Haifa Wehbe

Haifa Wehbe (Arabic: هيفاء وهبي) born in Mahrouna, Lebanon), is a Lebanese model, actress, and singer born to a Lebanese father and Egyptian mother who rose to fame in the Arab world as runner up for Miss Lebanon and later through the release of her debut album Houwa El-Zaman (Arabic: هو الزمن) in 2002 and is best known through her music for her sex appeal, provocative mannerisms and image, Wehbe is also widely considered a sex symbol in the Middle East. She has so far released four studio albums and made her acting debut in 2008 Pepsi-produced film "Sea of Stars". Wehbe is one of the most well-known female singers in the Arab World and is considered one of the most successful Lebanese singers. In 2006, she was on People Magazine's 50 most beautiful people list.


In 2002, Wehbe released her first album, titled Houwa El-Zaman (Arabic: هو الزمن, English: "It Is The Time"), which became a commercial success, in part thanks to the popularity of her first single "Agoul Ahwak" (Arabic: أقول أهواك, English: "I Say I Love You").

Wehbe released her second studio album Baddi Eesh (Arabic: بدي عيش, English: "I Want to Live") in early 2005 and lived up to expectations due to the success of its lead single "Ya Hayat Albi." Released after the assassination of Lebanese politician Rafik Hariri, the title single of the album is about "freedom, considered to be among the most basic of human rights". Her follow-up single became her biggest hit to date, "Ana Haifa" (Arabic: أنا هيفاء, English: "I Am Haifa"), which became her novelty song. In 2006 she released a follow up single "Bus al-Wawa" (Arabic: بوس الواوا, English: "Kiss the booboo"), the song was later used in a Pepsi advertisement. The song was also voted Song of the Year in 2006 by Radio Scope and Sawt Al Musika.
In July 2005, Wehbe, along with 14 other celebrities from the Arab world, appeared on the live pan-Arab reality series Al-Wadi (Arabic: الوادي, English: The Farm‎), based on the French reality show La Ferme Célébrités. Wehbe's role featured songs from her then new album.
Wehbe was the first Arab artist appear on the Italian television channel Rai Uno at Piazza Navona in Rome, performing in front of celebrities and fashion designers. Haifa Wehbe has also performed with artists from outside the Arab world. On June 10, 2006, Wehbe became the first artist in the Arab world to perform with rapper 50 Cent when she performed the opening act for his first concert in Lebanon, at BIEL in Beirut.
In summer 2006 she was a spokesperson for Pepsi, and worked on Pepsi ads with football star Thierry Henry which were aired on Lebanese television during the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
Wehbe is a Shia Lebanese Muslim, and she has three sisters. Wehbe's brother died at the age of 24 during the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon. Wehbe's daughter has been living with her father since her parents divorce. In 2008 Wehbe's daughter was married in a private ceremony. As of 2010, Zeinab Zaza and her father are living in Kuwait.
In 2005, Wehbe announced her engagement to a Saudi businessman Tariq Al-Jaffali. After only a few weeks, she and her fiancé decided to split for personal reasons and family issues.
On June 25, 2007, Wehbe survived an accident while filming a music video for the song "Hasa Ma Bena" in Lebanon. In the video, a single engine airplane was to chase Wehbe as she drove a car. However, the airplane inadvertently hit the car, taking off the front windshield of the convertible she was driving. Despite the severity of the accident, Wehbe suffered only minor cuts and bruises.
Wehbe married Egyptian businessman Ahmad Abu Husheima on April 24, 2009 in Beirut. Among the guests at the wedding party were singer Anastacia, Googoosh, Kim Kardashian, Samar Ibrahim, Nawal Al Zoghbi, Najwa Karam, Ragheb Alama, Ahlam, and Sherine. Learn more about her