinnieh ("The Sun of the arabic Song"), Karam is noted for her powerful Mawwal-skilled vocals. She has gained an international audience due to her distinct blend of traditional Lebanese music and contemporary sounds which has contributed to the spread of the Lebanese dialect in Arabic Music. Having sold tens of millions of records, Najwa Karam is the best selling recording Arabic language singers. She has sold over 60 million records worldwide, and she became the highest selling artist in 1999, 2008, and 2011. In 2023, Karam boasts a social media following of nearly 40 million followers across Facebook, Instagram and X. Karam was mentioned on Forbes 50 Over 50: Europe, Middle East and Africa 2023. She continues to frequently perform throughout the Arab world and internationally.

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. In 2020, she appeared as a coach on the first season of MBC's The Voice Senior. In 2017, Forbes Middle East ranked Karam number 5 on the list of "The Top 100 Arab Celebrities" with over 26.58 million social media followers at the time. 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". In 2021, she was named to Forbes Middle East’s Arab Music Stars list 50 of MENA’s most streamed and followed active musicians.

Karam rose to stardom throughout the 1990s, earning the nickname Shams el-Ghinnieh ("The Sun of Song"), from her eponymous album. Her other successful '90s 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. By the time her album Saharni was released in 2003, she had established herself as one of the most prominent Arabic singers and as a Middle Eastern pop icon. 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 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, "Ma Fi Noum" from her record Hal Layle... Ma Fi Nom. In 2012, Karam walked the Red Carpet at the 65th Cannes Film Festival. She has since released well-received singles and music videos as well as her latest studio album, Menni Elak, in 2017. In 2019, Karam's single, Maloun Abou L Echeq, became a commercial and critical success with its music video becoming one of the highest-viewed Arabic music videos on YouTube.