Layal Mounir Abboud ( ar, ليال منير عبود, ; is a Lebanese

pop singer Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or without ...

folk music Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has b ...

entertainer An entertainer is someone who provides entertainment in various different forms. Types of entertainers * Acrobat * Actor * Archimime * Athlete * Barker * Beatboxer * Benshi * Bouffon * Circus performer * Clown * Club Hostess/Host * Co ...

sound In physics, sound is a vibration that propagates as an acoustic wave, through a transmission medium such as a gas, liquid or solid. In human physiology and psychology, sound is the ''reception'' of such waves and their ''perception'' b ...

lyric poet Modern lyric poetry is a formal type of poetry which expresses personal emotions or feelings, typically spoken in the first person. It is not equivalent to song lyrics, though song lyrics are often in the lyric mode, and it is also ''not'' equi ...

, concert dancer,

fit model A fit model (sometimes fitting model) is a person who is used by a fashion designer or clothing manufacturing, manufacturer to check the fit, drape and visual appearance of a design on a 'real' human being, effectively acting as a live mannequin. ...

and Muslim humanitarian. Born to a musical family in the Southern Lebanese Tyrian village of Kniseh, Abboud is a former ISF

officer An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," f ...

and studied English literature at Lebanese University,

translation Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. The English language draws a terminological distinction (which does not exist in every language) between ''transla ...

Beirut Arab University Beirut Arab University (BAU) ( ar, جـامعة بيروت العربية) is a Lebanese private university located in Beirut, Lebanon. It was founded by the Lebanese Waqf El-Bir wal Ihsan Society in 1960. The University attained the Internation ...

and

musical expression Musical expression is the art of playing or singing with a personal response to the music. At a practical level, this means making appropriate use of dynamics, phrasing, timbre and articulation to bring the music to life. Composers may specify ...

at the

American University of Science and Technology The American University of Science and Technology (AUST) (french: link=no, Université américaine de sciences et technologie; ar, link=no, الجامعة الأميركية للعلوم والتكنولوجيا) is a private, non-sectarian, an ...

. She appeared for the first time in the Studio El-Fan series debuts as a South Lebanese competitor from 2001 to 2002. Abboud's musical career flourished with the release of her first album '' Fi Shouq'' ( ar, في شوق: on longing) published in late 2007. Sings in different

Arabic dialects The varieties (or dialects or vernacular languages) of Arabic, a Semitic language within the Afroasiatic family originating in the Arabian Peninsula, are the linguistic systems that Arabic speakers speak natively. There are considerable varia ...

, famous for her presentation of Lebanese folklore music and internal summer concerts and tours. Abboud is a singer member in the

Syndicate of Professional Artists in Lebanon Syndicate of Professional Artists in Lebanon ( ar, نقابة الفنانين المحترفين في لبنان:) was established on 28 June 1993 and includes persons who hold the following professions: * Acting * Music : Songwriters, Composers, ...

Biography

Early life and education

Layal Abboud was born into a large Muslim family in the southern village of Kanisah in Lebanon's

Tyre District The Tyre District is a district in the South Governorate of Lebanon. History Ancient history Founded at the start of the third millennium BC, Tyre originally consisted of a mainland settlement and a modest island city that lay a short distance o ...

. Abboud's father and mother, named Mounir and Maryam, had three brothers and six sisters between them. As a child Abboud started singing and dancing and was a fan of

Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Medit ...

ian pop singer

Amr Diab Amr Diab ( ar, عمرو دياب, link=no, ; born on 11 October 1961) is an Egyptian singer, composer and actor. He has established himself as a globally acclaimed recording artist and author. He is a Guinness World Record holder, the best sel ...

. Her father encouraged her and bought her a violin while she was six years old. Starting at age 14 she worked as a private tutor for more than 13 students. Abboud studied English literature at the Lebanese University and translation in the

, graduating with a

master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.

. She went on to study music at the Lebanese National Higher Conservatory of music for two years. Abboud served as an

for the Lebanese Police Force, working security for two years in the

Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport (Arabic: مطار رفيق الحريري الدولي بيروت, (previously known as Beirut International Airport) () is the only operational commercial airport in Lebanon, which is located in the ...

's Inspection Department.

Musical career

Abboud appeared on TV for the first time on the hit show Studio El-Fan as a competitor for its 2001–02 season. She sang at various Beirut cafés and restaurants, eventually networking with musicians like Richard Najm, Tony Abi Karam, and Salim Salameh. Abboud went on to study music under Richard Najm, and in 2006 became a

multi-instrumentalist A multi-instrumentalist is a musician who plays two or more musical instruments at a professional level of proficiency. Also known as doubling, the practice allows greater ensemble flexibility and more efficient employment of musicians, where ...

skilled in the

oud , image=File:oud2.jpg , image_capt=Syrian oud made by Abdo Nahat in 1921 , background= , classification= * String instruments *Necked bowl lutes , hornbostel_sachs=321.321-6 , hornbostel_sachs_desc=Composite chordophone sounded with a plectrum , ...

, organ and

guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected strin ...

. Her first album, '' Fi Shouq'' ( ar, في شوق: ''On Longing'') was released in late 2007. In an interview with Egyptian media about her

penchant In psychology, economics and philosophy, preference is a technical term usually used in relation to choosing between alternatives. For example, someone prefers A over B if they would rather choose A than B. Preferences are central to decision the ...

music Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspe ...

, Abboud has stated, "

Music Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspe ...

is my

life Life is a quality that distinguishes matter that has biological processes, such as Cell signaling, signaling and self-sustaining processes, from that which does not, and is defined by the capacity for Cell growth, growth, reaction to Stimu ...

!" Abboud's inspirations include

Ammar El Sherei Ammar Ali Mohamed Ibrahim Ali Al Sherei ( ar, عمار علي محمد إبراهيم علي الشريعي) or more commonly known as Ammar El Sherei (16 April 1948 – 7 December 2012) was an Egyptian music icon, performer and composer. Ea ...

, Baligh Hamdi and

Sabah Sabah () is a state of Malaysia located in northern Borneo, in the region of East Malaysia. Sabah borders the Malaysian state of Sarawak to the southwest and the North Kalimantan province of Indonesia to the south. The Federal Territory o ...

whom Abboud called the "ideal of my art career." In July 2014 Abboud also said that she is "very much drawn to French musicians, possibly because I’m a bit of a hopeless romantic." In addition to being a singer and musician, Abboud is also a poet and composer, though says that she refrains from publishing her poetry or compositions in order to focus on her musical career as advised by her manager Dory Shehade.

Business and fashion

Layal Abboud - Plaza Palace Ceremony - Beirut - July 2015 - Lebanon 19

In 2014 Abboud called Akel Fakih "the mastermind" behind the way she dresses in her professional, social, and daily life. In 2015 Akel Fakih said he works with Layal Abboud "in a very distinctive and upscale way, going on to say that, "there is a chemistry that brings me together in fashion. She trusts my opinion and tastes, and this is one of the reasons why Layal chose me in her concerts." Abboud has elaborated on her fashion team, saying, "Elie Samaan does my hair and makeup; my stylist is Serene Assaad, and my photographer is Hussein Salman."
On 12 October 2017, She appeared publicly for the first as a fit and fashion model dressed and designed by Akl Fakih, in ''Design & Brands Event'' held at the Four Seasons Hotel of Beirut.
Abboud is founder of Amman-based wedding planning company Loulou Secret. She also runs Layal Productions for her music.

Media issues

Sometimes called a seductive artist and femme fatale by '' Al Akhbar'' and other critics, Abboud appeared on the program ''Bala Teshfir'' on the Al Jadeed network in 2015, stating, "Being bold is not seduction". She believes there is a bias against her and said, "I am a normal artist and contemporary with

fashion Fashion is a form of self-expression and autonomy at a particular period and place and in a specific context, of clothing, footwear, lifestyle, accessories, makeup, hairstyle, and body posture. The term implies a look defined by the fashion i ...

." In 2016 counterfeit images were published attributed to Abboud's likeness. She appointed attorney Haitham Tarshishi to file a lawsuit against "all those involved in the forgery of a picture attributed to her through

social media Social media are interactive media technologies that facilitate the creation and sharing of information, ideas, interests, and other forms of expression through virtual communities and networks. While challenges to the definition of ''social medi ...

sites, accompanied by words beyond the limits of fitness." In August 2016 the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation reported that a suspect had been arrested. In April 2017 as a guest on the

LBCI The Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International ( ar, المؤسسة اللبنانية للإرسال انترناسيونال), widely known as LBCI, is a private television station in Lebanon. LBCI was founded in 1992 by acquiring the asse ...

satirical program ''La-hon Wa-bas'' hosted by Hicham Haddad, Abboud condemned an issue of '' Nadine'' magazine for its depiction of her chest and face shape with the words, "Bigger than this chest" emblazoned on its cover, based on her quote while she used Arabic word of ṣadr which can be an invocation for conscience and heart. She accused the magazine of trying to increase readership by

dumbing down Dumbing down is the deliberate oversimplification of intellectual content in education, literature, and cinema, news, video games, and culture. Originated in 1933, the term "dumbing down" was movie-business slang, used by screenplay writers, mean ...

and oversimplifying its content. Earlier in Jun 26, 2017 strongly criticized yellow-pens of Lebanese music journalists.

Personal life

Moved to

Beirut Beirut, french: Beyrouth is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, which makes it the third-largest city in the Levant region. The city is situated on a peninsula at the midpoint o ...

in 2009. Abboud cares about her

physical health Health, according to the World Health Organization, is "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity".World Health Organization. (2006)''Constitution of the World Health Organi ...

and

elegance Elegance is beauty that shows unusual effectiveness and simplicity. Elegance is frequently used as a standard of tastefulness, particularly in visual design, decorative arts, literature, science, and the aesthetics of mathematics. Elegant ...

. In June 2017 she publicly confirmed that she had undergone

rhinoplasty Rhinoplasty ( grc, ῥίς, rhī́s, nose + grc, πλάσσειν, plássein, to shape), commonly called nose job, medically called nasal reconstruction is a plastic surgery procedure for altering and reconstructing the nose. There are two typ ...

, but that the rest of her features were not the result of plastic surgery, stating, "The secret of my beauty is sport". She is an advocate for a public smoking ban for Lebanon, saying, "Smoking and non-smoking areas must be allocated". Having had an interest in sport and

horseback riding Equestrianism (from Latin , , , 'horseman', 'horse'), commonly known as horse riding (Commonwealth English) or horseback riding (American English), includes the disciplines of riding, driving, and vaulting. This broad description includes the ...

since childhood, Abboud has four horses, which she keeps in the village of Tanbourit in Lebanon's

Sidon District The Sidon District ( ar, قضاء صيدا) is a district within the South Governorate of Lebanon. Cities and towns * Aadloun * Ansariye *Ghaziyeh *Maghdouché * Majdelyoun * Miye ou Miye * Qinarit * Salhieh *Sarepta *Sidon - capital * Tabbaya * ...

. Their names are Rim, Loulou, Khaybar (named after

Khaibar-1 The Khaibar-1 ( ar, خيبر-1), also known as the Khyber-1, the M-302, or the B-302 is a Syrian-made 302 mm unguided artillery rocket. It is best known for being used by Hezbollah against targets in northern Israel during the 2006 Lebanon ...

) and Layal (named after her given name). Abboud is a practising Muslim. She fasts and abstains from performing during Ramadan, and holds the pre-dawn and post-sunset meals of Suhur and

Iftar Iftar ( ar, translit=Iftar Ramadan, إفطار رمضان), also known as (from , , 'breakfast'), (), is the evening meal with which Muslims end their daily Ramadan fast at sunset. They break their fast at the time of the call to prayer ...

with her family. Involved in philanthropic activities and has described herself as an "abnormal generous person." On mid-January 2018 her home was burglarized and robbed of jewelry and cash, estimated at about 100,000 US $ by her assistant.

Marriage and family

Abboud married at the age of sixteen in 1998 and gave birth to her only son, Jad, in 2004. She eventually

divorced Divorce (also known as dissolution of marriage) is the process of terminating a marriage or marital union. Divorce usually entails the canceling or reorganizing of the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage, thus dissolving the ...

her husband, later describing the marriage as "very formal," adding, "My early marriage was the result of a love story. I am a romantic and dreamy woman." In June 2017 she said, "By respect among us, we divorced and I chose my career in art." In August 2017 Abboud spoke about her relation with a Lebanese diplomat, saying that it had ended because of their divergent career paths. On May 5, 2015 said there is a new love story in her life. About her relationship with her family, on June 15, 2017 said she was very much related to her father Mounir when lived between her family. But later when she grew up and had a son "who realized her mother's value", presented a song and gifted it to her mother, Maryam, which caused to her parents' return from staying in Saudi Arabia to Lebanon and decided to live close to each other.

Discography

Studio albums

* 2008: '' Fi Shouq'' * 2011: ''Ma Ba'eesh''

Non-album singles

* 2007: ''Winni Ya Winn'' * 2007: Albi Yamma * 2007: Tshoobi * 2007: Abouya 2alli * 2007: Aam Bihlamak * 2007: Hawasi Kella * 2007: Fi Shoo' * 2008: Wad Al Hetta * 2009: Shid El Jaroufe * 2009: Bjnoun * 2010: Lazem Taaraf * 2010: BIBI * 2010: Ahla Zaffe * 2010: Dinyi Wlad * 2010: Ma B3eesh * 2010: Ya Tayr El Tayer * 2012: Ya Ana Ya Ana * 2013: Khashkhash hadid El Mohra * 2014: Khaliha Bi Albi Tijrah

Filmography

;Casting/Starring * ''Satw Mosalas'' (2016) as

cast member In the performing arts industry such as theatre, film, or television, casting, or a casting call, is a pre-production process for selecting a certain type of actor, dancer, singer, or extra for a particular role or part in a script, screenpla ...

Awards and commemorations

* February 14, 2010: Honorary Award by

Lebanese Armed Forces ) , founded = 1 August 1945 , current_form = 1991 , disbanded = , branches = Lebanese Ground ForcesLebanese Air ForceLebanese Navy , headquarters = Yarze, Lebanon , flying_hours = , website ...

: Valentine's Day of 2010. * November 23, 2011: Honorary Award by

. * March 6, 2012: Lebanese festival of cinema and television. * June 15, 2014:

Wazzani Al Wazzani (Al-Ouazzani), also known as Arab Louaize or Aarab El Louaizeh,Water Wars in the Middle East: A Looming Threat, Hussein A. Amery, The Geographical Journal, Vol. 168, 2002 is a small Lebanese village in the Hasbaya District of the Naba ...

Folk Award. * December 10, 2014: Best 2014 Arabic Song, A Golden Award by ''Cairo Mondial Festival of Art and Media'': * November 24, 2015: Honorary Award by

. * April 27, 2016: Honorary Award by

. * March 19, 2016 : Recognition Award by Viken Tchaparian. * August 13, 2016 : Qousaya Folk Award * August 28. 2016 :

Maghdouché Maghdouché ( ar, مغدوشة, , ) is a town in the South Governorate of Lebanon. It is located 50 km south of Beirut and 8 km southeast of Sidon. The village lies 3 km inland from the Mediterranean, occupying a hill with elev ...

Folk Award. * September 22, 2016: Revered by Guy Aswad. * April 17, 2017: 2017 Cultural Award for Artistic Creativity by ''Al-Aseel Association for Heritage Revival''. This award confused by Lebanese

Music journalists Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...

as an '' Authentic Award from Lebanese Ministry of Culture''. * May 11, 2017: AUL University Commemoration. * July 19, 2017: Bziza Folk Award.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Abboud, Layal 1982 births Living people 21st-century businesswomen 21st-century guitarists 21st-century multi-instrumentalists 21st-century organists 21st-century Lebanese women singers American University of Science and Technology alumni Beirut Arab University alumni Lebanese businesspeople Lebanese diarists Lebanese female dancers Lebanese women pop singers Lebanese guitarists Lebanese multi-instrumentalists Lebanese organists Lebanese oud players Lebanese philanthropists Lebanese police officers Lebanese pop singers Lebanese Shia Muslims Lebanese University alumni Members of Syndicate of Professional Artists in Lebanon People from South Lebanon People from Tyre District Lebanese women company founders Women philanthropists Lebanese folk singers Folk-pop singers Women police officers Lyric poets Sound poets Lebanese women poets 21st-century Lebanese poets Lebanese female models Women humanitarians Dabke dancers Women organists 21st-century women guitarists