DUBAI: French fine jewelry label Boucheron cast Lebanese fashion influencer Nour Arida in its festive season campaign, which centers on the brand’s holiday collection, and the style star has been promoting the series of clips and images on her social media accounts much to her fans’ delight.
Titled “Together as One,” the series of videos capture the joy of getting together with loved ones and experiencing precious moments during the festive season. Other house ambassadors also feature in the campaign, including British TV personality Alexa Chung, Chinese actress Dongyu Zhou, Chinese singer Lu Han, Taiwanese-Australian model Hannah Quinlivan, South Korean star Youn-Jung and Japanese celebrity Rola.
Arida, who boasts 9.9 million followers on Instagram, wears several pieces from the maison’s “Wladimir the Cat” collection, including the pendant — which is set with tsavorites and paved with diamonds — in white gold. Arida, 32, also shows off a matching ring.
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She is also seen sporting pieces from the fine jewelry house’s “Serpent Bohème” collection.
The Lebanese fashion blogger and model was appointed Boucheron’s latest global brand spokesperson last year. She joined other international stars who have lent their faces to the high end jewelry maison, such as US actress Kate Winslet and French model Laetitia Cast, to front key campaigns and act as a muse for future collections.
Arida previously starred in Boucheron’s Legacies campaign alongside her five-year-old daughter Ayla.
At the 74th edition of the Cannes International Film Festival in 2021, the model looked stunning while representing the French jewelry maison. She made her Cannes red carpet debut wearing a handmade Cape de Lumiere by Maison Boucheron and a form-fitting black couture gown by Jean Paul Gaultier.
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In addition to Boucheron, Arida, who is signed to Elite Models in Paris, has lent her face to several campaigns for renowned international brands such as Tous Jewelry, MAC Cosmetics and Magrabi eyewear.
Meanwhile, when she is not fronting campaigns for brands, she is busy helming her own.
The entrepreneur launched Generation Peace, a new children’s line, earlier this year.
The Paris-based model and social media influencer has years of fashion experience under her belt. Before becoming a successful fashion blogger and designer, Arida worked as a buyer and brand manager for a number of prestigious fashion labels, including Rag & Bone, Zimmermann, Theory, Vince, J-Brand and Frame Denim, among others.
DUBAI: Arab News highlights the Arabic indie records you needed to hear in 2021.
Palestinian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Rasha Nahas’ debut album is an artistic coup. The Berlin-based, Haifa-born musician is a powerhouse talent — a classically trained guitarist whose soft-spoken manner is anything but indicative of the tempest of emotion she unleashes with her often-electrifying performances. “Desert” makes it immediately apparent that Nahas has been sculpting her textured, meticulously thought-out sound for years. It oscillates between ethereal ambiances conjured by diaphanous string arrangements and Nahas’ mesmeric performances on the guitar, exquisitely evocative lines like “My heart is bleeding quarter tones,” and theatrically playful cabaret influences. Overall, the record is an overachieving debut by an artist who carries immense promise, depth, and intensity.
Postcards ‘After the Fire, Before the End’
With the exception of the irresistible guitar riff that churns through effervescent opener “Mother Tongue,” the Beirut-based trio spend much of their third LP refining the delicate dream-pop alchemy of their slow-burning, delay-drenched instrumentation and singer Julia Sabra’s crystalline, reverb-engulfed vocals. This is an arresting exploration of a dark night of the soul — a fitting aural backdrop for the event that inspired the songwriting. Sabra was with her partner, drummer Pascal Semerdjian, when he was near-fatally wounded by the catastrophic explosion in the Lebanese capital in August 2020. The deep scars of their collective trauma slither through the album like a glacial wind, punctuated by the uncompromising resilience of survivors determined to keep going. Postcards turn in yet another a powerful and defiant release.
Tamara Qaddoumi ‘Soft Glitch’ (EP)
While her 2018 debut EP “Dust Bathing” was a straightforward pop affair that nonetheless struck a captivating chord with its melodic lyrical passages and opulent harmonies, Qaddoumi’s flair for spellbinding work is more evident on this year’s follow-up. The Kuwait-born singer’s intriguing background — she had a Palestinian, Lebanese, and Scottish upbringing, and studied physical theater and drama — is an indelible feature of her multifaceted approach to her art. “Soft Glitch” shimmers with a spectral undercurrent of trip-hop, lush electronic landscapes, and Qaddoumi’s hypnotic vocals. The videos that accompanied the release are also elaborate, imaginative treatments of ideas emanating from a creative mind that ventures far beyond the conventional.
The Synaptik ‘Al Qamar Wal Moheet’
This was a transformational year for Palestinian-Jordanian rapper, singer, and lyricist Laith Al Husseini — aka The Synaptik. “Al Qamar Wal Moheet” (Arabic for ‘The Moon and The Ocean’) is a formidable artistic journal of introspection, soul-searching, and enormous, self-instigated personal change. Finishing his medical degree, moving to Ramallah, and quitting his lifelong use of ADHD medication Ritalin, the rhyme maestro used this record to reconcile the extreme divergence between who he was and the person he has become. The result is a cerebral, nonconformist hip-hop/trap record that ingeniously swivels around elements of R&B, pop, and traditional Palestinian music, while bearing the unmistakable mark of The Synaptik’s distinctive lyrical methodology.
JadaL ‘La Tlou’ El Daw’
Jordan’s Arabic prog-rock veterans bookended the half-decade gap between major studio releases with a thoughtful, elegantly produced record that showcases both the experimentation they have pioneered since 2003, and a penchant for broaching a range of unorthodox subjects. “La Tlou’ El Daw” moves seamlessly from gravelly verses animated by frontman Mahmoud Radaideh’s heartfelt delivery, to intricate, avant-gardist instrumental pieces speckled with accordion and synth, anthemic choruses and majestic, multi-layered harmonies. It’s a triumphant return from one of the Arab world’s most inventive acts.
The regional rap scene experienced a seismic shift when Mounir Bu Kolthoum dropped his first LP, “Inderal,” in 2015, and has since passionately lauded the Syrian-born music producer, rapper, and singer as one of its mainstays. Influenced by tarab, soul and funk, Bu Kolthoum is now based in Amsterdam, from where he masterminded the release of this year’s “Talib.” — an inspired showcase of flow and versatility. The gifted songwriter wears his heart on his sleeve across 12 dynamic tracks propelled by his inimitable pace and croon, which operate as a reliable compass for his skillful navigation of these memorable tales of youth, rebelliousness, and alienation.
El Far3i ‘Lazim Tisa’
Since leaving the trailblazing Arabic rock band, El Morabba3, Tareq Abu Kwaik — aka El Far3i – has been prolific, to say the least. The Jordanian-Palestinian rapper, singer, songwriter, and percussionist, who’s also a key member of widely celebrated Shamstep ensemble 47Soul, adds a fifth notch to his belt of solo outings with “Lazim Tisa.” This trap LP is replete with murky, brooding vibes, dissonant synths, ghostly drone notes and viscous beats, all compelled forth by the artist’s tenaciously rhythmic raps and vocal style. El Far3i maintains his remarkable track record as one of the Middle East’s most exciting performers.
With an all-star line-up of Postcards’ Pascal Semerdjian, Wanton Bishops’ Salim Naffah (aka Alko B), and Charif Megarbane of Cosmic Analog Ensemble, Heroes & Villains, Twyn Towers and Monumental Detail, to name but a few, Prefaces is a pleasantly peculiar creative beast. ‘Hippodrome’ is just one of four albums Megarbane released in 2021, and one of 80 this inexhaustible musician has masterminded since 2005. His work is a graceful excursion across acoustic-folk, surf-rock, jazz, Saharan blues, soul, funk, and Sixties pop. Prefaces’ mostly instrumental debut falls into the latter category, with minimal, grainy production that often plays like the deep cuts of a Quentin Tarantino movie soundtrack.
Curated by Beirut & Beyond’s Musicians Support Program, founded to support the country’s independent music scene in light of the systemic crises it has endured for the past two years, “Beirut 20/21” assembles a stellar roster of both up-and-comers and established performers. The compilation includes tracks by Tanjaret Daghet’s Dani Shukri, Tarek Khuluki and Khaled Omran, as well as electronic music experimentalists Kid Fourteen (aka Khodor Ellaik) and Liliane Chlela, amongst many others. The anthology is potent reminder of the innovation and energy that still drive a community of creators that has otherwise been brought to its knees.
DUBAI: US-Iraqi beauty mogul Huda Kattan has taken to social media to speak out about international warnings that Afghanistan is facing a famine, and urged her 2.3 million followers to help in any way they can.
According to The Food and Agricultural Organization, the country is on the brink of a famine as 18.8 million Afghans are unable to feed themselves every day while nearly nine million people are close to starvation.
Kattan said that the issue was brought to her attention by a close friend and it “broke her heart.”
This week, she posted a CNN video report touching on the humanitarian crisis alongside a series of infographics.
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“Hey my loves, this is hard to watch, but while we enjoy the holidays, children in Afghanistan wither away from starvation,” Kattan captioned the Instagram post.
“I’m not sure if everyone is aware but Afghanistan is currently facing a catastrophic famine and without any aid, one million children will not survive this winter. This was brought to my attention by a close, dear friend and it broke my heart,” the Dubai-based entrepreneur and founder of the Huda Beauty brand, and skincare label Wishful, added.
“I know how hard it is when you feel that you’re unable to make a difference, but just spreading awareness by sharing content can make a huge impact as well as helping charities out if you’re able to. Please swipe through and share with your friends!”
Kattan is an avid humanitarian and has a well-documented track record of stepping up and helping those who need it most.
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Earlier this year, the 38-year-old and her family donated $100,000 to Help India Breathe, a COVID-19 relief fundraiser launched by author Jay Shetty and his wife Radhika Devlukia-Shetty.
She also donated $100,000 to Doctors Without Borders in Gaza.
In April, Kattan took part in a food drive campaign launched by the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, donating one million meals to those less fortunate via her cosmetics company Huda Beauty.
JEDDAH: Renowned Japanese Nobu restaurant’s branch has opened on the popular Jeddah Corniche.
The new Nobu Jeddah is part of an expansion of the Nobu brand in Saudi Arabia, founded by chef Nobu Matsuhisa, Robert De Niro and Meir Teper, in partnership with Fakieh Leisure and Entertainment Group, Tarfeeh Fakieh.
It is located on the corniche that hosts many restaurants, cafes, as well as entertainment and artistic centers.
Nobu is at the heart of Al-Nawras Resort, the most iconic resort in Jeddah overlooking the Jeddah Corniche.
The newest member of the restaurant chain will not only bring the fabulous menu to the beachfront, but will also offer an elevated casual dining experience with stunning sea views.
Nobu, the world’s most recognized Japanese restaurant, known for its innovative new-style cuisine, is named after its head chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa (Nobu-san).
It owes its global success to the high-quality, fresh ingredients and the unique concept of the fusion of Japanese and South-American cuisine.
Jamil Attar, CEO of Tarfeeh Fakieh, said: “We are so proud to unveil the signature Nobu Restaurant here in Jeddah and provide a renowned dining experience for locals and visitors on the seaside.”
Attar added: “Jeddah is home to world-class dining, and we are pleased to offer a spirited take on the signature Nobu experience within a warm and sophisticated atmosphere.”
He said that the Nobu restaurant is decorated with a modern design in its prime location on the Jeddah Corniche, providing a wonderful view of the Red Sea.
Tarfeeh Fakieh, the Kingdom’s leading provider of leisure, entertainment and edutainment continues to expand its growing portfolio in Jeddah.
LOS ANGELES: Amazon Prime’s sci-fi psychological thriller “Encounter” stars Oscar nominee Riz Ahmed, as a former decorated marine who reunites with his sons to escape both from a secret invasion of alien parasites and from the police who think that the estranged father has kidnapped the boys.
“I do a lot of research. I was speaking to a lot of people, a lot of soldiers, some special forces people, did military training, physical training,” said British-Pakistani Ahmed, who stars in the new Michael Pierce-directed psychological drama alongside child actors Aditya Geddada and Lucian-River Chauhan, who take on the role of his children.
“I think one of the coolest things in this job is kind of talking to people and meeting them. So I love meeting people and recording interviews, and when they tell me their stories it helps me imagine myself into the role,” he adds.
The chemistry between the family is the center point of the film, with Ahmed balancing a soldier’s mission-first focus, with a fatherly concern for the boys he’s all but forgotten how to parent. The boys in turn go through a coming of age story learning to speak up when they question his choices.
“I think the message of the film is to protect your family no matter what and I think that’s what happened in this film,” said Chauhan, 17.
“I think I have one more,” quipped nine-year-old Geddada. “That family is the most important thing in the world,” he said.
“Encounter” is the first feature film for young stars Chauhan and Geddada. Ahmed says that he was initially concerned about working with children, but after seeing their auditions, he was impressed and excited to act alongside them.
“I learned really what acting is all about, which is about being open and present and honest. And so much of the time I think we forget that. These guys, I won’t call them kids, they are my colleagues, they are my friends. They taught me that. They reminded me that, and I’m grateful for that,” Ahmed shares.
“Encounter” is playing in cinemas now and is available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
LONDON: We are all well familiar with “Cinderella”, “Beauty and the Beast,” and “Aladdin,” but a new fairytale has taken to stages across Britain this month. Touring five cities, including London, Manchester and Birmingham, Britain’s first ever Muslim pantomime, “Cinder’aliyah,” was written by British-Pakistani actor and stand-up comedian Abdullah Afzal for international humanitarian charity Penny Appeal, with all proceeds going to aid its winter campaign. Thousands of people from different backgrounds, ethnicities and religions have come out to watch the pantomime and there are talks about extending it into January and adding more cities around the UK. Afzal, 32, told Arab News that his aim when writing the panto was to bring people together instead of segregating them.
Afzal, who is best known for his role in BBC’s “Citizen Khan,” said there is a bit of worry when it comes to the COVID-19 pandemic and the looming lockdown that may follow in January, but they were always worried that this could happen before the pantomime started touring in December. “I think with pantomimes, you have to be prepared for anything and everything and I think it’s the same behind the scenes as well, so whatever happens we’ll deal with it when the time comes.” “Cinder’aliyah” includes the stock characters from the original, with their names and traditions adapted to emulate South Asian culture. The story follows a young Pakistani girl who has had to endure the constant trouble and hardships thrown at her by her evil stepmother and stepsisters. “I know that Penny Appeal had done a Muslim pantomime before, and I thought I could put my own spin on things,” Afzal said.
British-Kashmiri actress and writer Anisa Butt, who plays the lead, said although the story is set on a South Asian Muslim family, it is not just a pantomime for South Asians and anyone can watch it. “Some of the jokes are quite culture-specific, but I think that’s actually quite nice, that’s why we’re getting the laughs that we’re getting and it’s a lot of fun, and I think, especially in our community, we’ve not seen that before,” said Butt, 28, who was a Disney child star in India and made her film debut in “Baat Bann Gayi.” She said that it has been a long time since she has done a pantomime — which is a family-based theatrical production involving music, topical jokes and slapstick comedy — and was delighted to do an untraditional performance that adapted the original story.
Prince Javed, or Prince Charming as known in “Cinderella,” played by Hussnain Lahori, British-Pakistani singer, actor and music producer, has been looking for love, but cannot find anyone that he desires because he’s looking for someone true and pure, and he finally finds that in Cinder’aliyah. “We’re trying to introduce everyone to pantomimes because it’s part of British culture, but we’re also trying to promote British culture through this pantomime to all Asians and non-Asians as well,” Lahori said. Although they had expected the show to be in high demand, they did not expect how well it had been received by the audiences on social media and with PR feedback, he added.
And that’s a wrap for the final show of the year. Written and executed by the amazing @Abdullah_Azfal Would you like to see more dates? #MuslimPanto pic.twitter.com/HBUJnTN7ws
“I think not many people have been to a pantomime before and quite frankly, I don’t think they were expecting it to be as good as it is,” Lahori said. Amna Saqlain, from London, is no stranger to pantomimes and traveled over 90 minutes with nine family members to see the show. She said it has been a great experience, especially for the children, and that she enjoyed the traditional Christmas songs that they had adapted. “I’ve been to many as a kid but they have always been Christmas-related and not to do with our religion, so it was quite nice to have a lot of connotations to our religion and our culture,” she said.