Rahma Abdulredha Mezher Al-Sibahi (Arabic: رحمة عبد الرضا مزهر السباهي; born 19 January 1987), better known as Rahma Riad (رحمة رياض), is an Iraqi singer and actress.[2][3] She is the daughter of Iraqi singer Abdulredha Mezher Al-Sibahi, better known as Riad Ahmed [ar]. As of August 2020, her song "Waed Menni" is among the top ten most streamed songs on YouTube by a female Arab artist with more than 148 million views.[4]

Rahma Riad
رحمة رياض
Riad performing at Souq Wagif Festival in 2019
Riad performing at Souq Wagif Festival in 2019
Background information
Birth nameRahma Abdulredha Mezher Al-Sibahi
رحمة عبد الرضا مزهر السباهي[1]
Born (1987-01-19) 19 January 1987 (age 37)
Iraq
GenresArabic music
Occupation(s)Singer, actress
Years active2004–present

Life and career

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2004: Career beginnings

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Riad has been a contestant in a number of music contests in the Arab world. She first completed in the Super Star program when she was seventeen years old and reached the second stage, but she did not reach the finale. She later joined the Gulf Star competition, which featured individuals who perform Gulf music. She remained in the contest until the finals, and in cooperation with the Iraqi artist Haitham Yousif, famously performed the song "Er7moni Ya Alem" in dedication to the Iraqi people and her father.[5]

2010: Star Academy

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Riad became a recognizable name in the Arab world through her participation in Star Academy. She performed on stage with many Arab artists, including Assala, Latifa, Angham and Nawal El Zoghbi. She managed to reach the finale, together with Nassif Zeytoun, who was voted the winner, and Muhammad Ramadan, who took third place, while Riad became the runner-up. Riad reached a very large audience through her appearance on the program and got the highest percentage of votes cast for a contestant in danger of elimination in earlier stages.[6]

2011–2020: Breakthrough and Waed Menni

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Her first work after the Star Academy was the single "Khlesna", which was in Lebanese Arabic and for which a music video was filmed in Lebanon.[7] This was preceded by a special song for the AFC Asian Cup.[8] She also released a song in the Gulf Arabic dialect titled "Moo Galata".[9]

On 22 August 2018, she released the song "Waed Menni", written by Ramy Al-Aboudi and composed by Ali Saber. The song achieved great success, and its music video garnered about 150 million views in the two years after its release, thus becoming one of the most watched music videos on a YouTube channel for an artist from the Persian Gulf region and Iraq.[4]

2021–present: Iraq Idol, Athadakom and Al Kawkab

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In January 2021, she joined the music contest Iraq Idol on MBC Iraq as a member of the judging panel.[10] On 15 January 2021, Riad released the song "Athadakom", written by Aqil Al-Ard, composed by Ali Saber, and distributed by Maitham Alaa El-Din.

On 29 July 2021, Riad released the song "Al Kawkab", which garnered more than a million views on YouTube less than 24 hours after its release. The song was written by Maher Al-Azzawi, composed by Ali Saber, and distributed by Moheeb Al-Rawi.[11]

In July 2021, MBC renewed Riad's contract for an additional season of Iraq Idol, which started in September.[12][13][14]

In October 2022, she was chosen to feature in Light The Sky, a song for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, collaborating with artists, RedOne, Manal, Balqees and Nora Fatehi.[15]

Personal life

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On 23 May 2021, she announced her engagement to Iraqi actor Alexander Uloom.[16][17][18] On 6 August 2021, they got married in a simple ceremony in the presence of their family and relatives.[19][20][21] On March 26 2024, she announced the birth of her daughter Alya.[22]

They live in together in Iraq.

Discography

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  • Er7moni Ya Alem
  • Moo Galata
  • Khlesna (2011)
  • Ella Gillilhom (2012)
  • Allah Kareem (2013)
  • Bosa (2014)
  • Anoudi (2015)
  • Weinak (2016)
  • Hade Hwe (2016)
  • Waed Menni (2018)
  • Mako Menni (2020)
  • Ahki Maa Hali (2020)
  • Athadakom (2021)[23]
  • Al Kawkab (2021)[24]
  • Asaad Lel Goumar (2022)[25]

References

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  1. ^ بلبل الجنوب الغريد, New Sabah Archived 2 September 2020 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ رحمة أحمد تطرح قضيَّة العنف ضد المرأة وتنتظر العريس المناسب, Almannarah Archived 2020-05-15 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ "Rahma Riad - Waed Menni [Official Lyric Video] (2018)". Rahma Riad. 22 August 2018. Archived from the original on 28 June 2019. Retrieved 28 August 2018.
  4. ^ a b "Top 20 most viewed songs by Arabic female singers on YouTube". Arabsounds. 12 August 2020. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
  5. ^ رحموني ياعالم - رحـمة ريـاض وهيثم يوسف on YouTube
  6. ^ رحمة تعود بأعلى نسبة تصويت بستار اكاديمي 7 Archived 30 May 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ كليب رحمة رياض خلصنا on YouTube
  8. ^ رحمة رياض تصوّر في لبنان وتغني لقطر Archived 30 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ رحمة رياض تطلق أغنيتها الخليجية موغلطته Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine
  10. ^ حاتم العراقي ورحمة رياض وسيف نبيل يكسرون قواعد "IRAQ IDOL- محبوب العراق" Laha, 31 January 2021. Archived 31 January 2021 at the Wayback Machine
  11. ^ El Shenawy, Ahmed (31 July 2021). ""الكوكب" لرحمة رياض تحصد مليون مشاهدة خلال 24 ساعة". Alroeya (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 8 August 2021. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  12. ^ "رحمة رياض تجدد عقدها في "عراق أيدول"" (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 8 August 2021. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  13. ^ "MBC تجدد عقدها مع رحمة رياض لموسم جديد من عراق أيدول و تطلق أغنيتها "الكوكب"". Addiyar. 29 July 2021. Archived from the original on 8 August 2021. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  14. ^ "mbc تجدد عقدها مع رحمة رياض لموسم جديد من عراق أيدول و تطلق أغنيتها الكوكب". PressN (in Arabic). 30 July 2021. Archived from the original on 8 August 2021. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  15. ^ "FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ Official Soundtrack release: all-female line-up inspires the globe to Light The Sky". qatar2022.qa. 7 October 2022. Archived from the original on 18 February 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  16. ^ "شاهد.. خطوبة رحمة رياض إلى الممثل الأمريكي العراقي ألكسندر علوم". Sayidaty (in Arabic). 23 May 2021. Archived from the original on 24 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  17. ^ "الفنانة العراقية رحمة رياض تعلن خطبتها إلى الممثل ألكسندر علوم – إرم نيوز". www.eremnews.com (in Arabic). 23 May 2021. Archived from the original on 23 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  18. ^ "رحمة رياض وألكسندر علوم يعلنان خطوبتهما". ET Bilarabi (in Arabic). 23 May 2021. Archived from the original on 24 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  19. ^ Abdeljalil, Zeena (6 August 2021). "الصور الأولى لعقد قران رحمة رياض وألكسندر علوم". Alroeya (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 6 August 2021. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  20. ^ "عقد قران رحمة رياض وألكسندر علوم (فيديو وصور)". Alsumaria (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 8 August 2021. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  21. ^ "زهرة الخليج - بالصور.. عقد قران رحمة رياض وألكسندر علوم". Zahrat Alkhaleej (in Arabic). Cairo. 7 August 2021. Archived from the original on 8 August 2021. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  22. ^ https://www.sayidaty.net/%D9%85%D8%B4%D8%A7%D9%87%D9%8A%D8%B1/%D9%85%D8%B4%D8%A7%D9%87%D9%8A%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A8/1745326-%D9%81%D9%8A%D8%AF%D9%8A%D9%88-%D8%B1%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%A9-%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%B6-%D8%AA%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%86-%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%86%D8%AA%D9%87%D8%A7-%D9%88%D8%AA%D8%B7%D9%84%D9%82-%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%87%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D9%85-%D8%B9%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%A9 [bare URL]
  23. ^ "رحمة رياض تطلق جديدها "أتحدّاكم"". ET Bilarabi (in Arabic). 14 January 2021. Archived from the original on 14 January 2021. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  24. ^ "رحمة رياض تفوز بجائزة دولية". Alsumaria (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 21 March 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  25. ^ "رحمة رياض "تصعد للقمر".. قبل غنائها في "مهرجان قرطاج"". Zahrat Alkhaleej. 21 July 2022. Retrieved 22 July 2022.