Ahlam has returned with her biggest album to date.
After teasing fans last week by posting snippets of new songs, the Emirati singer (full name Ahlam Al Shamsi) finally released her much-anticipated album on Monday on streaming platform Deezer.
Titled Fedwat Oyounak – Part 1, the album is the first of two planned instalments, each comprising 13 songs, with the follow-up set to be released later in February.
Such is the feast of music on offer that UAE fans caused Ahlam to trend on Twitter after the first album was unveiled, using the hashtag #Ahlam2021.
Some of that attention is also down to the minor controversy surrounding the album cover image, which features the singer donning an elegant gold-coloured dress and wearing a reported $1 million of diamonds courtesy of Lebanese atelier Nsouli Jewellery.
Where, at times, Ahlam’s fashion choices are meant to provoke, on this occasion it is more in line with the album’s theme.
Fedwat Oyounak – Part 1 is an album steeped in nostalgia and matters of the heart, with songs reflecting on love and longing.
Backed by an A-list cast of producers and songwriters, Ahlam's latest opus reaffirms why she is one of the biggest names in Khaleeji pop.
Here are three things you need to know about the release.
1. Royal connections
Ahlam worked with some of the most popular lyricists in Khaleeji music, many of which are poets are from Saudi Arabia's royal family. That esteemed list of collaborators includes Prince Khalid bin Faisal and Prince Badr bin Abdul Mohsin.
2. Varied sounds
It has been reported that the 26 songs that made the final cut for both albums were chosen from 40 recorded songs.
With so much material to choose from, it is only right that Ahlam provides listeners with various musical styles.
The album's title track is an elegant number that begins with a luscious orchestral arrangement before settling into a sturdy mid-tempo groove.
Hazeen really doubles down on the percussion and is a fine showcase of the syncopated rhythms that define Khaleeji pop. The radio-friendly Daftar wa Memhah, meanwhile, benefits from added female backing vocals.
Weaving all of those styles together are Ahlam’s vocals. More than her smoky tone, what elevates her above many of her colleagues remains her phrasing, which is always on point.
3. An album for the streaming era
Is releasing 26 new songs in the space of a few weeks too much of a good thing?
While fans will certainly dig into the material, it poses the question of whether Fedwat Oyounak – Part 1 and the next release part two will be judged as too unwieldy.
Then again, perhaps Ahlam is no longer thinking about the album format in the traditional sense.
Where regional peers continue to release records with the usual 10 to 14 tracks, it appears that Ahlam is taking inspiration from what’s happening abroad.
With streaming now being the name of the game, Ahlam is following the popular music trend – particularly favoured by US hip-hop artists – of populating streaming sites with as much content as possible.
This would make Fedwat Oyounak – Part 1 one of the first major albums by an Arab pop star released with streaming domination in mind.
While it remains to be seen whether other regional acts will follow her lead, fans of Khaleeji pop still have a lot to enjoy here.
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Price, base: Dh201,153
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 204hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 300Nm @ 1,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.7L / 100km
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Fines for littering
In Dubai:
Dh200 for littering or spitting in the Dubai Metro
Dh500 for throwing cigarette butts or chewing gum on the floor, or littering from a vehicle.
Dh1,000 for littering on a beach, spitting in public places, throwing a cigarette butt from a vehicle
In Sharjah and other emirates
Dh500 for littering - including cigarette butts and chewing gum - in public places and beaches in Sharjah
Dh2,000 for littering in Sharjah deserts
Dh500 for littering from a vehicle in Ras Al Khaimah
Dh1,000 for littering from a car in Abu Dhabi
Dh1,000 to Dh100,000 for dumping waste in residential or public areas in Al Ain
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The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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The Indoor Cricket World Cup
When: September 16-23
Where: Insportz, Dubai
Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE fixtures:
Men
Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final
Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final
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Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
Profile of Whizkey
Date founded: 04 November 2017
Founders: Abdulaziz AlBlooshi and Harsh Hirani
Based: Dubai, UAE
Number of employees: 10
Sector: AI, software
Cashflow: Dh2.5 Million
Funding stage: Series A
'Top Gun: Maverick'
Rating: 4/5
Directed by: Joseph Kosinski
Starring: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Ed Harris
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Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
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How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
