Sherine Ahmed Abdel Wahhab

Personal life:

Sherine Ahmed Abdel Wahhab (Arabic: شيرين أحمد عبد الوهاب‎, born October 8, 1980) known simply as Sherine (Arabic: شيرين‎), is an Egyptian singer and actress from Egypt, Cairo. Sherine began her career with the single Ah Ya Leil in 2000, and has since released several albums that include two EPs and three LPs.

Sherine was born on October 8, 1980 in Cairo, Egypt. She grew up next to the Citadel in a very modest and simple neighborhood. Though she wasn’t technically poor or living in poverty, her lifestyle was far from luxurious. Since her early beginnings she developed a strong inclination and passion towards singing. She cites artists like Warda and Samira Saeed to be her definitive musical idols, influencing her singing style until this day. She also expresses her love for Shadia, Fayza Ahmad, Najat Al-Sagheera, Umm Kulthum, in addition to Zekra and Assala Nasri from the modern era. She entered the Egyptian Music Institute and dropped out the second year, opting to perform for a living and seeking a record company to represent her and manage her musical career. Sherine has always demonstrated independence and strong will since the beginnings, fighting many obstacles and challenges until finally making it to the top.

Her friends include Asalah, Angham, Samira Said, Nancy Ajram, Haifa Wehbe, Fadl Shaker, Ramy Sabry, Mohammed Hamaki, Ahlam, Nawal El Kuwaiti, Najwa Karam, Abdallah Al Rowaished, Nawal Al Zoghbi, and many others.

Musical career:

Sherine met up with Free Music Productions’ owner and manager Nasr Mahrous. Mahrous signed and released a debut album with fellow singer Tamer Hosny. The album included solo singles, as well as duets. Titled Free Mix, it is one of the mixtapes Mahrous usually produces but was exclusively for these two artists. Although Sherine was a new artist with Free Music, Tamer had signed with Mahrous earlier.

The album included Sherine’s debut single, “Ah Ya Leil”. The song included local musical styles from traditional Egyptian tarab voice techniques to usage of traditional Egyptian music instruments of the Shaabi genre.

A compilation album for Sherine was released under the title Roo. The album included the movie-song “Balak”, along with a few other songs such as “Afriqiya” (Africa) and other songs by Tamer Hosny. The album was considered unofficial, as it wasn’t released under the Free Music label since Sherine was still signed with the company.

By this time, and before releasing the single “Ma Btefrahsh”, it was reported in magazines and tabloid-newspapers that Sherine was having a fall-out with Nasr Mahrous, but it was not confirmed. Sherine was on a hiatus during that time, as she did not release any singles or albums for quite a while. According to industry gossip, Sherine was angry with her producer and manager, Nasr Mahrous, for not fulfilling the terms of agreement in their contract.

In early 2005, promotions for Sherine’s new song, “Ma Btefrahsh” showed up on Melody Hits, and a week later the music video was released. The song became quite popular, and it was heavily rotated on Melody Hits. It hit #1 on many countdowns. It was featured in a mixtape along other singles by fellow Free Music artists, such as Bahaa Sultan, Souma and Tamer Hosny. The mixtape featured another single by Sherine, “Einak”. Both songs were frequently aired on Radio channels.

In August 2005, Sherine’s new single was also promoted on Melody Hits TV. Another promo had a sample from her second single “Mafeesh Marra”.

More than a week later, the single, titled “Lazim Aïsh” was released. It was also produced and directed by Nasr Mahrous. The song took a different form as it was a ballad. This was the title track as well. The album, Lazim Aïsh, was released and became the best selling album that year. The album also would be certified platinum as it made huge success. In this music video, Sherine appeared barefeet & it was one of very little times that people have been able to see her beautiful feet. Comments all over the place started expressing how a lot of people wanted to be her feet servant. Someone called her live on a TV program & said he was willing to do anything so she’d accept pushing her foot into his mouth.

The second single music video of “Mafeesh Marra” was released.

In 2006, Sherine was chosen to perform the songs for the movie “An el-Ish’ wel-Hawa”. The movie’s theme song, “Keteer Ben’sha”, became a major hit. That same year, she released “Lebnan Fel Alb (Lebanon’s in the Heart)”, a song dedicated to Lebanon and the victims who fell in the Israeli-Lebanese conflict.

In 2007, she released a new duet with Hany Shaker under the title “Qalbi Leek” (My Heart’s Yours). The duet was originally intended to be two separate songs; however, the two versions were combined and released on Hany Shaker’s album. She also sang the theme song for the TV series “Kashkool Likol Muatin” (A Notebook for Every Citizen).

In 2008, Sherine released another single: “Ma Sherebtesh Men Nilha” which premiered on Egyptian national television on the popular show El Beit Beitak. The song’s title translates literally to “Haven’t You Drunk From Its Nile?” and is dedicated to her home country Egypt.

In March 2007, Sherine signed a recording deal with Rotana. The contract states that the company will produce two albums for Sherine and there is no time limit to work on each album. Initially, her first album with Rotana said to include the songs: “Kan Helmi” (It Was My Dream), “Fadahteni” (You Exposed Me) and “Boss Ba’a we Hatshouf” (Peek and You’ll See). The first two songs are arranged by Tarek Madkour and the second song is arranged by her husband. However, the album did not include these songs when released in July 2009.

Sherine celebrated Mother’s Day 2009 by releasing “Bahibik Ya Omi” (I Love You, My Mother): a song dedicated to all mothers in the Arab World.

In July 2009, Sherine released her long anticipated album “Habeat”. Sherine posed as the Greek goddess of wisdom in the cover of the album as a strong statement of her growing influence on Arabic music.

Sherine sang Bokra “Tomorrow”, a charity single that was released on 11/11/2011 at 11:11PM, along with Shakira, Rim Banna, Akon, Tamer Hosni, Diana Karazon, Marwan Khoury, Latifa, Souad Massi, Hani Mitwassi, Saber El Roba3i, Kadim El Saher, Wa3ed and other Arab Artists. The single will distribute the proceeds of its donations to various organisations, institutions and charities with arts and culture programs. The eight minute song was written by Majida Al-Roumi, and produced by Quincy Jones and RedOne.

In late August 2013, Sherine was bood off stage after she expressed support for Abdel Fattah el-Sisi during a performance.

In late October 2014, following a conflict with Egyptian singer Sherif Mounir, which escalated into a legal issue, Sherine was sentenced to six-months in jail and a 500 Egyptian pounds fine (which is equal to around 70 US dollars).

Discography:

»» Free Mix 3 with Tamer Hosny (2002) Label: Free Music Art Production
»» Garh Tany (translation: Another Wound) (2003) Label: Free Music Art Production
»» Lazem A’eesh (translation: I have to Live/Survive) (2005) Label: Free Music Art Production
»» Bataminak (I’m Reassuring You) (2008) Label: Rotana

Singles:

»» “Ala Baly” (On my mind)
»» “Ah Ya Leil” (Oh, night!)
»» “Ma Btefrahsh” (You don’t frolick)
»» “Enak” (About you)
»» “Sabri Aleel (Melody Remix)” (My patience is little)
»» “Baladi” ft. Muhammad Noor (My Country)
»» “Al’am Al Jadeed” ft. Fadl Shaker (The New Year)
»» “Mish ‘Aiza Gheirak Inta” (I don’t want anyone but you)
»» “Mish Hafdhal” (I won’t keep on [like this])
»» “Ana Mish Beta’it El Kalam Dah” (This is not my thing!)
»» “Lebnan Fel Alb” (Dedicated to Lebanon) (Lebanon in the heart)
»» “Albi Leek” ft. Hany Shakir (My heart’s for you)
»» “Ma Sherebtesh Mn Nelha” (Didn’t you drink from its nile?)
»» “Bahibik Ya Omi” (I love you, oh Mother)
»» “Bekelma Menak” (With a single word from you)
»» “Akheran Etgaraat” (Finally, I dared)

Source: Wiki