Aziz Abdo (Arabic: عزيز عبدو, born 1977)[1] is a Lebanese singer, actor, model, and beauty pageant titleholder.[2][3] Abdo's family emigrated to Sweden where he debuted his modeling career. He moved back to Lebanon at the age of 20 where he participated in, and won the title of Mister Lebanon in 2001. He debuted his singing career in 2004, and released a number of albums and upbeat singles that appeal to the younger Arab audience.[3][4]
Aziz Abdo | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Aziz Abdo عزيز عبدو |
Born | 1977 Beirut, Lebanon |
Genres | Arabic pop, Latin pop |
Occupations | Actor, model, singer-songwriter |
Instruments | Vocals |
Years active | 1997–present |
Early life
editAziz Abdo was born in Beirut to a Jordanian mother and a Lebanese father.[5][1] He was fond of singing as a child and was a fan of Latin and American pop stars such as Ricky Martin, Michael Jackson, Enrique Iglesias, and Jennifer Lopez. The family emigrated to Sweden and settled in Motala to flee the Lebanese civil war.[1][3][6] In Sweden, Abdo resumed his schooling and aspired to play professional football, but an accident prevented him from pursuing a sports career. At 16, he was spotted and recruited by Scandinavian Models agency.[1][3][7] He participated in a number of fashion shows as a runway model, and was then signed by Stockholmsgruppen Models with whom he walked the runway for Giorgio Armani, Gucci, and Lagerfeld.[5][1]
Music career
editWhen 20, Abdo visited Lebanon for the first time since leaving during the war; he grew attached to his home country and decided to move back. In Lebanon, he met and was recruited by Nathalie Fadlallah, the owner of the Lebanese Nathaly's Agency.[3][5][1] In 2001, Abdo won the title of Mister Lebanon;[3] the organizers of the pageant proposed that he performs a song with the then-reigning Mister Lebanon as a publicity gimmick to promote the pageant.[3] Jiji Lamara, one of the leading Arab music producers, was present in the studio during the recording session. He gave Abdo the opportunity to launch a career in music.[3][5] Lamara introduced Abdo to Lebanese music producer Tony Saba; their first collaboration was the hist song Jaw Jnoun.[1]
Jaw Jnoun was released in 2006, along with the hit song Wallat El Nar, which gave its name to Abdo's debut album.[6] Enty Tsharrafi followed in 2009. The work was controversial because the artist uncommonly mixed multiple Arab dialects, and due to the unconventional nudity in some of the album's music videos.[8] Abdo released a number of singles afterwards, among which is "One Night", an upbeat English/Spanish song featuring Swedish rapper Moncho.[9] In 2020, he collaborated with Timbaland and co-wrote the lyrics of Zayn Malik's "Too Much".[3][10] His latest work is Howay Howay, released in 2022.[4]
Style
editAbdo's music style is a mixture of uptempo beats and romantic lyrics, described as "mixing Arabic poetism with fast-paced Latin-inspired music".[3][11] He attributes his style to his childhood exposure to Latin and American pop.[3] Latin music-infused Arab sings was a very popular mix in the Arab music scene in the early 2000s, Jaw Jnoun and Enty Tsharrafi became crowd favorites, and were especially successful among the younger audience.[3] Abdo was notorious for his sensual, sexually-charged controversial music videos that often featured female international models.[12]
Personal life
editAziz Abdo married his then-agent Nathalie Fadlallah. She remained Abdo's agent at that time, who continued his modelling career in Lebanon and abroad. The couple separated two years later due to their heavy schedules and differences.[1][11]
Abdo is a resident of Dubai.[3] He is an avid collector of luxury watches and apparel, and is a tennis and football aficionado.[7]
Discography
editFilmography
edit- Sorry mom (2011)
- My Last Valentine in Beirut (2012)[15]
References
editCitations
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h Fawzi 2004.
- ^ Laha Magazine editorial 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Parker 2022.
- ^ a b c Khaligyoun 2022.
- ^ a b c d Fanoos 2022.
- ^ a b Nasri 2011.
- ^ a b Rania Magazine editorial 2013.
- ^ a b Tayyara 2009.
- ^ a b Abdo 2021.
- ^ RCA Records 2020.
- ^ a b Farfesh Magazine 2013.
- ^ Farfesh Magazine 2009.
- ^ Wallat El Nar by Aziz Abdo, 2006-04-11, retrieved 2022-11-09
- ^ a b Executive Bulletin 2021.
- ^ IMDb 2022.
Sources
edit- Abdo, Aziz (2021). One Night featuring Moncho (Music Video).
- Executive Bulletin (24 August 2021). "The 'King of Arab Pop' releases electric new single: ONE NIGHT". Executive Bulletin. Archived from the original on 27 October 2022. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
- IMDb (2022). "Aziz Abdo". IMDb. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
- Fanoos (2022). "Aziz Abdo". Fanoos. Archived from the original on 23 January 2021. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
- Farfesh Magazine (2009). "عزيز عبده واليسا - عزيز عبده: لم اكن عارياً كنت البس بوكسر!" [Aziz Abdo and Elissa - Aziz Abdo: I was not naked, I was wearing a boxer!]. Farfesh plus. Archived from the original on 27 October 2022. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
- Farfesh Magazine (2013). "ملك جمال لبنان يرفض التعامل مع ماريا ودانا!". Farfesh plus. Archived from the original on 27 October 2022. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
- Fawzi, Rafat (10 September 2004). "The singer with brawn". Khaleej Times. Archived from the original on 27 October 2022. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
- Khaligyoun (10 September 2022). "بالصور والفيديو.. اللبناني عزيز عبدو يطلق أغنية 'هواي هواي' من تركيا" [Lebanese Aziz Abdo releases the song "Howay Howay" from Turkey]. Khaligyoun (in Arabic). Retrieved 27 October 2022.
- Laha Magazine editorial (10 September 2022). "بالصور والفيديو.. اللبناني عزيز عبدو يطلق أغنية "هواي هواي" من تركيا". Laha Magazine. Archived from the original on 10 September 2022. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
- Nasri, Amira (18 November 2011). "اعز الناس تجري حواراً مع الفنان البناني عزيز عبدو" [Dearest people, interview with the Lebanese artist Aziz Abdo]. Qenshrin. Archived from the original on 27 October 2022. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
- Parker, Enid Grace (12 July 2022). "UAE: Singer Aziz Abdo on his new track, working with Zayn Malik and kicking off a new era in Dubai". Khaleej Times. Archived from the original on 22 October 2022. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
- Rania Magazine editorial (18 September 2013). "الفنان عزيز عبدو: أنا مهووس في شراء الملابس والساعات والأحذية" [Aziz Abdo: I am obsessed with buying clothes, watches and shoes]. Rania Magazine (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 27 October 2022. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
- RCA Records (8 September 2020). Zayn Malik - Too Much (Music Video with credits). RCA records.
- Tayyara, Mohamed Ahmed (14 March 2009). "المطرب اللبناني عزيز عبدو : أحلام ليست وصية على اللهجة والأغنية الخليجية ومحمد عبده أيقونة الفن الخليجي والعربي" [Lebanese singer Aziz Abdou: Ahlam is not a guardian of the Gulf accent and song and Mohamed Abdou is an icon of Gulf and Arab art]. Al-Riyadh. Archived from the original on 6 April 2018. Retrieved 25 October 2022.