Elissa

Elissar Zakaria Khoury (Arabic: إليسار زكريا خوري‎) (born October 27, 1972 in Deir el Ahmar, Lebanon), known as Elissa (Arabic: إليسا‎) is a Lebanese singer with multiple Arabic and International awards. She is one of the most well-known female singers in the Arab world and considered as one of the best selling female artists in the Middle East.

Famous for her passionate style of music and unique vocal capabilities, Elissa is often referred to as the "Queen Of Romance" and "Queen Of Feelings". Elissa was the first Lebanese musician to win World Music Award in 2005 and 2006 for best selling albums in Middle East.

Biography

born to Lebanese father and a Syrian mother, Elissa was raised in the The Bekaa valley in Lebanon. She earned a degree in Political Science from the Lebanese University. She is a Maronite Catholic. Elissa's father, Zakaria Khoury, who studied and taught Arabic literature, died of cancer in 2004. She has 3 brothers and 2 sisters. Her brother Kamel Khoury is a DJ.