Lebanese soprano Hiba Tawaji, 31, found fame four years ago via the French version of talent quest, The Voice, and her latest career milestone also comes out of France.
The Arabic singer is the voice of Princess Jasmine in the French version of Disney's new film Aladdin. She sang Parler (Speechless) and Ce Reve Bleu at the Paris premiere last week, and sings all of the numbers performed by Princess Jasmine in the film, which is dubbed into French for release in theatres in the French-speaking world.
It is common for films to be dubbed into French in France, rather than played in cinemas with subtitles.
Here is one of the songs she sings for the soundtrack:
And here is the English version of the song, which is sung by the actress who plays Jasmine, Naomi Scott:
After Tawaji announced that she was the voice of French Jasmine, she was congratulated by many of her Lebanese fans on social media, with one suggesting there should be an Arabic language dub of the film and songs too:
We spoke to Tawaji at the Mawazine Festival in Morocco last year, and she told us that she was avoiding going down the radio-friendly Arabic pop route, and wanted to stick to her more classical, east-meets-west style: "The crowds coming to my shows are growing, which is great considering I have been doing this now for ten years. But ultimately, I have come to view success not just as numbers, but to stay true to myself and not compare myself to anyone. I have my own path and I intend to take it."
Tawaji is well known in the Arabic speaking world for her many collaborations with composer Oussama Rahbani (the son of Mansour). The pair have made two albums together, and she is often the lead singer and actor in his musicals:
Speaking of the Arab world and Aladdin, The National spoke to the film's star Mena Massoud, who is Egyptian-Canadian, last week. He told us how he thinks the film helps to break down stereotypes about the Middle East:
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Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Saturday
Borussia Dortmund v Eintracht Frankfurt (5.30pm kick-off UAE)
Bayer Leverkusen v Schalke (5.30pm)
Wolfsburg v Cologne (5.30pm)
Mainz v Arminia Bielefeld (5.30pm)
Augsburg v Hoffenheim (5.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Bayern Munich (8.30pm)
Borussia Monchengladbach v Freiburg (10.30pm)
Sunday
VfB Stuttgart v Werder Bremen (5.30pm)
Union Berlin v Hertha Berlin (8pm)
The Farewell
Director: Lulu Wang
Stars: Awkwafina, Zhao Shuzhen, Diana Lin, Tzi Ma
Four stars
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
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The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
The biog
Favourite food: Fish and seafood
Favourite hobby: Socialising with friends
Favourite quote: You only get out what you put in!
Favourite country to visit: Italy
Favourite film: Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.
Family: We all have one!
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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6.30pm: Meydan Sprint Group 2 US$175,000 1,000m
Winner: Ertijaal, Jim Crowley (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihe (trainer)
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8.15pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes Group 3 $200,000 2,000m
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Winner: Janoobi, Jim Crowley, Mike de Kock
9.25pm: Handicap $125,000 1,600m
Winner: Capezzano, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
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