The Lebanese-Canadian singer Maya Waked enthralled the packed audience at Zabeel Theatre with her magical artistry on November 14. Maya Waked is known for her trailblazing and eclectic music as well as for her emotional performances; she mixed Lebanese, French, and English songs in her Dubai concert. The concert was not only a mesmerising musically but also a creatively fresh reinterpretation of the classics that went along with the listeners’ emotions through the performers’ own compositions.
Maya Waked has a rich musical background that started with her recognition as a backing vocalist for the iconic Lebanese singer Fairouz. Afterwards, Waked got hold of the late Ziad Rahbani’s collaboration, which helped to establish her as a major figure in the contemporary Middle Eastern music scene. The Zabeel Theatre concert was imbued with the same spirit where Waked combined the classic sounds of Middle Eastern music with modern jazz and Bossa Nova, thus creating a music style that was purely hers.
A Journey of Cultural Fusion and Emotion
Maya Waked gave a concert performance that included songs from her different cultures. The audience could hear Arabic songs from Lebanon mixed with French and English lyrics. This combination of languages and styles made it possible for her to have a very close relationship with the mixed-up audience in Dubai.
Besides, she didn’t forget to sing some of the most famous tunes of hers, such as “Bi Beirut” and “Shou Ada Ma Bada”, the latter being authored by Ziad Rahbani. Maya talked about her music being a mirror of the conflicting identities that one goes through and the seeking of belonging. She opened up that her work has been a safe place for the people who find themselves torn between two worlds, thus talking especially about the expatriates who have settled so far away from their homelands and conserve only the memories and the culture.
The artist’s live performance was not a mere concert but an emotional voyage. The renditions of Maya texted songs, refreshing those and exploring through her original productions the facets of love, memory, and the adventure of finding a place to belong. The event won great appreciation for its genuineness and the surprising skills of the artist to do such musical tricks on the audience.
From Backing Vocalist to Solo Star
The journey of Maya Waked has been one of the most significant developments in the music industry characterized by an ever-increasing artistic confidence and more and more original ideas. She was first recognized for her participation as a backup singer for Fairouz from 2000 to 2005, then in no time, she was in the Ziad Rahbani studio. Combining her Lebanese heritage and the new sounds she created, she was slowly but surely establishing a very distinctive vocal style that was both modern and traditional.
Her concerts in the famous venues such as Montreal’s Place des Arts and Rome’s Alexander Platz have earned her to be praised, and so did her performance in Dubai. Maya’s jazz and Bossa Nova influences, combined with her focus on communicating through music, offered the audience a new experience in November.
Alongside music, Maya’s career includes literature as well with her novels written in French and Arabic. She has maintained communication with the Lebanese diaspora, especially when she was in Canada and directing a radio show for Arab expatriates.
Maya Waked’s performance at the Zabeel Theatre was an eloquent exposition of her extraordinary talent to bring together various cultures and to facilitate communication through music. The event of November 14 was a vivid and joyful proclamation of the multicultural identity and the artistic cooperation.
Maya Waked’s Live Performances:
- Performed at Alexander Platz Jazz Club in Rome
- Live concerts in Dubai including Dik Kwab El Nass and Ana La Habibi
- Venue performances at Place des Arts Montreal and Jazz Lounge Dubai
Popular Songs to Listen To:
- Full discography available on YouTube Music
- Notable tracks include Min Zaman, Bi Beirut, Helmi Ghanilak, Adday, and Tamara
Early Life and Influences:
Maya was born in Beirut into a family passionate about Fairouz and Rahbani operettas. Music was an essential part of her life, offering comfort during Lebanon’s years of war. From a young age, she memorized songs and never missed concerts.
Artistic Formation:
After starting her career in marketing, Maya switched to pursuing music full time. She trained at Conservatoire National and studied under a private vocal coach. Between 2000 and 2005, she was a backing vocalist for Fairouz and also recorded with Ziad Rahbani.
Literary Career:
Alongside music, Maya built a literary career. She published her first novel in Paris in 2007 and followed it with two more in Beirut in 2008, writing in both French and Arabic.
Radio and Diaspora Engagement:
While in Canada, Maya worked as a radio producer and host. Her show Allo Beirut, broadcast from Montreal’s Place des Arts, connected deeply with the Arabic immigrant community and Lebanese diaspora.
Musical Evolution:
- 2012: Released Helm Majnoun and debuted it in Montreal
- 2017: Released single Adday
- 2020: Released Baad Bakkir, reflecting on long-distance relationships and lockdown separation
- 2021: Collaborated with Russian Balalaika Quartet on Bi Beirut, merging Lebanese lyrics with Russian folk music and reflecting expatriate nostalgia
Recent Work:
- 2023: Performed live in Dubai and released four new singles combining Lebanese lyrics with Russian folk elements
- 2024: Performed in Rome at Alexander Platz
- 2025: Released Shou Ada Ma Bada, composed by Ziad Rahbani
This journey reflects Maya Waked’s unique blend of musical influences and deep connection to her roots and multicultural experiences.
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