The organizing committee for the annual Hello February Festival in Kuwait has removed the names of Lebanese singers Nancy Ajram and Alissa after they were previously included in the list of singers to participate in the big event. The reason given behind dropping their names was due to social ethics and standards in Kuwait.
It was revealed that political pressure on the committee played a big role in taking the two singers names off the list. On their part the committee had announced that the main reason was that Nancy and Alissa have already made plans to hold other concerts in Dubai at the same time the festival will be taking place.
According to the Kuwaiti based daily, Al Watan, in a personal phone call made to Nancy’s business manager, Jiji Lamara, it was stressed that Nancy had received an invitation from the organizers of the festival to participate in it, but Jiji had turned down the invitation due to their engagement in other events. Jiji added that Nancy had very recently held two performances in Kuwait, which makes the rumors that Nancy was not allowed to be part of the festival due to political pressures untrue.
Ajram denied circulating rumors that she has gotten married to well-known Egyptian businessman Ahmad Izz, owner of Izz Iron manufacturing industries. Nancy was in shock to hear of the new and jokingly remarked that there is no truth behind the news especially since she has not entered Egypt since before the New Year and has been preoccupied in recording studios preparing for her upcoming album.
It was rumored that Nancy and Izz had gotten married a few days ago and the wedding was basically a very small and private wedding featuring some very close friends and family members. It was also added that Izz had paid Nancy 20 million Egyptian pounds as her wedding dowry.
Nancy has announced that she will be spending Eid El Adha holiday between Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates where she is scheduled to hold live concerts. The first day of the holiday Nancy will hold a performance in Dubai and then head off to Kuwait where she is scheduled to hold concerts on the second and third day.
Organizers of the 2004 Muscat Music Festival in Oman announced that Nancy will be one of the main surprises of the festival, which begins mid-January and continues until mid-February. It was revealed that the first performances are scheduled to be held by Nancy after which other singers will sing. –Albawaba.com
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
