Rouwaida Attieh - Esma'ni

The three-year wait is finally over, and Rouwaida Attieh has released her new album, Esma'ni. Under a completely new management, headed by Anoud Al Ma'aliqi, change is instantly what you expect when glancing at the glamorous cover. But Lebanese composer Imad Shamseddine is no longer on the composing team, and there are no Egyptian composers to be seen either. The album opens with Shou Sahl El Haki, a ballad with soulful lyrics, but Nasser El As'ad's lifting of Gokhan Ozen's Inkar Etme for the arrangement doesn't fit very well. His work on Bala Hob is more enjoyable with soothing piano and strings, even though the song itself is a very standard ballad. Arguably the best work on the album comes from Wissam El Amir and George Marderosian, the composers behind Rouwaida hits like Jerouhi and Ala El Mani. Wissam El Amir's compositions, Law Inta El Shams and Ana Andi Lezeh, are both great dabke songs with playful and creative lyrics. The arrangement is textbook Roger Khoury however, with too much synth and not enough real instruments. George Marderosian's compositions are diverse, as he usually is: Hayati Melki is a dabke song that shows how far Rouwaida's voice can soar, even if what Roger Khoury does with the arrangement confounds the listener. Za'al Majnoun has a simple and catchy tune, but Bassem Rezq's arrangement, with a generous serving of flowing strings, takes the song to the next level.

The album's main problem is uninspired composers, like Salim Assaf and Mazen El Ayoubi, who don't have the faintest idea how to harness the power of Rouwaida's voice. Even the choice of title song was unfortunate. While the album has about or five or so good songs, three of them were released ages before the album came out. For such a talented young woman, Rouwaida Attieh just can't get a break, let's hope this album was just growing pains.

1. Shou Sahl El Haki

2. Esma'ni

3. Wana Kol Ma A'oul

4. Law Inta El Shams

5. La Tefakker

6. Bala Hob

7. Baini Ou Baino

8. Za'al Majnoun

9. Ana Andi Lezeh

10. Hayati Melki

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Rouwaida Attieh - Men Nazra

Rouwaida Attieh emerged as the first runner-up on the first season of Superstar, but the popularity that she, and second runner-up Melhem Zein garnered quite easily rivaled winner Diana Karazon's. While Melhem and Diana worked with a wide range of lyrcists and musicians, Rouwaida was musically adopted by Imad Shamseddine, a man who had been on Najwa Karam's musical team for over a decade. Arrangers include Adel Aayesh, Ali Safa (who arranged the hit title song), Medhat Khamis, and Ahmed Adel, who gives the hit Ta'ebt Ma'ak the Egyptian flavor the song calls for. The album is made up of Lebanese and Egyptian songs, although the fact there is only one true dabke song, Men Nazra, seems a crime when Rouwaida is one of the few women who have conquered the genre. While there are some must-listen good songs like Ta'ebt Ma'ak, Men Nazra, and A Min El Loum, the album as a whole felt old and it is simply Rouwaida's voice that carries it. It's just as well Khissamak Mur did Rouwaida's talent justice finally in 2006, with a much bigger team of musicians that still included Imad Shamseddine.



1. Rahet Sana
2. Ta'ebt Ma'ak
3. Leih
4. Men Nazra
5. Maktoubli
6. A Min El Loum
7. Hasamt El Amr

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Rouwaida Attieh - Khissamak Mur

Syrian singer Rouwaida Attieh was one of the favorites to win the first season of Superstar from the beginning of her run. Rouwaida made it to the finals and took second place, losing to Jordanian contestant Diana Karazon. However, she signed a record deal with Al Shams Arts as soon as the program had ended and her debut album came soon after. Though the album underwhelmed fans, Rouwaida did not waiver and returned in 2006 with a less rushed album, Khissamak Mur. Unlike her previous album, which was composed solely by Imad Shamseddine, the new album added veterans like Salah El Sharnoubi, Walid Saad, George Marderosian, Nizar Abdallah, Riyad El Hamshari, and Wissam El Amir to the roster also. Like Imad Shamseddine, Marderosian was and El Amir is an instrumental part of Najwa Karam's career. Like she did in her previous album, Rouwaida leans more towards slow and/or melancholic songs. Khissamak Mur, Waheshni Wallah, Rah Fein El Hob, are all slow, classic-style songs. Arguably the album's best song, Jerouhi is in the typical Saoud El Sharbatli/Wissam El Amir collaboration style. The song starts with a mawal and then swtiches to a much faster pace, similar to the duo's work on Najwa Karam's Ya Dounya and Ammant Galbi. For those who like dabke, Rouwaida does not disappoint (like she did in her previous album). Ala El Mani and Oloub Melyaneh, both instant hits, are in the dabke style which her sublime voice excels in.



1. Ala El Mani
2. Ma Hallak
3. Jerouhi
4. Tawe'li El Alam
5. Ana Man
6. Ensa
7. Oloub Melyaneh
8. Rah Fein El Hob
9. Waheshni Wallah
10. Khissamak Mur

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