Nancy Ajram Covers Billboard Arabia: A Dazzling Journey From Child Prodigy to Global Icon

“You have to make people clap for you”—a phrase that remains etched in Nancy Ajram’s memory from her earliest days on stage. It was her father who introduced her to the world of music, arranging weekly performances for the young songstress. But before every appearance, he would gently urge—or perhaps forewarn—her with those words: “You have to make people clap for you and be delighted.” A daunting challenge for a girl under the age of ten; a weighty expectation for such small shoulders. How, she wondered, could she compel the audience to applaud?

With this heartfelt recollection, Nancy opened up to Billboard Arabia, just days after releasing her latest album, Nancy 11. She arrived at the cover shoot and entered a studio encircled by mirrored panels, each capturing a different reflection of her. Stand at a certain angle, and you see two versions of Nancy: one, the mature and contemplative woman shaped by time; the other, the spirited girl who charmed audiences with her sparkle and mischief. She speaks of entering a new chapter in her life, where the artist and the woman finally walk side by side in harmony, delivering messages of self-love and inner peace.

But how did Nancy Ajram ascend to become one of the Arab world’s most celebrated pop stars? And how did her music come to resonate across cultures and continents?

A Star in the Making

To understand Nancy as a woman, artist and mother, one must trace the path back to where it all began. The Arab world first met her as a little girl in a frilly white dress, her wide blue eyes beaming as she sang Zaki Nassif’s “Na’eeli ahla zahra ya farasha na’eeli” with uncontainable zeal. This iconic moment has remained etched in the region’s cultural memory, and though she has often recounted it over the years, it still moves her deeply. It reminds her of the sacrifices she made at a tender age to earn the stardom she enjoys today.

Yet, it wasn’t only her early environment that shaped her path. There’s something far more powerful in her nature, her drive, her instinct, her resilience. Recently, even her tone and manner reveal a personality unwilling to surrender. ‏‏She playfully ‏‏‏‏attributes ‏‏‏‏this to her‏‏‏‏ astrological‏‏ ‏‏sign‏‏‏‏, Taurus, ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏or to the people around her: “They say I’m stubborn,” she laughs, as if uncertain herself. But any reasonable observer would agree. Anyone who has spent an entire life in the music industry must possess fierce determination. And Nancy? She has spent nearly all of hers at the summit.

This grit proved essential when she reached a turning point in her teenage years. After releasing her debut album Mihtagalak at just 15, followed three years later by Sheel Oyounak Anni, Nancy experienced only modest success. It was then that she faced a decision: either chart her own course to true stardom or walk away in pursuit of another calling. “I reached this phase… I wasn’t unknown, but I wasn’t very famous either. I was stuck in-between. And I hate the in-between… I really do!” she says with conviction. “If I’m going to do something, succeed at something, if I set a goal, I have to reach it!”

After the Decision: A Voyage to Global Fame

Then came Ya Salam in 2003, and with it, Nancy Ajram’s meteoric rise. From that point forward, Nancy Ajram became the defining face of Arabic pop. Bathed in spotlights and surrounded by flashing cameras, she welcomed the attention with open arms. Not a single year, or even a few quiet months, has passed without her presence resonating loudly. Her popularity never wavered, not even after marriage and the birth of her three daughters.

Eleven studio albums, two children’s records, relentless media visibility and an unceasing concert circuit. Nancy no longer needs to announce world tours—she simply lives them. She traverses continents year-round, enchanting crowds from East to West.

‏During our conversation, Nancy spoke with genuine excitement about her most recent performance ‏‏at ‏‏‏‏London’s‏‏ legendary ‏‏Royal ‏‏‏‏Albert Hall, one of several appearances on its revered stage. A richly diverse audience greeted her, singing along to every lyric of her beloved anthems. She also beamed with pride when discussing her surprisingly vast fanbase in East Asia, a fact confirmed by streaming platform analytics, with strong followings in countries such as Indonesia and South Korea. She revealed her intention to embark on a world tour soon, one that will bring her directly to these fans.

Hits like “Ah W Noss,” “Ya Tabtab,” “Enta Eih,” “Ala Shanak” and “Fi Hagat,” along with her electrifying global collaboration with Marshmello on “Sah Sah,” have propelled Nancy to international recognition. A few years ago, fans were stunned when none other than Billie Eilish praised Nancy Ajram, crediting her as her gateway to Arabic music. Eilish singled out “Enta Eih” and “Fi Hagat” as particular favorites, describing Nancy’s vocal delivery as “crazy.” In a now-iconic interview, Eilish said: “Arabic songs fall on my ears like melted chocolate (laughs). No, not literally, but I love this song (‘Fi Hagat’), I love the melody, I love the way she sings it.”

When we asked Nancy to reflect on such a powerful endorsement from a global superstar like Billie Eilish, she replied with humility: “I really value her opinion because she’s musically educated and understands music, her and her brother,” referring to Billie’s creative partnership with her brother Finneas. She added: “At the end of the day, she’s Billie Eilish, she has a huge fanbase and is a global star… so of course, I’m thrilled by her opinion.”

The Artist and the Woman, in Harmony

Today, fans admire photographs of Nancy’s three daughters, noting how closely they resemble her as a child. And rightly so, they’ve seen her evolve at every stage, growing up and blossoming before their eyes on television, even during phases that may have felt fleeting or out of her control.

In an unexpected moment during the shoot, we asked Nancy what advice she would offer her younger self. She paused. A silence swept through the studio, as everyone held their breath. Her gaze drifted, searching through distant memories. “Maybe… I could’ve been freer,” she eventually said. Then, thoughtfully, she added: “I could’ve been freer in expressing myself. Sometimes when you express something, it helps you let go of it faster and move beyond it.”

This freedom of self-expression, Nancy Ajram would claim it in the years that followed. And she wouldn’t just claim it for herself; she would pass it on to her three daughters. Through her art, through her voice and through an unwavering commitment to success, even when the price was high.