Biography

Since 2004, Jad has taken the world of Arab music by storm. Arguably the most exciting arrival on the regional music scene in years, Jad Choueiri has quickly established himself as a multi talented songwriter/composer who also sings in — and directs — his own music videos.

He also launched the career of several female singers like Maria and Nisreen Jibran. He also worked with several other artists like Nicole Saba, Iwan, Fella, Dina Hayek, Micheline Khalife, Joanna Mallah, Amro Mostafa, Lady Madonna and even the legendary icon Wadih El Safi.

At the age of 5, Jad started mimicking hit songs by his first passion, Madonna. At 10, he and his parents fled their home to a hotel over the Lebanese mountains because of the war. Inside the hotel lobby, the residents became the first audience for his amateur dancing and singing acts.

While a student at L’Athenée de Beyrouth, Jad was simultaneously the ringleader of the kiddy band Ambitious Jay and a straight-A student. His parents desperately wanted him to study medicine or political science (to live up to the image of his grandfather, who was an established politician) after he received his baccalaureate in French literature in 1998. Jad, though, insisted on studying at L’Ecole de Réalisation Audiovisuelle (The School of Audiovisual Directing) at the Academie Libanaise des Beaux Arts (or ALBA, as it is known).

Jad left Lebanon two years later, at the top of his class, after being accepted by the Sorbonne in Paris, where he obtained his degree in Arts du Spectacle (Performing Arts) in cinematographic studies. During his stay in France, Jad was active in stage plays and co-starred in a Canadian-Lebanese experimental movie called « Trainée de Bruit » (Traces of Noise).

In 2001, during his summer holidays in Beirut, Jad entered the infamous Studio El-Fan talent show, winning first prize (a smashing $25,000) as Best Director for the Music Video of Ya Mustapha, a folkloric 1960s ballad revamped by sexy Lebanese singer Rida Boutros.

But Jad’s real ambition was to perform in front of the camera, not just to direct other singers from behind it.

In short order, he released three consecutive hit singles: A’oulak Eih? (What Shall I Tell You?), Ouly Ezzay (Tell Me How) and Mazzika (Music). The music videos were so popular on satellite channels and radio stations that Melody Music signed him up to an exclusive debut album entitled El-Moftah (The Key). He then released the video “Banadilak,” (I’m Calling for You), directed by Amir Kreidieh, followed by « Meen Allek ». This video featured a part of « El Sekka El-Ghalat » and « Ana Ha3mel Eli Fi Rassi » in its credits.

Jad's biggest hit ever was « Warrini », a powerful duet with Jordanian singer Malak El Naser. This hit was released in August 2006, followed by Masria in 2007.

He stayed away in 2008 until the release of the controversial English single Funky Arabs directed alongside the late Yehia Saadeh, which won several awards as a video and flew to the top of the most requested videos on Melody hits for several weeks. He followed it by a discreet release of "Stop popping pills".

In 2010 Jad was back to the Arabic music scene with two very popular hit singles Wala Awel and Ghali which will be featured on his upcoming album "3ishha Kida" due in early 2011.