Elissa

Elissar Zakaria Khoury (; born 27 October 1971), commonly known as Elissa , is a Lebanese singer and television personality. Known for her romantic musical style and emotive vocal performances, she has been dubbed as the "Queen of Emotions". Her musical career began in 1992 when she was featured in the Lebanese talent show Studio El Fan; later being awarded the silver medal. In 1998, she released her debut studio album Baddy Doub through EMI Music Arabia. Her second album W'akherta Maak featured the single "Betghib Betrouh", a duet with Ragheb Alama.

Elissa's breakthrough occurred with her 2002 single "Ayshalak", from the third studio album of the same name, which was a substantial commercial success. After signing with record label Rotana, she released the albums Ahla Dounya (2004), Bastanak (2006), Ayami Bik (2007), Tesada'a Bemeen (2009), Asaad Wahda (2012), Halet Hob (2014), Saharna Ya Leil (2016), Ila Kol Elli Bihebbouni (2018) and Sahbit Raey (2020); eventually becoming Rotana's best-selling artist. Following a dispute over her masters and the withdrawal of her catalogue from platforms like Spotify, YouTube and Anghami, Elissa launched her own record label, E-Records, in 2022, and has since released the album Ana Sekketen (2024).

Elissa is one of the best-selling music artists of the Middle East; having sold 30 million albums throughout her career. as well as over 6 billion views on YouTube. In 2005, Elissa became the first Arab artist of Lebanese descent to win the World Music Award for "Best Selling Middle Eastern Artist" in recognition of the sales for Ahla Dounya, additionally doing so in 2006 and 2010 for Bastanak and Tesada'a Bemeen, respectively. Throughout her career, she has endorsed brands, such as Corum and Pepsi and is also a women's rights activist; raising awareness on specific subjects such as women's rights in Lebanon and breast cancer awareness.

Early life Elissar Zakaria Khoury was born on 27 October 1971 in Deir Al-Ahmar, Lebanon to a Lebanese father, Zakaria Khoury, who was a poet and a Syrian-Lebanese mother, Youmna Suud from Wadi al-Nasara and Marjayoun. At the request of her father, she and her sister Norma attended a French boarding school, where one of the nuns known as "Sister Samira" had discovered her musical talent.

Elissa graduated from the Lebanese University with a degree in political science.

Elissa's musical career began the following year, when she enlisted in the Lebanese talent show Studio El Fan, singing songs such as "In Rah Mennek Ya Ain" by Shadia and later winning the silver medal.

1998–2001: Debut studio album Baddy Doub and W'akherta Maak Elissa's debut studio album Baddy Doub, was released in Lebanon in December 1998 by Lido Musique, later given wider distribution in the Arab world by EMI Music Arabia in early 1999. The single's music video was directed by Marc Hadifé.

Her second album, W'akherta Maak was released on 8 August 2000 by Music Master. The album included the duet "Betghib Betrouh" featuring Ragheb Alama. The song was a considerable success and later won awards. The album topped Arab music charts for numerous weeks and later sold 2.9 million copies. It was additionally the best selling cassette album in the Middle East of 2002. A music video for the titular song was directed by Fabrice Begotti and was filmed in Paris. She was the first Middle Eastern artist to collaborate with Dior in the video. On 14 September, Elissa won the Murex d'Or award for Best Lebanese Female Artist. In 2002, she was additionally mentioned in the book "Pioneers from Lebanon" alongside artists such as Fairuz and Wadih El Safi. A music video for "Ajmal Ihssas", directed by Salim el Turk, was released in the following year. The video received controversy for what was considered sexualised scenes. However, it won the award "Best Video Clip" at the Arab Music Awards, held in Dubai in 2002. The song was featured on a Rolling Stone poll titled "The 50 Best Arabic Pop Songs of the 21st Century", ranking at #14.

In January 2002, Elissa performed at the STARS (Science, Technology and Arts Royal Summit) charity event in Dubai; being the only artist to attend and perform at the event. In attendance were Queen Rania of Jordan, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and former United States President Bill Clinton. Later in 2002, she collaborated with Irish singer Chris de Burgh in a duet titled "Lebanese Nights", featured on his album Timing is Everything. A music video, directed by Salim el Turk, was shot in Beirut, Lebanon and Zurich, Switzerland and premiered exclusively on LBC television stations. The song had received positive reception from both Middle Eastern and western audiences. In January 2003, Elissa attended the grand opening of Kuwait's Virgin Megastore with Sir Richard Branson as well as Kuwaiti band Guitara.

In 2003, Elissa signed with Saudi Arabian entertainment group Rotana, under which she released her fourth studio album, Ahla Dounya the following year on 6 May. The album was a huge success, selling about 3.4 million copies by the end of 2004. The album spawned the singles "Koul Youm Fee Oumri", "Irjaa Lilshowk" and "Hobak Wajaa (Inta Lameen)". The tracks "Koul Youm Fee Oumri", "Karibli" and "Law Nirjaa Sawa" were featured in Pepsi advertisements. In 2005, Elissa became the first Lebanese artist to ever receive a World Music Award for Best Selling Middle Eastern Artist. Later, she received the Murex d'Or awards for Best Lebanese Artist and Best Video Clip for "Hobak Wajaa".

On 16 February 2006, she released her fifth studio album Bastanak to similarly substantial commercial success. The album featured the hit single of the same name and "Law Taarafou", both of which received music videos. On 15 November, Elissa received her second World Music Award in a row for the sales of this album. As of 2006, Bastanak had sold 3.7 million copies. In December 2012, Elissa was chosen to be one of the judges of The X Factor Arabia; It was on the air the first four months of 2013. On 23 June 2013 Elissa received two Murex D’or awards, for the Best Lebanese Singer and Best Arabic Song for "Asaad Wahda". During the summer of 2014, Elissa released a song titled "Law" (What If), composed by Marwan Khoury.

Elissa released her ninth studio album Halet Hob in July 2014. The album included covers of the songs "Awel Mara" and "Helwa Ya Baladi" . She released the first music video of "Hob Kol Hayaty" on 12 December 2014. Elissa returned as a judge on The X Factor for its second season on 14 March 2015. Elissa released her cover version of "Mawtini" on 29 April 2015, along with its music video. The second video from her ninth studio album was released on 14 May 2015, for "Ya Merayti". The titular song was released as the final single in early 2016. The lyric video of "Halet Hob" has amassed more than 100 million views on YouTube.

2016–17: Saharna Ya Leil

Elissa released her tenth studio album Saharna Ya Leil on 9 September 2016, which included the titular single of the same name, "Maliket El Ehsas" and "Aaks Elli Shayfenha." Despite not being released as a single, the lyric video for "Maktooba Leek" amassed over 270 million views (as of March 2024) on Rotana's official YouTube page, becoming the most watched video on their channel. The following year, Elissa released a music video for "Aaks Elli Shayfenha". Directed by Angy Jammal, the video reached 3 million views during its first week of release and as of August 2019, has garnered over 60 million views on YouTube. In May 2017, Elissa announced that she is the new face of Freshlook Air Optix Colors. and gave a concert as part of Beirut Holidays Festival 2017. On 14 August, Elissa released a remix for the song "Ana Majnouni" which was previously released 3 years ago. "Ana Majnouni" marked the third collaboration with her brother Camil Khoury and amassed more than half a million plays during its first 2 days of release. In early September, it was announced that Elissa will be one of the new The Voice: Ahla Sawt season 4 coaches alongside Emirati singer Ahlam, Lebanese singer Assi El Hallani, and Egyptian singer Mohamed Hamaki.

2018–2020: Ila Kol Elli Bihebbouni and Sahbit Raey

On 11 July 2018, Elissa released the first lead single titled "Ila Kol Elli Bihebbouni" from her eleventh studio album of the same name. On 16 July 2018, Elissa released a promotional single from the album entitled "Krahni", produced by her brother Camil Khoury. Khoury additionally produced the songs "Maridit Ehtimam" and "Enta W Maii" on the album. Ila Kol Elli Bihebbouni was released on 25 July 2018. The album also includes a cover of Warda's song "Wahashtouni".

On 7 August 2018, Elissa released the music video for "Ila Kol Elli Bihebbouni" where in the music video, Elissa disclosed her breast cancer diagnosis in late December 2017 along with her treatment and recovery. She also gave a concert in Tunisia. In September 2018, the Lebanese Information Minister honored Elissa for her career. On 22 April 2019 she released the music video for her song "Krahni".

In November 2018, Elissa announced on Twitter that she had begun work on her upcoming twelfth studio album. On 18 January 2019, Elissa performed a benefit concert in Egypt. In July, she announced a partnership with makeup artist Bassam Fattouh, releasing an eyeshadow palette titled 'The Star'. On 22 July, a promotional song for Telecom Egypt's 'WE' mobile service titled "Abl Ay Had" was released and as of August 2019, gained over 15 million views on YouTube.

On 18 August 2019, she initially announced her retirement from the music industry via Twitter, stating her then-upcoming twelfth studio album would be her last and describing the music industry field as "similar to the mafias." The news of her retirement shocked fans and fellow artists as the hashtag #كلنااليسا (English: "We are all Elissa") began to trend on Twitter, being offered support for the singer by fans and artists alike. Later, it was revealed that she had retracted her intention to retire and considered negotiations with Rotana.

On 18 July 2020, Elissa announced her twelfth studio album Sahbit Raey and released the lead single of the same name on 23 July. The album was followed by two singles titled "Hanghani Kaman Wi Kaman" and "Ahwet El Madi", which were released on 11 April and 25 May respectively and were later included in the track listing. The music video for "Hanghani Kaman Wi Kaman" was inspired by COVID-19 lockdowns, featured fellow Lebanese singer Haifa Wehbe, included fan-submitted videos filmed at home, and had its production budget donated to charity. An initial cover for the album/single with suggestive themes had caused controversy among audiences and had prompted Elissa's management to have it replaced with a different cover. The album was released exclusively on Deezer and Rotana's official YouTube channel during the Eid al-Adha season on 1 August. The album's final song features a French-language cover of "Mourir sur scène" by Egyptian-born Italian-French artist Dalida. The album was her last to be released by Rotana; departing the label after 16 years.

2022–present: E-Records, Ana Sekketen and YouTube channel controversy In 2022, Elissa's Rotana-owned catalogue was reinstated on digital streaming platforms, such as Anghami, after a four-year absence. On 4 May of that year, she released a duet with Saad Lamjarred titled "Min Awel Dekika." The song became a significant success and as of January 2025, its music video amassed over 500 million views on YouTube; making it Elissa's most viewed video on the platform. She then released the single "Zahra Men El Yasmin" on 12 July. Later that year she established her own record label titled "E-Records" and began work on her thirteenth studio album. The first release under the label was the song "Ana W Bass" on 16 August 2022 and was purported to be the lead single from her then-upcoming album.

On 7 May 2024, she announced and released her thirteenth studio album Ana Sekketen.

Other ventures

Advocacy An advocate for breast cancer awareness, The video ended with the following message: "I've recovered, I've beaten the illness and I won... Early detection of breast cancer can save your life... Don't ignore it, face it... Do it not only for yourself, but for your loved ones." Many applauded her for "breaking the taboo" of breast cancer awareness in the Middle East and therefore influenced and encouraged women to be checked for the disease. In October 2018, Elissa was chosen as an ambassador for a breast cancer awareness campaign in Beirut.

Political views Domestic Elissa is a supporter of the Lebanese Forces party and its leader, Samir Geagea, backing him for the presidency before the election of Michel Aoun.

Elissa had expressed support for the March 14 Alliance and opposition to the Syrian military presence in Lebanon. In 2018, she marked the anniversary of the Cedar Revolution by recalling her participation in the 2005 protests and stating that she remained committed to Lebanon's independence and freedom. In October 2019, Elissa joined the anti-government protests in Beirut, expressing support for demonstrators and criticizing Lebanon's political leadership and living conditions. In June 2021, she criticized Lebanese President Michel Aoun and politician Gebran Bassil in a tweet, accusing them of contributing to Lebanon's crisis.

In May 2022, during an interview with MTV Lebanon, Elissa said that Israel was her enemy but argued that Hezbollah and Lebanese authorities had caused greater harm to Lebanon, criticizing the influence of armed groups in the country. In October 2024, Elissa called for the Lebanese Army to assume control over Beirut's southern suburbs and other areas of Lebanon, arguing that the country should be protected by the state rather than armed groups or militias, in reference to Hezbollah.

Regional Syria In 2014, Elissa took to social media to condemn the actions of the ISIS against minorities, stating "I'm Lebanese and I'm proudly Christian, shame on such people."

During the Syrian civil war, Elissa expressed concern for Syrian civilians affected by the conflict. In 2017, she called for an end to the war and urged her followers to pray for the Syrian people, describing the deaths of civilians as tragic.

In December 2024, Elissa revealed that a relative, Claude Lichaa Al Khoury, was among those released from Saydnaya Prison after decades of detention under the Assad regime.

Palestine In March 2019, Elissa stated that "the land of Palestine is slowly slipping away as we stand watching", prompting a response from Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Avichay Adraee, who blamed Hamas for the violence. Elissa replied by blocking his account and describing him as an "insolent occupier". In October 2023, she expressed her solidarity with Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip during the Gaza war by posting a tweet featuring a Palestinian flag with a quote that says "if you cannot lift the injustice, at least tell everyone about it." In 2024, she wore the Palestinian keffiyeh and the Palestinian flag during two massively successful concerts in Malmo and Stockholm in Sweden and spoke against Israeli crimes in Gaza before a crowd of 30,000 people.

Public statements In 2021, Elissa appeared on a podcast on Anghami, where she discussed LGBTQ rights, women's rights, mental health, and other contemporary issues. She stated that homosexuality was "not a crime", opposed its criminalization, and affirmed that everyone has the right to live as they choose.

Discography

Studio albums Baddy Doub (1998) W'akherta Maak (2000) Ayshalak (2002) Ahla Dounya (2004) Bastanak (2006) Ayami Bik (2007) Tesada'a Bemeen (2009) Asaad Wahda (2012) Halet Hob (2014) Saharna Ya Leil (2016) Ila Kol Elli Bihebbouni (2018) Sahbit Raey (2020) Ana Sekketen (2024)

Compilations Best of Elissa (2011)

EPs Aghani Min Hayati (Live) (2021)

Singles and charted songs Title Year Peak chart position Album LBN MENA "Garrabt Fe Marra" 2012 — "Asaad Wahda" 1 Asaad Wahda "Law" 2014 1 "Ya Merayti" 12 Halet Hob "Mawtini" 2015 4 "Ya Rait" 2016 6 Saharna Ya Leil "Saharna Ya Leil" 1 "Anti L Tohro Ya Mariam" 2017 — "Zakaria" —"Isht Wa Shoft" 2018 — "Krahni" 19 Ila Kol Elli Bihebbouni "Ila Kol Elli Bihebbouni" 12 "Bokra Bteshroq Shams El Eid" — "Abl Ay Had" 2019 — "Aam Thour" — "Ya Am Salamtak"2021 19 "Damayer" 2022 — "Min Awel Dekika" 7 16 "Zahra Men El Yasmin" — — "Ana W Bass" 16 — "Ma Tendam 3a Shi" 2023 12 — "Batmayel Aala El Beat" 1 — Ana Sekketen "El Okd" 12 — "Kello Waham" 2024 3 — "Hazzi Dehekli" 14 — "Ana Mish Soutak" 9 — "Kermalak" — — "Hobbak Metl Beirut" 6 — "We Takabel Habib" 2025 10 — "—" denotes items which were not released in that country or failed to chart."*" denotes the chart did not exist at that time.

Collaborations Betghib Betrouh (with Ragheb Alama) Lebanese Night (feat. Chris de Burgh) Kount Fi Sirtak (feat. Cheb Mami) Jouwa El Roh (feat. Fadel Chaker) Wara El-Shababik (feat. Tamer Hosny) Efrah (feat. Tamer Hosny) Min Awel Dekika (feat. Saad Lamjarred)

Videography

Filmography It's OK - a Netflix original documentary film about the singer's life (2024)

Awards and nominations

Award Year Category Nominated work Result 2025 Best Female Artist Herself 2023 Best Female Artist Herself Best Female Artist Ana Sekketen Oscar Sayidaty Awards 2021 Best Arab Female Artist Herself 2020 Best Music Video "Ila Kol Elli Bihebbouni" 2003 "Ajmal Ihssas" 2018 Song of the Year "Nefsi Aollo" 2017 Song of the Year "Maktooba Leek" 2011 Best Arab Female Artist Tesada'a Bemeen 2008 Best Arab Female Artist Ayami Bik Arab Nation Music Awards 2018 Best Music Video "Aaks Elli Shayfenha" 2017 Best Arab Artist Saharna Ya Leil Best Lebanese Artist Jordan Awards 2010 Best Arab Female Artist Tesada'a Bemeen MTV Europe Music Awards 2007 Best Arabian Act Herself World Music Awards 2005 Best Selling Middle Eastern Artist Ahla Dounya 2006 Bastanak Al-Ahram Music Awards 2004 Best Arab Female Artist Ahla Dounya 2005 Best Lebanese Female Artist Ahla Dounya Best Music Video "Hobak Wajaa (Inta Lameen)" Studio El Fan 1992 Best Female Singer Herself