Nancy Ajram reveals she was teeing up a collaboration with Billie Eilish

The pop stars are fans of each other’s work

Nancy Ajram, left, and Billie Eilish were in discussions to collaborate on a new song. AFP / Reuters

The pandemic delayed a planned duet between Nancy Ajram and Billie Eilish, the Lebanese pop star revealed in a new interview.

In an appearance on radio station NRJ Egypt on Tuesday, Ajram said she floated the idea of a joint track after learning of Eilish’s appreciation of her work.

In 2020, bad guy star Eilish gave a shoutout to Ajram and praised the song Fi Hagat on the podcast me & dad radio.

“I love this song and I love the melodies and I love the way she sings," Eilish said in the episode. “I’m playing this because it puts me in a better mood.”

Ajram told NRJ Egypt she reached out to the American singer, 19, after learning of her comments.

“I contacted Billie Eilish to collaborate with her after she liked my songs, but the project was stopped due to the coronavirus pandemic,” she said.

"I have also received offers to perform duets with foreign singers, but so far I have not found the idea that suits me."

Fans should not lose hope, however, with Ajram stating her interest in an Eilish collaboration remains.

If the track comes to fruition, both stars would approach the work from a place of mutual appreciation.

In the me & dad radio podcast, Eilish revealed she discovered Ajram's music when her song Enta Eih was featured in a popular meme.

"I was like, 'listen, that's hard'. So I looked it up and started loving it and from then on, I listened to all of Nancy Ajram's stuff," she said.

“The way Arabic music sounds is just like melted chocolate in my ears.”

Upon learning of her new high-profile fan, Ajram sent some love right back on Twitter.

"We love you too Billie and we are big fans of your work,” Ajram posted. “My girls are always playing your songs out loud in the house."

During her interview with NRJ Egypt, Ajram shed further light on her most recent album.

“I find that there is a lot that I am still trying to present. Nancy 10 is a new start, as I always find that any album I present to the public is a new start and a different stage that I live in."

With Nancy 10 her first song collection in four years, Ajram said the project took many twists and turns and that “we were able to develop and make changes in all aspects, from the music and products and the lyrical subject matter."