Haifa Wehbe

Haifa Wehbe was married to Nasr Fayyad in the early 1990s, and the couple had one daughter, Zainab Nassr Fayad. She later separated from Fayyad after returning to Lebanon during her pregnancy.

On April 24, 2009, she married Egyptian businessman Ahmed Abou Hashima in Beirut. They separated in 2012.

Wehbe won the title of Miss South Lebanon at the age of 16. She later competed in the Miss Lebanon pageant and was named a runner-up, but the title was withdrawn after her daughter made her ineligible under the competition's rules.

Before entering music, she worked as a fashion model and appeared in advertising campaigns, music videos, television commercials, and fashion shoots. She later worked as a television presenter for the Arab Radio and Television Network in 1999.

Wehbe released her debut studio album, Houwa El-Zaman, in 2002. Her second album, Baddi Aech, followed in 2005 and included the songs “Ya Hayat Albi” and “Ana Haifa.” The title track reflected themes of freedom and resilience, while “Ana Haifa” became one of her most recognizable songs.

Her 2006 single “Boos al-Wawa” became highly popular across the region and was later used in a Pepsi advertising campaign. It was voted “Song of the Year” by Radio Scope and Sawt Al Musika.

Wehbe released the children’s album Baby Haifa through Rotana Records in 2010. She also collaborated with French DJ and producer David Vendetta on “Yama Layali.” Her 2012 album Malikat Jamal Al Kawn reached number one on the worldwide iTunes albums chart, and her 2018 album Hawwa reached number one on iTunes charts in several markets.

Wehbe began expanding into cinema with an appearance in the musical film Sea of Stars in 2008. The film featured several prominent Arab entertainers, including Carole Samaha, Wael Kfoury, Brigitte Yaghi, and Ruwaida al-Mahrouqi.

She followed this with a leading role in Dokkan Shehata. Her other film credits include Halawet Rouh, Khair and Baraka, Ashbah Urubba, and Renegades of Europe. On television, she starred in Lanaat Karma, Al Herbaya, and Aswad Fateh, and appeared in Maryam and Mawlid wa Sahibuh Ghayb.

Her music and screen work have also included collaborations with named artists. She released the English-language single “Breathing You In” with a music video featuring dancer and choreographer Casper Smart, and released the duet “Law Kont” with Egyptian actor and singer Akram Hosny in 2021.

Wehbe has been recognized for her stage presence, fashion choices, and influence on Arab popular culture. In 2006, People magazine included her on its “50 Most Beautiful People” list, while AskMen ranked her eighth on its “Top 99 Most Desirable Women” list.

On June 25, 2007, an aircraft struck the convertible she was driving during the filming of the music video for “Hasa Ma Bena” at Rayak Air Base in Lebanon. Jet fuel spilled over her head and face, and broken glass covered her body, but she sustained only minor injuries, including a small head wound and neck strain.

Her residence in central Beirut was damaged by the Beirut port explosion on August 4, 2020. The blast shattered the home's glass façade, and several domestic workers were injured by falling glass while Wehbe was away filming the television series Aswad Fateh.