# Carole Samaha

Carole Samaha (Arabic: كارول سماحة; born July 25, 1972) is a Lebanese-Egyptian singer, actress, and performer. She has released six studio albums. Samaha has a Master's degree in acting and directing, which she earned in 1999 from the Saint Joseph University of Beirut.
In 2004 she won the Arab Music Award for best female newcomer. She has also won multiple Murex d'Or awards and was nominated for best Arabia New Act in the MTV Europe Music Awards 2008.
Before starting her pop music career, Carole Samaha was a classical actress and worked extensively with Mansour Rahbani and Marwan Rahbani. Her first music single was Bi Sabah el Alf el Talet in 2000.
In 2007 Carole Samaha returned to the theater to play Zenobia in the Rahbani musical with the same name. She established her own production company, Lacarma, in 2009. In 2011 Carole Samaha starred in the TV series Al Shahroura, broadcast during Ramadan, as the singer and actress Sabah. In December 2012, Carole Samaha announced her plans to release a new album. In 2013 she was a judge on The X Factor (Arabic TV series) and she was the mentor for Young Pharoz, Maraya and Les Bledards Ninja. She created the musical show "The Lady", produced by Rotana, premiering on Eid al-Fitr, August 10, 2013, in Casino du Liban.

## Early life

Samaha was born on July 25, 1972, in Beirut to Antoine Samaha from Khenchara, Metn, a direct relative of Lebanese politician Shafik Mebarak Samaha (who left Zahlé, Lebanon for Colombia at the beginning of the 20th century) and Nouhad Hawi from Dhour El Choueir, Metn. She has two brothers. Her parents supported different political factions, and according to Samaha that fact made her become "more open" to the different views of people, learning a great deal from that experience.

## Personal life

On November 1, 2013, Samaha married Walid Mustafa, an Egyptian businessman, in a civil ceremony in Limassol, Cyprus, following an 18-month courtship and short engagement. On August 31, 2015, Carole Samaha gave birth to a baby girl, Tala. She is a Maronite Christian. She holds both Lebanese and Egyptian citizenships, and since 2014 has been residing in Egypt with her husband.

## Discography
### Album

| 2003 | Helm (حلم – A Dream) |
| 2003 | Oughniat El Toufoula (اغنية الطفولة – Children Songs) |
| 2004 | Ana Horra (انا حرة – I'm Free) |
| 2006 | Adwa' Al Shohra (أضواء الشهرة – Lights of Fame) |
| 2009 | Hdoudi Sama (حدودي السما – The Sky Is My Limit) |
| 2013 | Ehssas (إحساس – A Feeling) |
| 2016 | Zekrayati (ذكرياتي – Memories) |
| 2020 | Christmas Carole (Christmas songs) |

### Single

| Year | Song | Album | Lebanese Charts | Egyptian Charts | Translation | Notes |
| 2003 | Oughniat El Toufoula | Oughniat El Toufoula | | | Childhood Songs | |
| 2003 | Habib Alby | Helm | 3 | 1 | My Love | First release apart from the Rahbani |
| 2004 | Etalaa Feyi | Helm | 1 | 4 | Look at Me | Casting Mister Lebanon 1997 Ghassan El Mawla |
| 2005 | Ghali Alayi | Ana Horra | 1 | 3 | You Mean A Lot To Me | |
| 2005 | Nezlet El Sitara | Ana Horra | 48 | 32 | The Curtain Fell | |
| 2005 | Habbeit Delwa't | Ana Horra | 28 | 2 | Now that i loved | Movie soundtrack |
| 2006 | Esmaani | Adwa' Al Shohra | 1 | 19 | Listen to me | |
| 2006 | Zaelni Mennak | Adwa' Al Shohra | 1 | 18 | I'm upset with you | |
| 2007 | Adwa'a El Shohra | Adwa' Al Shohra | 13 | 78 | Lights of Fame | Sponsored by Pepsi |
| 2007 | Ya Rabi | Ana wlleil – Marwan Khoury | 1 | 3 | Oh God | Ft. Marwan Khoury |
| 2008 | Yama Layali | Hdoudi Sama | 43 | 3 | How Many Nights | Sponsored by Pepsi |
| 2008 | Jeet (Majnouni) | Pepsi Sea of Stars – V/A, Hdoudi Sama | 1 | 3 | You Came (I Must Be Crazy) | Movie soundtrack |
| 2008 | Ali | Hdoudi Sama | 7 | 1 | Ali | Promotional single |
| 2009 | Laily Lail | The Gipsy Man Sings from the Middle East – Mario Reyes | | | – | Ft. Mario Reyes, filmed in Morocco |
| 2009 | Rag'aalak | Hodoudi Sama | 1 | 9 | Coming Back To You | Promotional single |
| 2009 | Zabahny | Hodoudi Sama | 97 | 112 | "Slaughtered" Me | Promotional single |
| 2009 | Ma Bkhaf | Hodoudi Sama | 1 | 1 | I Am Not Scared | First official single |
| 2010 | A'oul Ansak | Hodoudi Sama | 1 | 1 | I Try To Forget You | Second official single |
| 2010 | Khallik Bhalak | Hodoudi Sama | 1 | 1 | Stay Away | |
| 2011 | El Masry Ya Abu Dam | — | | | | |
| 2011 | Malika Ala El Ard | — | | | Queen on Earth | A song from the TV series Al Shahroura |
| 2012 | Wahshani Bladi | — | | | I Miss My Country | |
| 2012 | Wet3awadet | Ehssas | | | And I Got Used [To It] | |
| 2013 | Ehssas | Ehssas | | | Feeling | |
| 2014 | Sahranin | Single | 7 | | We're Partying/Staying Up | Written by Samaha, in collaboration with composer Mohamed Raheem, and arranged by Sleiman Damien. Popular in the nightlife scene. |
| 2016 | Rouh Fell | Single | 17 | | Leave | Top one in the Arab world on the music streaming service Anghami. |
| 2017 | Rejih Albi | Single | 7 | | My Heat Is Back | |
| 2018 | Ensa Hmoumak | Single | 5 | | Forget Your Worries | |
| 2018 | Mabrouk La Albi | Single | 15 | | Congratulations To My Heart | |
| 2019 | Bet'amen Bel Sodfi | Single | 4 | | Do You Believe In Change | |
| 2020 | Bon Voyage | Single | 5 | | _ | Co-written by Samaha. Top charting on Anghami |
| 2021 | Ya Shabab Ya Banat | Single | 5 | | Hey Boys And Girls | |
| 2022 | Fawda | Single | 1 | | Chaos | |

## Awards

* "Revelation of the year" (actress and singer) Murex d'Or in 2000.
* "Best female newcomer" Arab Music Award (2003) – This was the first year for which Arab Music Awards were awarded and the ceremony was held in Dubai in May 2004.
* "Best Polyvalent talent" (actress and singer) Murex d'Or in 2003.
* "Best Female Romantic Song" ("Tala3 Fiyyi") Murex d'Or in 2003.
* "Best Lebanese Female Singer" Murex d'Or in 2007.
* "Best Lebanese Song" ("Ya Rab", with Marwan Khoury) Murex d'Or in 2007.
* "Best album of the year" (Hdoudi Sama, 2009) Murex d'Or in June 2010.
* "Best music video" – "Khalik Behalik" – at the 2011 Murex d'Or ceremony.
* World Music Award "Best Stage Performer in the Middle East" in Monaco 2014.