Amr Diab or “El Hadaba” is a legendary musician that has been influencing the music industry throughout the Middle East with his timeless songs that we seem to can’t get enough of. Holding the Guinness World Record for the best-selling Middle Eastern artist, Diab has been serving as an icon for generations not only through his music but also through his fashion style. As we celebrate his birthday (P.S. no one has yet figured out his secret, as he seems to be getting younger every year), we will shed light on some of his business ventures, outside the music industry to see what El Hadaba has been up to.
Locanda Hotels
Diab announced back in May 2022 his signature series of luxury hotels Locanda in collaboration with an Emirati real estate guru to convey a sense of a high level of luxurious lifestyle. This hotel will be located in the heart of Soul, a luxury beach resort that was recently launched on the North Coast. Diab posted a 30-second trailer showcasing Locanda. The teaser had amazing visuals of a chandelier, glittering clothes, and a record playing on a phonograph in a vintage style. In contrast to Diab’s music videos, which frequently feature beach club vibes, Locanda is a concept that transports us to a vintage era that we can’t wait to learn more about when it opens.
34 Fashion Line
With an advertisement shot in the UAE featuring Downtown Dubai and Abu Dhabi’s Warner Bros World theme park back in 2021, Diab launched his new Eau de Parfum, 34. Diab then became the first Arab singer to own a perfume holding his name around the Middle East and Arab countries. Despite the perfume’s spectacular debut, people weren’t impressed with its advertisement. While some people thought the idea of seducing the other sex through a fragrance is cliché and that the renowned musician could’ve put more sense of creativity, others thought it was an elegant idea.
Let’s just say that not all of Diab’s ad deals have been fruitful. Citroen, a French carmaker, withdrew its advertisement starring Diab in 2021 amid accusations that it normalized sexual harassment. The commercial showed Diab driving his new C4 and almost hitting a woman who was crossing the street. After stopping, Diab utilizes the car’s new camera to take a picture of the woman, which he then immediately sees on his phone. As part of the narrative, the photo is taken without the woman’s consent.
Some argue that this controversy that the ad created has failed to ruin his enduring appeal to different generations as he immediately afterward played concerts to packed audiences in Abu Dhabi and Riyadh as part of Eid Al Fitr celebrations. Either way, you can buy the perfume exclusively from Amazon Egypt, Amazon KSA, and other platforms across the Middle East.
That’s not it for the icon as Diab debuted his fashion line back in Sept. 2021 titled 34. The brand offers over 100 items manufactured in Egypt with high-quality Italian materials. It’s a natural progression following the singer’s success with his perfume launch. Similar to the unique perfume, the fashion line shows range as it carries everything from casual wear to cross bags and cardholders; all available through Amazon.eg. Diab was then congratulated by a number of artists as the superb composer Aziz Al-Shafei posted a picture of Diab on Instagram and commented “34 new fashion line…Congratulations Amr Diab.” He was accompanied by songwriter Tamer Hussein who also wrote on Instagram, “congratulations on his new brand coming soon.”
Anghami Deal
The announcement is the next in a growing number of ventures Diab has been involved in of late. In Feb, the singer signed an agreement with Anghami allowing the platform to become the exclusive home of his future releases, as well as more than a dozen previous albums and popular music videos. Diab then became the most streamed Arab singer across the world, and is Anghami’s #1 artist, with close to 1 billion streams. Diab’s album Ya Ana Ya La was the most streamed album of the year, while his earlier album, Sahran, came in third place. But that’s not all as Anghami announced an exclusive partnership that will see El Hadaba’s entire Nay Label audio and video catalog and future releases available only on Anghami.
From being the first Arab singer to seeing his face featured on a billboard in New York City’s Times Square in addition to having countless other firsts in the music and even hospitality industry, Diab is no stranger to success. As fans impatiently wait for the release of a new album or the opening of his new hotel; the multi-talented singer was able to form success in other facets besides the music industry. Diab is believed that be the only Arab musician who has been developing new business ventures outside the music industry. He will influence his regional fanbase with his business endeavors, paving the way for success, just as he inspired several generations with his fantastic songs.
