Music

Billboard Arabia caught Nassif Zeytoun at a pivotal moment in his life. The singer has been in the spotlight across the Arab world since announcing his marriage to acclaimed actress Daniella Rahme on July 1. Alongside this significant personal milestone, Zeytoun is also experiencing a major professional shift with the tremendous success of his hit duet with Rahma Riad and a slew of upcoming projects, all of which he shared in this exclusive interview with Billboard Arabia. 

We met Nassif in the brief window between his wedding and honeymoon. He and Daniella had kept their love story a secret for five years, away from the inquiring eyes of the press and fans. The news of their wedding only began to spread in the days leading up to their intimate ceremony in Jbeil, Lebanon, attended only by close family. Eventually, Nassif and Daniella shared their wedding pictures on social media, much to the delight of their fans across the Arab world. But for Nassif, his private life has always remained his own, while his work life is open to the public. “My personal opinion, and I don’t impose this on others, matters of the home are personal, whereas work matters are up for discussion,” says Nassif. Many of Nassif’s fans over the years were eager to learn more about his romantic relationship, particularly as a result of his penchant for love songs, including “Bel Ahlam” (In Dreams), which has found an eight-week placement on Billboard Arabia’s Hot 100.

Early on in his career, Nassif captured the hearts of the Arab public by winning season 7 of Star Academy, an Arabic reality television show, with his self-contained vocal quality, performability, and a notable level of professionalism he brought to the program. Even in those early days, Nassif made a significant impact on the Arabic music scene, sharing the stage with the legendary, late Wadiah Al Safi, who praised Nassif’s talent and predicted a bright future for him. 

From that point on, Nassif’s ascent in the world of Levantine pop was rapid and remarkable. He consistently delivered hit after hit, each song showcasing his unique musical identity and becoming fan favorites. His breakthrough song, “Mich Aam Tezbat Maii” (It’s Not Working), released in 2014, has gone on to receive upward of 209 million views on YouTube, laying the perfect foundation for his debut album in 2013, Ya Samt(Silence), to flourish. In 2016, Toul Al Yom (All Day), marked the release of his follow-up album, with all 13 tracks becoming a setlist of summer anthems across the Arab world, and particularly the Levant.

This success was followed by several more acclaimed albums, including Bel Ahlam, with its title song continuing to hold strong in Billboard Arabia’s Hot 100. And with his songs reverberating across the Arab world, Nassif has become a highly demanded performer from reputable festivals such as Tunis’ Carthage International Festival, to concerts in Riyadh and Dubai, while making his way to international stages in Berlin and Sweden.

Nassif’s latest hit was his duet with his close friend Rahma Riad, who was his fellow contestant in Star Academy. Their friendship flourished over the years, culminating in April with the duet “Ma Fi Leil” (There Is No Night), which landed the No. 1 slot on Billboard Arabia’s Hot 100 the week it was released. Commenting on the duet, Nassif says: “Throughout my entire music career, everything has always been planned. But frankly, the one thing that was not planned was the duet with Rahma. Rahma and I started together and evolved together. It just so happened that we were in the same place, under the same management company. The stars were aligned, to be honest. I was offered a good song, and I suggested doing it with her. She liked it, and that’s how the song was made.”

Within hours of its release, “Ma Fi Leil” became one of the most-streamed songs in the Arab world. After the song landed on Billboard Arabia’s Hot 100 chart, it remained there for 12 consecutive weeks as of the time of writing.

Building on his music career, Nassif has recently launched his own production company called T-Start, where he explains the vision for this company: “I have an aspiration, not a fully defined vision. I have a personal aspiration for this company to produce my personal songs and the songs of several individuals who deserve to be in the music scene. I assure you that all the songs the company produces will be of the highest level, whether in terms of vocals, lyrics, melody, or execution.” He adds: “I’m currently producing my own songs. We worked on my first production with Rahma outside the company with the duet ‘Ma Fi Leil,’ and recently, a young woman with a very beautiful voice joined us. Her name is Luna Karam, and hopefully, in the coming days, she will release a song produced by T-Start. I have high hopes for her.”

Regarding his upcoming releases, Nassif shares insights: “I will hopefully release several songs soon…. I am now filming a new duet at the moment. I hope people will like it, the way it’s presented and the combination between me and the other artist. It’s a new idea, a new method, and I hope people will like it.”

As Nassif Zeytoun embarks on this new chapter in both his personal and professional life, it’s clear that his journey is far from over. With his marriage to Daniella Rahme and the immense success of his recent projects, Nassif continues to capture the hearts of fans across the Arab world. His dedication to his craft, coupled with his vision for his production company T-Start, promises an exciting future filled with innovative music, new collaborations, and contributions towards building the next phase of Arabic stars.

–Written by Dima Hijazi for Billboard Arabia