Najwa Karam and Wael Kfoury recording new albums

By Nohad Topalian in Beirut
2010-01-28

[FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP/Getty Images] Najwa Karam will release a new album in May.

After a slow start to the New Year, regional artists are busy working on new albums, videos, TV series and films.

Lebanese star Najwa Karam is busy these days recording songs for her new album which will be released by Rotana in May. She has decided not to shoot a video for her song, "Allah Yeshgel Balo" that was written by Hussein Ismail, composed by Wissam El-Amir and arranged by Roger Khoury.

Prepping his next album, Wael Kfouri is in Egypt recording songs for his next album that will be released in co-operation with Arabica Production Company. Wael has worked with a number of songwriters and composers including Vera Abu Assaf, Hisham Boulos, Fares Iskandar and Selim Salama. He will also be giving a concert together with Elissa on Valentine's Day at the InterContinental Phoenicia Hotel in Beirut. Nancy Ajram recorded her single "Emta Ashoufak" and should be shooting the video soon.

Iraqi artist Claudia Hanna will shoot a video of her new single "Qonbula" (Bomb) but has not decided on locations in Lebanon yet. Adel Sarhan will direct. Claudia is eagerly awaiting the broadcast of her small screen debut, a TV series titled "Mashaer fel Borsa" (Feelings in the Stock Market) starring Hisham Abdel Hamid and Nermine Al-Feki. The series is based on a story by Samir Rajab. Mustapha Ibrahim wrote the screenplay and Medhat Al-Sebai served as director.

In a concert sponsored by Alaan TV station and LCI Entertainment, the Iraqi band UTN1, released their first album, which includes two CDs. The first one, titled "Titthakareen", (You Remember), features nine Arabic songs. The second is titled "One Last Time" and has six English songs recorded in several different rhythms.

In Egypt, veteran star Shwikar returns after 15 years to the silver screen in the film "Kalemni Shokran" that opened in theatres recently. The movie is Shwikar's 92nd. Yousra will star in a TV series titled "Belsham Lahmar", written by Mariam Naoum, directed by Samir Seif and produced by Al-Adl Group. The 30-episode series is a drama that includes a surprise in the middle, and is scheduled to be aired next Ramadan.

Having decided to stay away from the Ramadan drama this year, Mona Shalabi rejected several offers to star in a new TV series following the success of her latest effort, "Harb El-Jawasis" (Spies War). Mona wants to focus on the big screen with her new movie, "Arousa Helwa", which will start in February under director Mariam Abu Ouf. Once shooting ends, Mena will then start in April on a new film project, "Markaz Al-Tegara Al-Alami", (World Trade Center) with director Yossri Khedr Allah.

In Syria, Abbas Al-Nouri portrayed the character of Abul Hassan in the second part of the series "Ahl El-Raya", written by Ahmad Hamid and directed by Seif Sbeiy. The same character was previously played by Jamal Suleiman for director Alaa El-Din Kawkash. Syrian Art Production International (SAPI) produced the series.

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