LEBANON: Lebanese pop star Nancy Ajram shoots video for her first children's album

Record ID: 427246

  • Title: LEBANON: Lebanese pop star Nancy Ajram shoots video for her first children's album
  • Date: 16th March 2007
  • Summary: (MER1) BEIRUT, LEBANON (MARCH 12, 2007) (REUTERS) WIDE OF SITE OF SHOOT FOR FIRST VIDEO OF CHILDREN'S SONG BY LEBANESE POP STAR NANCY AJRAM CLOSE OF VIDEO MONITOR IN SITE OF SHOOT VIDEO DIRECTOR SAEED MAROUK WATCHING MONITOR TECHNICIAN INSTALLING CAMERA ON SHOOT SITE MORE OF MAROUK OVERSEEING PREPARATIONS CHILDREN ARRIVING FOR SHOOT CLOSE UP OF CHILDREN WALKING IN LINE VARIOUS OF CHILDREN ON SITE VIDEO MONITOR SHOWING CLASSROOM SET WIDE OF CLASSROOM SET POP STAR NANCY AJRAM ARRIVING ON SET CLOSE UP OF AJRAM HOLDING LYRICS OF SONG AJRAM AND MAROUK GOING OVER LYRICS
  • Embargoed: 31st March 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Lebanon
  • Country: Lebanon
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz
  • Reuters ID: LVA3PSK57FLJ9FB3FSKV4RL9WS7G
  • Story Text: Singer Nancy Ajram is widely known in the Arab world for her love ballads and dance tracks, but she is making a new leap this year with her debut children's album. She recently shot her first video to accompany one of the children's songs with renowned director Saeed Marouk.

    Nancy Ajram shot to fame a few years ago when she swayed her hips in a little black dress which brought to viewers' minds Arab cinema siren Hind Rustom. But Ajram today is toning down her womanly appeal and is busy recording her first album of music for children. She is also recording vidoes to accompany the album.
    In the video for one of the album's singles, Ajram plays a school teacher in a classroom filled with grade-school children. It is directed by renowned video maker Saeed Marouk. The set is filled with producers and technicians rushing to get things ready while Ajram and Marouk discuss lyrics and moves.
    Children's songs and video clips have become more popular in the Arab world as big production companies aim to make more money and singers aim for more fame.
    "It's because I have made a children's album, which has been my dream from the beginning (of my career). It was my dream and people saw that. I had a lot of people telling me that although I am mature and all, I had a childlike spirit, so they asked 'why don't you do something for children?'" Ajram told Reuters.
    The single and her album are entitled "Shater, Shater" -- or "Clever, Clever."
    On set, school children in navy and white uniforms sit behind their desks as the crew behind camera scramble to get things ready to roll. Ajram appears in a short dress and red stockings ready to give the first lesson.
    This is not Marouk's first collaboration with Ajram.
    For Marouk, making a video for children's music is challenging because it involves capturing children's attention and imagination.
    "Colours are important in the eyes of children and also imagination, because children are imaginative in their nature, and funny things also attract children. It is a world only for them," said Marouk.
    Ajram, with her brown locks and a mixture of girl-next-door charm and sex appeal, has become a fixture on Arab pop charts. She is also the face of Coca-Cola in the region. She says international stardom is not on her agenda.
    "Personally, it's not my ambition to become an international star. My ambition is to be a popular Arab star because the Arab audience is enough for me."
    Featuring children in music videos has become something of a trend in the Arab music industry, bringing touches of innocence and youthful charm when they appear with the likes of Lebanese star Haifa Wehbe.
    Marouk criticised the trend, while acknowledging the lucrative market for children's music.
    "They have children in songs that have nothing to do with children. They take them to a world in which they have no business just to attract viewers. I am against this, but I am for making children's videos. In my opinion those who think that making children's songs is not lucrative are wrong. On the contrary, when a child begs his dad to buy a CD for him, he will do it."
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