Lydia Canaan ( ar, ليديا كنعان) is a Lebanese singer-songwriter and humanitarian activist. Credited as the first internationally successful Lebanese recording artist,Sinclair, David. "Global Music Pulse", ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

'', New York, December 27, 1997.Sinclair, David
"Global Music Pulse"
''

'', New York, May 10, 1997.D'Mello, Edward. "A Singing Sensation: Unprecedented Success For Lebanese Singer Lydia Canaan", ''

Gulf News ''Gulf News'' is a daily English language newspaper published from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It was first launched in 1978, and is currently distributed throughout the UAE and also in other Persian Gulf Countries. Its online edition was launch ...

'', Dubai, November 29, 2000.Hayek, George. "The Lebanese Singer Lydia Canaan Has Invaded the European Market With Her Ballads", ''

Al-Hayat Al-Hayat ( ar, الحياة meaning "Life") was a London-based, pan-Arab newspaper owned by Saudi Prince Khalid bin Sultan, that had a circulation estimated over 200,000. It was the newspaper of record for the Arab diaspora and the preferred v ...

'', No. 12,513, Beirut, June 3, 1997.Khalife, Mireille. "Lydia Canaan Tells Her Story...and Launches Her English Songs Internationally from Lebanon", ''Al-Hayat'', No. 13,732, Beirut, October 16, 2000. Canaan rose to fame performing

rock music Rock music is a broad genre of popular music that originated as " rock and roll" in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s, developing into a range of different styles in the mid-1960s and later, particularly in the United States an ...

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

amid enemy military attacks during the

Lebanese Civil War The Lebanese Civil War ( ar, الحرب الأهلية اللبنانية, translit=Al-Ḥarb al-Ahliyyah al-Libnāniyyah) was a multifaceted armed conflict that took place from 1975 to 1990. It resulted in an estimated 120,000 fatalities a ...

,Chandran, Sudha. "An Angel's Song", ''

The Gulf Today ''Gulf Today'' is an English-language daily newspaper based in Sharjah, the United Arab Emirates. It is one of the four UAE broadsheet newspapers. The newspaper was launched on 15 April 1996 by brothers Taryam Omran Taryam and Abdullah Omran Ta ...

'', Sharjah, November 24, 2000. holding concerts in vicinities of

Lebanon Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus li ...

that were simultaneously being bombed. Hala Habib of ''Society'' wrote, “in a small country that was ripped by war, there was this young girl making a difference”.Habib, Hala. "Lydia Canaan: A Star is Born to ''The Sound of Love''", ''Society'', No. 3, Beirut, February 1997. Canaan was the first Middle Eastern artist to sing solely in English, and the first to have music videos played on

MTV Europe MTV Global (formerly as MTV Europe) is the international version of the American TV channel MTV, a 24-hour music and entertainment TV channel that began broadcasting on August 1, 1987, as part of the worldwide MTV network. Initially, MTV serve ...

MTV Southeast Asia MTV was a pan-Asian music pay-television channel which launched on 3 May 1995 as a standalone pay television channel. It was owned by Paramount Networks EMEAA. History MTV Asia was officially launched on 3 May 1995 as a 24-hour English-languag ...

MTV Russia MTV Russia or MTV Россия (russian: МТВ Россия) was a Russian music and entertainment TV channel, which carried out its broadcasting from September 25, 1998 to May 31, 2013. On October 1, 2013, MTV Russia was relaunched as a satel ...

, and

MTV Middle East MTV Middle East, formerly MTV Arabia, was a free-to-air music television channel, and the Middle Eastern incarnation of MTV. As an addition to the MTV network, it was a joint venture between MTV Networks International and Arabian Television Net ...

.Jubayli, Jinan. "'Angel' Canaan Brings it All Back Home", '' The Daily Star'', No. 10,735, Beirut, March 18, 2002. Her musical debut was described as having defied tradition,Pulse-8 Records Press Release, January 1995 challenged convention, and transcended millennia-old gender barriers.High, Claire. "With Her Debut Album, ''The Sound of Love'', Recorded in English, Lebanese Singer Lydia Canaan is Tipped to Be the First Middle-Eastern Female Singer to Break into the International Market", ''Arabian Woman'', No. 21, Saudi Arabia, September 2000. According to ''Arabian Woman'', “as a girl who grew up in the midst of a bloody civil war, Canaan was breaking down seemingly insurmountable barriers ... She rocked the establishment”. In 2015, Canaan was cataloged in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum's Library and Archives."Library and Archives Subject File (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum Records—Curatorial Affairs Division Records): Canaan, Lydia, 2015"
''Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Library and Archives''. January 28, 2016. Retrieved January 24, 2017.

Life and career

Early life and education

Born and raised in Brummana, Lebanon during the Lebanese Civil War to a prominent

Greek Orthodox Christian The term Greek Orthodox Church (Greek: Ἑλληνορθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία, ''Ellinorthódoxi Ekklisía'', ) has two meanings. The broader meaning designates "the entire body of Orthodox (Chalcedonian) Christianity, sometimes also call ...

family, Canaan studied at

Brummana High School Brummana High School (BHS, ar, مدرسة برمانا العالية) is a private school in Lebanon. It is located in the village of Brummana, situated in Metn, Mount Lebanon, east of the capital city Beirut. This school was established in ...

(BHS) and later at

Lebanese American University The Lebanese American University (LAU) ( ar, الجامعة اللبنانية الأميركية) is a secular and private American university located in Lebanon. It is chartered by the board of regents of the University of the State of New Y ...

(LAU). From a young age singing, lyrical composition, and dancing served as an outlet and

catharsis Catharsis (from Greek , , meaning "purification" or "cleansing" or "clarification") is the purification and purgation of emotions through dramatic art, or it may be any extreme emotional state that results in renewal and restoration. In its lite ...

for Canaan.O'Connor, Tom
"Lydia Canaan One Step Closer to Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame"
'' The Daily Star'', Beirut, April 27, 2016. Retrieved August 18, 2017. At the age of eight, she was awarded the first place prize (in a contest in which all grades competed against each other) by her French elementary school, College des Saints-Coeurs, Bikfaya, for a poem she composed about a child who wept for being scolded for trivial matters such as staining her fingers with ink when she writes.Livingstone, David. "A Beautiful Life; Or, How a Local Girl Ended Up With a Recording Contract in the UK and Who Has Ambitions in the U.S.", ''Campus'', No. 8, Beirut, February 1997. Raised in a conservative family, Canaan's parents discouraged her from singing

and forbid her to have a musical education or formal training. Nevertheless, Canaan cultivated the ability to compose and store melodies and English lyrics by memory alone."Lydia Canaan, A Lebanese Spreading the Sweet Scent of Her Song in Europe", ''Asharq'', No. 13,855, Beirut, July 7, 1995. As reported by the newspaper ''Campus'', “For Lydia Canaan's first gig, she had to throw her trademark short rockish black leather skirt and studs out of her bedroom window in Brummana, put on a long skirt, lie to her conservative father about where she was going, and, after changing into her leather gear, singing her teenage heart out as Angel with the band Equation”.

Early career

Canaan performing as Angel at Mont La Salle Theater, Beirut, Lebanon, 1984

In 1984, the teenaged Canaan—under the stage name ''Angel''—joined the heavy metal band Equation, who until then had been intent on finding a male lead singer. Canaan's talent, personality, and stage presence gained her national popularity among Lebanese youth. The same year, she donned what would become her trademark, trend-setting look: revealing, studded leather outfits with dramatic capes and hip-length blonde-streaked hair. Off stage, Canaan's Alma Mater,

(BHS), voted her “Best Dressed”. On stage, her provocative costumes contributed to the perception of her as a

sex symbol A sex symbol or icon is a person or character widely considered sexually attractive.Pam Cook, "The trouble with sex: Diana Dors and the Blonde bombshell phenomenon", In: Bruce Babinigton (ed.), ''British Stars and Stardom: From Alma Taylor to ...

. '' The Daily Star'' wrote: “On stage, with her daring looks and style, Canaan became a role model”. At the height of their success the band drew a crowd of over 15,000. Canaan's first original composition, “Why All The Hurt”, a tribute to a deceased friend that she wrote as a teenager, was a No. 1 hit on the radio charts in Lebanon. Following Canaan's first concert with Equation, a ''

'' writer noted, “the first show produced a phenomenal reaction . . . It is incredible that amidst the state of civil war that existed in Lebanon at that time, when most people had no idea if they would see another day, she managed to keep her ambitions alive”. ''Society'' magazine stated, “tickets were sold out but more teenagers stormed in to see the young Angel perform... To accommodate the crowd, the concert organizers had to stamp on each fan's hand as they ran out of tickets. It was... հer first success”. Canaan was hailed by the media as the

first First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and rec ...

“rock star” of the Middle East.Salhani, Justin
"Lydia Canaan: The Mideast’s First Rock Star"
'' The Daily Star'', Beirut, November 17, 2014. Retrieved August 18, 2017.Ajouz, Wafik. "From Broumana to the Top Ten: Lydia Canaan, Lebanon's 'Angel' on the Road to Stardom", ''Cedar Wings'', No. 28, p. 2, Beirut, July–August 1995.Aschkar, Youmna. "New Hit For Lydia Canaan", ''Eco News'', No. 77, p. 2, Beirut, January 20, 1997. Since her first public appearance, Canaan held over 25 sell-out concerts in the country from 1984–1988, and despite the risks and dangers of warring

militias A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...

and armies, recorded her songs for radio, and topped the charts in Lebanon. Her last concert with Equation was held in 1986.

Solo career

In 1987, Canaan embarked on a solo career, performing her original compositions, such as “To Oblivion and Back”, “Does it Need Some Action”, “A Hard Situation”, “Hey Richie”, and “The Christmas Wish”, all which were radio hits. As Canaan's

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 aspect ...

evolved, her fame grew. With Lebanon under

Syrian Syrians ( ar, سُورِيُّون, ''Sūriyyīn'') are an Eastern Mediterranean ethnic group indigenous to the Levant. They share common Levantine Semitic roots. The cultural and linguistic heritage of the Syrian people is a blend of both indi ...

occupation Occupation commonly refers to: *Occupation (human activity), or job, one's role in society, often a regular activity performed for payment *Occupation (protest), political demonstration by holding public or symbolic spaces *Military occupation, th ...

, Canaan's concerts were held in

East 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 ...

, Mount Lebanon, and the north of Lebanon. In

Tripoli Tripoli or Tripolis may refer to: Cities and other geographic units Greece *Tripoli, Greece, the capital of Arcadia, Greece * Tripolis (region of Arcadia), a district in ancient Arcadia, Greece * Tripolis (Larisaia), an ancient Greek city in ...

, the second largest city in Lebanon, Canaan performed in front of a sold-out crowd under tight security despite having received

death threats A death threat is a threat, often made anonymously, by one person or a group of people to kill another person or group of people. These threats are often designed to intimidate victims in order to manipulate their behaviour, in which case a deat ...

. In 1987, Canaan performed to a crowd of 20,000 at the Beirut Rock Festival."Angel (Lydia Canaan): Beirut Rock Festival 1987–1988"
''2U2C''. January 26, 20I7. Retrieved February 3, 2017. In 1988, she held sell-out concerts for three consecutive nights at

Casino du Liban Casino du Liban is a casino located in Maameltein, in Lebanon and is 22 km north of Beirut. With an area of about 35,000 square meters, the casino has around 400 slot machines and 60 gaming tables. It has a showroom, night club, theater, ba ...

,Lydia Canaan Live in Concert at Casino du Liban (1988)
''

YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...

''. December 23, 2017. Retrieved December 29, 2017. the last performer to grace its stage until it resumed activity following the end of the

Liberation War Wars of national liberation or national liberation revolutions are conflicts fought by nations to gain independence. The term is used in conjunction with wars against foreign powers (or at least those perceived as foreign) to establish separat ...

in 1990.

International success

Canaan's international breakthrough was widely reported on by the

Arab The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, ...

media,Haddad, Viviane. "Lydia Canaan Shows Readiness to Hold Charity Concerts—The Only Lebanese Singer Who Performs in English and Has Toured the Major European Capitals", ''Asharq Al-Awsat'', Vol. 24, No. 8,477, London, February 12, 2002. ''

'' writing that she had “ ... invaded the European market with her ballads”. In 1989, she left Lebanon and settled in Zurich, Switzerland, where she became a naturalized

Swiss citizen Swiss citizenship is the status of being a citizen of Switzerland and it can be obtained by birth or naturalisation. The Swiss Citizenship Law is based on the following principles: * Triple citizenship level (Swiss Confederation, canton, and m ...

. There she took vocal lessons with soprano Anita Monti. In 1990, she was interviewed by Radio Z in Zurich, where her songs received airplay. In 1991, Canaan began working with record producer David Richards (producer of

Queen Queen or QUEEN may refer to: Monarchy * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom ** List of queens regnant * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...

and

David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...

). The same year, she gave a live interview for

NBC Europe NBC Europe (formerly Super Channel, and later NBC Channel) was a satellite television network based in the United Kingdom that broadcast across Europe, and it was picked up by various European cable systems where available. The network was base ...

. Also in 1991, Canaan signed a two-year contract with London-based production company Spinny Music (led by Queen manager

Jim Beach Henry James Beach (born 9 March 1942), known as Jim Beach or "Miami" Beach, is a British lawyer and band manager, best known for being the long-time manager of the rock band Queen, its individual members and the comedy group Monty Python. He ...

) to write and record her original songs “Shine”,“Shine” Official Audio
''

''. September 11, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2017. “Never Set You Free”,“Never Set You Free” Official Audio
''

''. September 11, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2017. “So Much to Give”,“So Much to Give” Official Audio
''

''. September 11, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2017. “Desire”,“Desire” Official Audio
''

''. January 21, 2017. Retrieved October 25, 2017. “Love”,“Love” Official Audio
''

''. September 11, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2017. and a cover of

Shirley Bassey Dame Shirley Veronica Bassey (; born 8 January 1937) is a Welsh singer. Best known for her career longevity, powerful voice and recording the theme songs to three James Bond films, Bassey is widely regarded as one of the most popular vocalists ...

’s English version of “

Never Never Never ''Never Never Never'' is a 1973 album by Shirley Bassey. It features the hit single title track, which was a UK top 10 hit, which became one of Bassey's best-known songs. The album also became a top 10 hit in the UK and was a moderate hit in th ...

”,“Never Never Never” Official Audio
''

''. January 25, 2017. Retrieved October 25, 2017. produced by David Richards at

Mountain Studios Mountain Studios was a commercial recording studio founded by American singer and composer Anita Kerr and husband Alex Grob in 1975 within the Montreux Casino in Montreux, Switzerland. The studio was under the ownership of Queen and then long ...

Montreux Montreux (, , ; frp, Montrolx) is a Swiss municipality and town on the shoreline of Lake Geneva at the foot of the Alps. It belongs to the district of Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland, and has a population of approximat ...

, Switzerland. The same year, she recorded the duet “Love and Lust” with Queen drummer

Roger Taylor Roger Taylor may refer to: *Roger Taylor (Queen drummer) (born 1949), drummer for Queen *Roger Taylor (Duran Duran drummer) (born 1960), drummer for Duran Duran *Roger Taylor (author), author of epic fantasy Hawklan series *Roger Taylor (college pr ...

."Roger Taylor Collaborations"
''Ultimate Queen''. May 8, 2016. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
''Queen Vault''. June 10, 2016. Retrieved January 24, 2017. In 1993, Canaan recorded songs “ Libnan”,“Libnan” Official Audio
''

''. September 11, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2017. “Fallin'”,“Fallin'” Official Audio
''

''. September 11, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2017. and her cover of

John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...

’s “

Gimme Some Truth "Gimme Some Truth" (originally spelled "Give Me Some Truth") is a protest song written and performed by John Lennon. It was first released on his 1971 album ''Imagine (John Lennon album), Imagine''. "Gimme Some Truth" contains various politica ...

”.“Gimme Some Truth” Official Audio
''

''. September 11, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2017.

Transition to pop

"Beautiful Life"

In February 1995, Canaan, who had up until that time performed rock under the stage name Angel, dropped the

moniker A nickname is a substitute for the proper name of a familiar person, place or thing. Commonly used to express affection, a form of endearment, and sometimes amusement, it can also be used to express defamation of character. As a concept, it is ...

, and under her

birth name A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth r ...

Lydia Canaan presented the pop ballad “ Beautiful Life”"Lydia Canaan – Beautiful Life"
''Discogs''. January 25, 20I7. Retrieved February 3, 2017. (produced by

Barry Blue Barry Blue (born Barry Ian Green, 4 December 1950) is an English singer, producer, and songwriter. As an artist, he is best known for his hit songs "Dancin' (on a Saturday Night)" and "Do You Wanna Dance" (both 1973). Blue has also been a pro ...

and

The Rapino Brothers The Rapino Brothers are record producers Charlie Mallozzi and Marco Sabiu, known for their work during the 1990s with artists such as Take That, Kylie Minogue, Dannii Minogue, Paola e Chiara, Valerio Scanu, Lydia Canaan and Primal Scream. Ital ...

)Lydia Canaan – Russ Kane interview (1995)
''

''. February 26, 2017. Retrieved February 26, 2017. at the

Midem Midem is the acronym for Marché International du Disque et de l'Édition Musicale, which is organised annually in and around the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès in Cannes, France. The trade show, organized by Reed MIDEM, a subsidiary of Re ...

Cannes Cannes ( , , ; oc, Canas) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a communes of France, commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes departments of France, department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions I ...

, France. That Spring, Canaan's international release of the single “Beautiful Life” by London-based Pulse-8 Records gained her international critical acclaim,Sexton, Paul. "New Artist File", ''Music Monitor'', London, April 21, 1995. the buzz culminating in a promo tour in England and radio airplay in the UK, Europe, South Africa, and the Middle East. Canaan performed “Beautiful Life” at the launch of MTV Europe held in

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 ...

on May 12, 1995.Daniel, Judith. MTV Europe press release, Beirut, May 12, 1995.“Blitz Press Release”, Beirut, May 12, 1995. In promoting the event, MTV Europe billed her as “the diva from the Middle East”. During the press conference, President of MTV Europe Peter Einstein stated, “MTV is proud and privileged to play Lydia's videos on Music-Non-Stop Show ... All at MTV have fallen in love with Lydia, her songs, and her performance.”

"Guardian Angel"

In early 2000, “Guardian Angel”, Canaan's duet with Robin Scott,"M Tracklist: An alphabetical list of all 'M' & Robin Scott songs & versions."
''Discog.Info''. January 28, 2010. Retrieved January 24, 2017. appeared on M's album ''Famous Last Words'', released by

BMG Music Bertelsmann Music Group (BMG) was a division of a German media company Bertelsmann before its completion of sale of the majority of its assets to Sony Corporation of America on 1 October 2008. Although it was established in 1987, the music com ...

"The Sound of Love"

Canaan's second single, “The Sound of Love”, produced by Barry Blue and The Rapino Brothers and recorded at the Maison Rouge Studios in London, was released in 1997. In 1998, Canaan's recordings, made in New York City at Jay Ward's Dogbrain Music, were exhibited on billboardtalentnet.com, a web site promoting unsigned talent, and appeared on its RadioBTN top 10 chart.''Billboard TalentNet RadioBTN Top 50''
p. 30, New York, December 25, 1998. Canaan's debut studio album, ''The Sound of Love'',"Lydia Canaan discography – ''The Sound of Love'' release"
''Discogs''. December 21, 20I2. Retrieved February 5, 2017. was released in the summer of 2000. Recorded in London and New York City and including the track “Right on the Verge”, featuring

Tommy Mandel Tommy Mandel (born June 2, 1949) is a keyboardist most notable for playing with Bryan Adams from 1981 to 1998, starting with the album ''You Want It You Got It''. Life and career Prior to joining Bryan Adams' band, Mandel released a self-titled ...

."New Tom"
''Tommy Mandel''. December 31, 2009. Retrieved January 24, 2017. The album was distributed by SIDI/XEMA in

Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the A ...

Kuwait Kuwait (; ar, الكويت ', or ), officially the State of Kuwait ( ar, دولة الكويت '), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated in the northern edge of Eastern Arabia at the tip of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to the nort ...

UAE The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia (The Middle East). It is located at th ...

Bahrain Bahrain ( ; ; ar, البحرين, al-Bahrayn, locally ), officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, ' is an island country in Western Asia. It is situated on the Persian Gulf, and comprises a small archipelago made up of 50 natural islands and an ...

Qatar Qatar (, ; ar, قطر, Qaṭar ; local vernacular pronunciation: ), officially the State of Qatar,) is a country in Western Asia. It occupies the Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it sh ...

Oman Oman ( ; ar, عُمَان ' ), officially the Sultanate of Oman ( ar, سلْطنةُ عُمان ), is an Arabian country located in southwestern Asia. It is situated on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and spans the mouth of t ...

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 Mediter ...

Jordan Jordan ( ar, الأردن; tr. ' ), officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,; tr. ' is a country in Western Asia. It is situated at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe, within the Levant region, on the East Bank of the Jordan Rive ...

, and Lebanon. In support of the album release, Canaan performed various venues in

, Jumeira Beach Hotel in

Dubai Dubai (, ; ar, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 emirates of the United Arab Emirates.The Government and Politics of ...

, and Savage Garden Club and Rifaa Golf Club in

Manama, Bahrain Manama ( ar, المنامة ', Bahrani pronunciation: ) is the capital and largest city of Bahrain, with an approximate population of 200,000 people as of 2020. Long an important trading center in the Persian Gulf, Manama is home to a very d ...

."Charity Golf Drive Opens", ''

Gulf Daily News The ''Gulf Daily News'' (''GDN'') is an English-language local newspaper published in the Kingdom of Bahrain by Al Hilal Group. The paper, which is one of six daily newspapers in Bahrain, calls itself "The Voice of Bahrain". Al Hilal Group publi ...

'', Vol. XXIV, No. 220, Bahrain, October 26, 2001.

"Libnan"

In 2004, “Libnan” was chosen as the title song of the advertisement “Rediscover Lebanon”, produced and broadcast by

CNN CNN (Cable News Network) is a multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel, and presently owned by ...

and commissioned by the Lebanese Ministry of Economy & Trade to promote Lebanon as a tourist destination.

"Never Set You Free"

In 2014, Canaan was named a semi-finalist by the UK Songwriting Contest for her song “Never Set You Free”."UK Songwriting Contest 2014 Results"
''UK Songwriting Contest''. September 9, 2016. Retrieved August 18, 2017.

Activism and humanitarian work

Activism

In 2014, Canaan was compelled toward activism as a United Nations delegateCanaan, Lydia
"Fighting Terrorism Without Violating Human Rights"
''

HuffPost ''HuffPost'' (formerly ''The Huffington Post'' until 2017 and sometimes abbreviated ''HuffPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and ...

''. March 21, 2016. Retrieved February 27, 2017.Canaan, Lydia
"Islamophobia and Art"
''

''. January 2, 2017. Retrieved February 27, 2017. for Khiam Rehabilitation Center for Victims of Torture (KRC) to the

United Nations Human Rights Council The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), CDH is a United Nations body whose mission is to promote and protect human rights around the world. The Council has 47 members elected for staggered three-year terms on a regional group basis. ...

(

UNHRC The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), CDH is a United Nations body whose mission is to promote and protect human rights around the world. The Council has 47 members elected for staggered three-year terms on a regional group basis. ...

)."Khiam Rehabilitation Center for Victims of Torture (KRC)"
''Khiam Rehabilitation Center for Victims of Torture''. April 14, 2016. Retrieved February 5, 2017. * On March 17, 2014, Canaan delivered her speech, “Islamophobia and Art”, about the need to combat

anti-Muslim prejudice Islamophobia is the fear of, hatred of, or prejudice against the religion of Islam or Muslims in general, especially when seen as a geopolitical force or a source of terrorism. The scope and precise definition of the term ''Islamophobia ...

artistically, at the 25th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council at the

Palais des Nations The Palace of Nations (french: Palais des Nations, ) is the home of the United Nations Office at Geneva, located in Geneva, Switzerland. It was built between 1929 and 1938 to serve as the headquarters of the League of Nations. It has served ...

Geneva Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaki ...

, Switzerland, gaining a round of applause and kudos. * On June 17, 2014, Canaan delivered her speech, “Hostage to Injustice”, a call for an end to unjust political imprisonment, at the 26th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, receiving a standing ovation and drawing media attention.Canaan, Lydia
"Hostage to Injustice"
''

''. June 17, 2014. Retrieved February 27, 2017. * On March 13, 2015, Canaan delivered her speech, “Humane Evolution”, in which she spoke out against sanctioned

torture Torture is the deliberate infliction of severe pain or suffering on a person for reasons such as punishment, extracting a confession, interrogation for information, or intimidating third parties. Some definitions are restricted to acts c ...

, at the 28th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, winning her extended applause.Canaan, Lydia
"Humane Evolution"
''

'', February 1, 2017. Retrieved February 1, 2017. * On November 3, 2015, Canaan delivered a speech condemning governments worldwide for failure to implement UN human rights recommendations at the UNHRC's 23rd Session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), attended by over twenty-five delegations and representatives from Great Britain, Germany, Norway, France, the European Union, Denmark, Australia, Ireland, and Lebanon, among others at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. She also sang an a cappella verse of her activist anthem “Humanity Wake Up and Fight”. * On March 18, 2016, Canaan delivered “Fighting Terrorism Without Violating Human Rights”, her impassioned speech in defense of innocent civilian victims of

counter-terrorism Counterterrorism (also spelled counter-terrorism), also known as anti-terrorism, incorporates the practices, military tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, law enforcement, business, and intelligence agencies use to combat or el ...

, at the 31st Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. It was streamed live on

by the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). * On March 14, 2017, Canaan delivered her speech titled “Global Effects of the Persecution of Religious Minorities in the Middle East”,Canaan, Lydia
“Global Effects of the Persecution of Religious Minorities in the Middle East"
''

'', April 8, 2017. Retrieved April 9, 2017. which primarily focused on the persecution of Christians (who, according to her speech, are the most persecuted

religious minority A minority religion is a religion held by a minority of the population of a country, state, or region. Minority religions may be subject to stigma or discrimination. An example of a stigma is using the term cult with its extremely negative co ...

in the Middle East and the world), at the 34th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland; her emotional delivery ended with Canaan in tears.“Global Effects of the Persecution of Religious Minorities in the Middle East"
''

''. March 30, 2017. Retrieved February 27, 2017.

Humanitarian work

* In 2001, Canaan performed at the United Nations International Volunteers Day in

The Celebration of the International Volunteer Day (IVD) and the Wrap Up of IYV2001 in Lebanon
''UNDP Lebanon''. February 17, 2017. Retrieved February 26, 2017. and was awarded for her humanitarianism by Yves de San, Head of

UNDP The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)french: Programme des Nations unies pour le développement, PNUD is a United Nations agency tasked with helping countries eliminate poverty and achieve sustainable economic growth and human dev ...

Lebanon. * In 2014, Canaan participated in the Arab International Forum in Solidarity With Palestinian Prisoners, held in Beirut, Lebanon, with over three hundred fifty public figures and other international attendees, headed by former U.S. Attorney General

Ramsey Clark William Ramsey Clark (December 18, 1927 – April 9, 2021) was an American lawyer, activist, and federal government official. A progressive, New Frontier liberal, he occupied senior positions in the United States Department of Justice under Presi ...

. * In 2015, Canaan took part in the International Forum for Justice in Palestine, held in Beirut, Lebanon, with over five hundred attendees from the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East, headed by former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark. Canaan supports

Solitary Watch Solitary Watch is a web-based project made to bring the widespread use of solitary confinement into the eyes of the public. Its mission is to provide the public—as well as practicing attorneys, legal scholars, law enforcement, people in prison ...

John Legend John Roger Stephens (born December 28, 1978), known professionally as John Legend, is an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and record producer. He began his musical career by working behind the scenes, playing piano on Lauryn Hill's " Ever ...

's Free America campaign,

Human Rights Watch Human Rights Watch (HRW) is an international non-governmental organization, headquartered in New York City, that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. The group pressures governments, policy makers, companies, and individual human r ...

, War Child Holland-Lebanon, SAWA for DEV & AID, and the International Campaign to Prosecute War Crimes in Iraq chaired by former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark.

Charity work

Throughout her life, Canaan has donated her money, music, and time to many charities, particularly those concerned with children, animals, and the elderly. She reportedly made generous donations to the Children's Care Unit of Salmaniyah Hospital, Child Fund International (CFI), and St. Jude's Hospital, and has performed at charity and fundraiser events including American Women's Club,Bechara, June. "Letter of Thanks", American Women's Club, Beirut, May 19, 2001. Salmaniyah Hospital (Children's Care Unit), Beirut

Rotary Club Rotary International is one of the largest service organizations in the world. Its stated mission is to "provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through hefellowship of business, profe ...

, American Community School, Association pour la Promotion Feminine,"Association To Promote Women", ''Mondanite'', No. 75, Beirut, April 2003. Caritas Internationalis (Liban),"A Gala Dinner In Support Of Caritas Medical Action", ''Caritas Info'', Beirut, March 2005. Centre Renee Wehbe Le Vieillard Malade, Beirut for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (BETA), Lion's Beirut Code Club, Unite Lebanon Youth Project (ULYP), Arab Resource Center for Popular Arts, Al-Jana (ARCPA), Social Support Society Active Ageing House, NASMA Foundation, and Association Amour et Partage. Her song, “ Beautiful Life”, was selected by South African President

Nelson Mandela Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (; ; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist who served as the President of South Africa, first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1 ...

as the theme song for a charity event in South Africa.Ali, Avishka. "Lydia in Love With Bahrain", ''Bahrain This Month'', No. 51, Bahrain, November 2001."ACS Speaker of the Month Program Welcomes Singer Lydia Canaan", ''ACS Newsletter'', Vol. III, No. 5, Beirut, February 2001."Pop Star Brings 'Beautiful Life' to Baabda Palace"
'' The Daily Star'', No. 10,711, Beirut, February 15, 2002.

Advocacy

Lydia Canaan at MY World Partners Awards Ceremony

* In 2015, Canaan performed at a rally in solidarity with Cardinal Patriarch

Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi Bechara Boutros al-Rahi (or Raï; syr, ܡܪܢ ܡܪܝ ܒܫܐܪܐ ܦܛܪܘܣ ܐܠܪܐܥܝ; ar, بشارة بطرس الراعي, Mor Bishārah Buṭrus al-Rāʿī; la, Béchara Petrus Raï) (born on 25 February 1940) is the 77th Maronite Patri ...

's call to elect a president of the

Republic of Lebanon Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus lie ...

at St. George Cathedral in Beirut.

Support for animal welfare

Canaan, an outspoken animal welfare supporter"Thank You To Our Dear Supporters", BETA (Beirut for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), ''The Beta Team Letter'', Beirut, November, 2008."A Gala Dinner To Defend Animal Welfare Cause", ''Mondanite'', No. 141, Beirut, November 2008."For Man's Best Friend", ''Femme Magazine'', No. 187, Beirut, November, 2008. and

animal rights activist The animal rights (AR) movement, sometimes called the animal liberation, animal personhood, or animal advocacy movement, is a social movement that seeks an end to the rigid moral and legal distinction drawn between human and non-human animals ...

, supports the Asian Conservation Awareness Programme (ACAP/WildAid), the

World Wildlife Fund The World Wide Fund for Nature Inc. (WWF) is an international non-governmental organization founded in 1961 that works in the field of wilderness preservation and the reduction of human impact on the environment. It was formerly named the Wo ...

(WWF), Le Roselet Foundation, and Beirut for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (BETA).

Public speaking

* In 2001, Canaan was invited as Speaker of the Month by American Community School (ACS) in Beirut, Lebanon. * Canaan delivered the speech “It's About Time, My Country” in support of the

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

on Independence Day 2014 at

in Beirut, Lebanon.

Film and literature

Film

In 2014, Canaan was interviewed by America-based Global Sorority Foundation for their documentary film series as a prime example for young girls worldwide to overcome adversity and raise awareness for

gender equality Gender equality, also known as sexual equality or equality of the sexes, is the state of equal ease of access to resources and opportunities regardless of gender, including economic participation and decision-making; and the state of valuing d ...

.Kelly, Tia
"Back from Beirut"
''Global Sorority'', San Diego, November 20, 2014.

Literature

American author Robert W. McGee mentioned Canaan's songs “So Much To Give” and “Never Set You Free” in his two novels ''Justifiable Homicide'' (2014)McGee, Robert W. (2014)
''Justifiable Homicide''
Fayetteville. . and ''Annie and the Senator'' (2015);McGee, Robert W. (2015)
''Annie and the Senator''
Fayetteville. Canaan and her songs “Shine”, “Fallin'”, and “ Libnan” were referenced in all three volumes of McGee's ''The Iraqi Girl Trilogy'' (2015).McGee, Robert W. (2015)
''The Iraqi Girl: Trilogy Book 1''
Fayetteville.McGee, Robert W. (2015)
''The Iraqi Girl: Trilogy Book 2''
Fayetteville. McGee's

characters Character or Characters may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''Character'' (novel), a 1936 Dutch novel by Ferdinand Bordewijk * ''Characters'' (Theophrastus), a classical Greek set of character sketches attributed to The ...

often risk their lives to listen to Lydia Canaan's music. In 2017, Canaan was featured in British journalist for ''

Newsweek ''Newsweek'' is an American weekly online news magazine co-owned 50 percent each by Dev Pragad, its president and CEO, and Johnathan Davis (businessman), Johnathan Davis, who has no operational role at ''Newsweek''. Founded as a weekly print m ...

'' Orlando Crowcroft's book ''Rock in a Hard Place: Music and Mayhem in the Middle East'', about the dangers she faced and obstacles she overcame as a rock music pioneer in Lebanon.Crowcroft, Orlando. (2017). ''Rock in a Hard Place: Music and Mayhem in the Middle East'', London:

Zed Books Zed Books is an independent non-fiction publishing company based in London, UK. It was founded in 1977 under the name Zed Press by Roger van Zwanenberg. Zed publishes books for an international audience of both general and academic readers, co ...

. .

Honors and awards

Honors

* On January 16, 2002, Canaan was received by Lebanese President

Emile Lahoud Emil or Emile may refer to: Literature *''Emile, or On Education'' (1762), a treatise on education by Jean-Jacques Rousseau * ''Émile'' (novel) (1827), an autobiographical novel based on Émile de Girardin's early life *''Emil and the Detective ...

at the Presidential Palace in

Baabda Baabda ( ar, بعبدا) is the capital city of Baabda District as well as the capital of Mount Lebanon Governorate, western Lebanon. Baabda was the capital city of the autonomous Ottoman Mount Lebanon. Baabda is known for the Ottoman Castle (t ...

, Lebanon. President Lahoud thanked Canaan for her devotion to, affection for, and altruistic services rendered to her country. * On January 28, 2002, Canaan was received by

First Lady of Lebanon The First Lady of Lebanon is the title attributed to the wife of the President of Lebanon. The country's present first lady is Nadia Aoun, wife of Acting President General Michel Aoun, who has held the position till October 31, 2022. List of fir ...

Andree Lahoud at the Presidential Palace, who expressed her gratitude and admiration for Canaan for putting a positive cultural and

artistic Art is a diverse range of human activity, and resulting product, that involves creative or imaginative talent expressive of technical proficiency, beauty, emotional power, or conceptual ideas. There is no generally agreed definition of wh ...

face on Lebanon. * On February 15, 2002, Canaan was received by the First Lady Andree Lahoud at the Presidential Palace, who requested that Canaan hold a concert at the Presidential Palace in honor of the wives of the fallen

Republican Guard A republican guard, sometimes called a national guard, is a state organization of a country (often a republic, hence the name ''Republican'') which typically serves to protect the head of state and the government, and thus is often synonymous wit ...

Officers. * On

Mother's Day Mother's Day is a celebration honoring the mother of the family or individual, as well as motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on different days in many parts of the world, most commonly in the ...

, March 21, 2002, Canaan was received at the Presidential Palace when, upon the request of First Lady Andree Lahoud, she performed for a presidential ceremony in honor of the wives of the fallen

Officers."Lydia Canaan Performs at the Presidential Palace", ''Al-Mustaqbal'', No. 938, Beirut, March 20, 2002.

Awards

Videography

Music videos

Concerts

Oration

Discography

Studio albums

Track listing

Singles

References

External links

*
Lydia Canaan
in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum's Library and Archives
Lydia Canaan
discography at

Discogs Discogs (short for discographies) is a database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. While the site was originally created with a goal of becoming the la ...

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Canaan, Lydia Living people Year of birth missing (living people) Singers with a three-octave vocal range Women singer-songwriters English-language singers from Lebanon Women rock singers Ballad musicians 21st-century Lebanese women singers Lebanese emigrants to Switzerland Lebanese Christians Lebanese human rights activists Lebanese pacifists Greek Orthodox Christians from Lebanon 20th-century Lebanese women singers