Betfakar Fi Eih

Betfakar Fi Eih
Studio album by Nancy Ajram
Released 30 May 2008
Recorded 2008-2009
Genre World
Length 60:42
Label art line music
Producer Jiji Lamara
Nancy Ajram chronology
Shakhbat Shakhabit
(2007)		 Bitfakar Fi Eih
(2008)		 7
(2010)
Singles from Betfakkar Fi Eih
  1. "Betfakkar Fi Eih"
    Released: May 2008
  2. "Min Dally Nseek"
    Released: September 2008
  3. "Lamset Eed"
    Released: December 2008
  4. "Ibn ElGiran"
    Released: March 2009
  5. "Mashi Haddi"
    Released: June 2009

Betfakkar Fi Eih (Arabic: "بتفَكّر في إيه؟", Translation: What Are You Thinking About?) is the sixth full-length studio album by Lebanese recording artist Nancy Ajram, released July 30, 2008 in the Arab World, and August 1 of the same year elsewhere, to reach remarkable career-defining success that none of Ajram's previous records had achieved.

Betfakkar Fi Eih produced several hits which continued Ajram's reign as the artist with most number-one hits in the history of the modern Arab music industry. The lead single and title track was a change in the sound of Nancy Ajram welcomed by critics and fans. The album, just like its predecessor Ya Tabtab...Wa Dallaa also featured product placement as a tool to promote many of its songs, including "Meen Ghairy Ana," "Wana Ben Idek" and "Lamset Eed." The latter being an ad for Sony Ericson smartphones, with which Ajram made a deal upon dropping the album. Other singles include "Mashi Haddi," which became a big hit in the summer of 2009.

The album brought Ajram to global recognition, when she returned home from the 2008 World Music Awards with the trophy for the best selling Middle Eastern act, a feat not reached except by fellow recording artists Amr Diab and Elissa. However, Nancy is the youngest Arabian act to score a WMA.

Production and changes

In June 2008, Jiji announced the filming of a video for a song called "Aktar w Aktar" (Sahharny Sahhar) which was rumored to have been the old album title. However, "Betfakkar Fi Eih" then became the lead single and album title. "Biteegy Sirtak" was rumored to have been a 15-minute-long song, as mentioned by Samir Sfeir himself and Nancy Ajram, but the album version was edited down to 6 minutes for radio broadcast.

In January 2007, news about "Ibn elGiran" (The Neighbor's Son) had leaked and it was mentioned that Nadine Labaki was to film it as her music video comeback. She had reportedly met with Hamid elChaery (song's arranger) for suggestions that would match the music video.[1] However, Nadine did not direct any music videos for three years ahead, and "Ibn elGiran" was directed by another British director before the album's release. Also, "Zaman Kan Andi Alb" (I Used to Have a Heart) is strongly rumored to be directted by Nadine Labaki, to supposedly sequel "Inta Eih". However, in mid-2009 rumors had it that the song will be directed by Yehia Saadeh, preceded by the Khaliji song of the album, Khaffef. This led to complaints from fans, first due to the choice of Yehya as a director, especially after the release of several controversial clips by him. The choice of Khaffef was also not well-received, since this song did not catch as much attention as Nancy's previous Khaliji hit "Meshtaga Leik". Zaman Kan Andi Alb's music video still remains in question. The song is the second creation of Samir Sfeir and Tarek Madkoor in the album, after "Meen Ghayri Ana" (Noss elKawn) which fans highly requested a music video for. Due to all these reasons, Nancy & Jiji decided in November 2009 to cancel filming Khaffef and to film Noss elKawn instead, thus satisfying huge fan demand cleverly, keeping Yehya as the director of the clip. However, later on, fans were surprised to see that none of the songs mentioned were filmed as music videos, in spite of official statements with set filming dates and crew.

Artwork

The album included two different photoshoots by David Abdallah, whom Nancy constantly works with. As opposed to her previous typical-photoshoot album covers which did not achieve satisfaction, this album's was generally Nancy's most liked cover by the public. The cover shoot showed Nancy sitting at the back of a car, staring mysteriously outside the window, or simply with her eyes closed, appearing to be deep in thought and imagination. The cover came to match the album's theme of change and maturity, as it serves to impose the question of the album title, "Betfakkar Fi Eih" or "What are you thinking about". In the other shoot included in the inlay booklet, Nancy poses in common photoshoot style, with rose petals flying all around her. The three different looks in the shoots and the three different hairstyles in the car shoot were the work of her make-up artist, Fady Kataya, and hair styler, Wasim Morqoss from Pace e Luce, respectively. The album booklet contains full Arabic lyrics to the songs.

Music

Songs

Nancy chose the album title track "Betfakkar Fi Eih" (What Are You Thinking About) because its meaning described the change in the album. The first preview of the album was from the hit "Meen Ghairy Ana" in Nancy's three part Coke commercial, which served as a very successful promotion 5 months before release. Even though "Meen Ghairy Ana" is considered by many to be the smash hit of the album, the choice of the lead single was to be the album title track as usual, which did not satisfy all critics. Along with the album's release came a high-budget video for Betfakkar Fi Eih with hi-tech effects that marked a first in the Arab world.

Nancy, before the album's release was rumored to have already filmed "Meen Ghairy Ana" and "Ibn El Giran". Min Ghairy Ana, by the successful trio (Nizar Francis, Samir Sfeir, Tarek Madkour) who previously created Nancy's smash hits "Yey" and "Ana Yalli", is an upbeat romantic song which was used for the 2008 Coca-Cola campaign in the Middle East. In the song, Madkoor's brand new Western formula of beats and instruments created a unique and "colorful" style for Nancy; a much richer mix than the simple, yet unique electric guitar he included in the album's hit "Betfakkar Fi Eih", from which the video's whole style was inspired.

Nancy also continues her drama of "Inta Eih" from Ah W Noss with a sequel in this album. In Zaman Kan Andi Alb (I Used to Have a Heart), the sad heartbroken wife who once made sure to be smiling to her cheating husband has a change of heart, or more accurately a loss of one. In the song, Nancy faces him with the truth she was hiding in the old song and video and announces that she no longer has a heart like before to love him. The song is also by Sameer Sfeir and Tarek Madkoor, who this time chose to create a simpler mix to the song that focuses on Sfeir's tune and shows a wide vocal range for Nancy. The most successful song in radio stations upon release of the album is most probably Lamset Eed (Touch of a Hand), a very romantic song with deep, sad feelings. The song, by the same trio (Fares Iskandar, Salim Salama, Hadi Charara) who created Nancy's previous hit "Ehsas Jdeed", shows a maturity in Nancy's style and a convincing singing of feelings.

In Mashi Haddi, Nancy returns to Lebanese folkore last seen in her 2001 album "Sheel 3younak 3anni" - but this time with a fast oldies style that takes a great credit for the album's uniqueness. Nancy also sings an old Egyptian style in Ibn elGiran where she performs a short "Mawwal" at the end of the song for the first time since "Baddalla' Aleik" in Ah W Noss. Another fast Egyptian song by Mohammed Rahim is Sahharny Sahhar which was rumored to have been the old title of the album. Nancy teases her ex-lover in this song and taunts him with every word.

Probably the most remarkable feature of this song is that it is a Tarab song by Sameer Sfeir Biteegy Sirtak. Nancy who always performs Tarab for other singers in her concerts finally included her own track after the 1998 tracks of her debut album "Mihtagalak". The song, which was originally 12 minutes long had to be edited down to 6 minutes for radio stations to be able to play it all.

In Min Dally Nseek, the second video of the album, Nancy contributed in forming a first-time collaboration between Egyptian composer Walid Saad and Lebanese mixer Hadi Charara who created a fast, different and new mix for the song for which he praised Nancy for making a "brave" choice. Another romantic but slow song is Wana Bin Idek which shows Nancy's deep convincing feelings towards her lover. This is Nancy's second cooperation with Egyptian composer Mahmoud Khiami after "Baddallaa' Aleik" in Ah w Noss, and it was rumored that it was the only song by Nancy played at her wedding.

Genre

In Betfakkar Fi Eih, Nancy performed the widest variety of styles in comparison with her previous albums, many of which were completely new to her. To categorize the most significant:

Singles

Promotional Singles

Director: Manfredo Leteo
Director: Mike Harris
Director: Leila Kenaan

Music Videos

Other charted songs

Track listing

Official Track List

  1. Betfakkar Fe Eih - 3:55 (What Are You Thinking About?)
  2. Min Dally Nseek - 3:42 (Who's Forgotten About You)
  3. Meen Ghairy Ana - 4:06 (Who Else But Me)
  4. Safer (Ana Rohy Maak) - 5:01 (Leave, My Soul's Within You)
  5. Sahharny Sahhar - 3:52 (Keep Me Up, Keep Me Up)
  6. Baldiyyat (Ana Menno) - 4:29 (From My Town)
  7. Zaman Kan Andi Alb - 5:08 (Once, I Had a Heart)
  8. Lamset Eed - 3:55 (Touch of a Hand)
  9. Leya Ha' - 4:00 (I Have the Right)
  10. Ibn El Giran - 4:27 (The Neighbours' Son)
  11. Wana Ben Ideik -

-

Credits

Song- writer - composer - producer

  1. Betfakkar Fe Eih - Amir Dhaiwah - Mhd. el Nadi - Tarek Madkour
  2. Min Dally Nseek - Maad Juda - Walid Saad - Hadi Sharara
  3. Meen Ghairy Ana - Nizar Francis - Samir Sfeir - Tarek Madkour
  4. Safer (Ana Rohy Maak) - Awad Badawi - Walid Saad - Adel Ayash
  5. Sahharny Sahhar - Khaled Amin - Mhd. Rahim - Hamid el Shaari
  6. Baldiyyat (Ana Menno) - Nader Abdullah - Walid Saad - Adel Ayash
  7. Zaman Kan Andi Alb - Amir Dhaiwah - Samir Sfeir - Tarek Madkour
  8. Lamset Eed - Fares Iskandar - Salim Salameh - Hadi Sharara
  9. Leya Ha' - 4:00 - Mustafa Marsi - Samir Sfeir - Fahad
  10. Ibn El Giran - Khaled Amin - Mhd. Rahim - Hamid el Shaari
  11. Wana Ben Ideik - Mhd. el Burra - Mahmoud Khaimi - Hamid el Shaari
  12. Khaffef Alayya Shwayy - el Nasser - Abdulrab Idris - Tarek Aakef
  13. Mashi Haddi - Fares Iskandar - Salim Salameh - Hamid el Shaari
  14. Biteegy Sirtak - Mustafa Kamal - Samir Sfeir - Tarek Aaakef

Tour

The album was widely promoted by Nancy's 2008 world tour. The tour became Nancy's first to feature legs outside the Arab World.

Setlist

Reception

Betfakkar Fi Eih is considered one of Nancy's most successful albums to date as it won her first World Music Award after seven albums. Betfakkar Fi Eih was the most selling album in the Arab world (Middle East and North Africa) for the year 2008, even though there were huge competitors at that same year including Nawal Al Zoghbi, Elissa, Ragheb Alama, Tamer Hosny, Samira Said, Marwan Khoury, Myriam Fares, Haifa Wehbe, Mohamed Hamaki, Amal Hijazi, all of whom released comeback albums in the same year. In addition to the WMA, another award the album won was the Student's Choice Award based on a voting survey carried between over 8,000 Lebanese college students who voted it as album of the year. "Betfakkar Fi Eih" peaked at #1 for 7 consecutive weeks in Beirut Virgin, and still continues to top charts around the Arab world, occupying #1 in Weekly Sales Charts numerous times in Beirut, Dubai, Egypt, Syria & Jordan, and online sources.

In the lead hit video, prominent director Said el Marouk was thoroughly criticized for focusing on high-level effects and styles rather than a coherent storyboard for the clip. However, Betfakkar Fi Eih was nevertheless voted #2 for the best video of 2008 in an online survey by Stars Cafe.[2]

Meen Dally Nseek on the other hand, which came three months later and also by Saeed, peaked at #1 for seven consecutive weeks in Melody Hits' Top Music Videos and Top Songs[3] (both categories).

Two months upon release, many then-unfilmed songs achieved huge success among the public and acquired "smash-hit status", including the album's promo song 5 months pre-release, "Meen Ghayri Ana", as well as the instant radio-hits "Lamset Eed", "Mashi Haddi", "Wana Bin Idek", "Sahharny Sahhar", and the first two singles, "Betfakkar Fi Eih" and "Min Dally Nseek". Due to huge amount of video requests for different songs, Nancy announced that she will be filming about 10 music videos from the 14 songs of the album.

Betfakkar Fi Eih broke the record in Hitmarker's Top 10 best-selling Arabic album charts by remaining for 48 consecutive weeks in the list.[4] It is now in its 52nd week, and still topping charts more than a year and half from the date of its release. The album's singles and music videos have all reached #1 spots at Hitmarker, the only official pan-Arab music charts that are the trusted source for the WMA's.

Personnel

- Samir Sfeir: four songs (most composer with songs on the album). Previous songs for Nancy: "Ana Yalli", "Inta Eih", "Gayyin Ye2ulouli", "La Teloom" from her hit album Ah W Noss, and "Yey (Sehr 3youno)" from Ya Salam. Sameer Sfeir has been composing the greatest Arabic hits for more than 25 years, and he takes part of the credit of the birth of stars like Nawal elZoghbi, Assi elHellani, and Wael Kfouri.

- Tarek Madkour: who arranged 3 songs in the album. Madkoor has previously composed and arranged Nancy's famous hit songs Ah W Noss & Atabtab, and has arranged: "Yey", "Inta Eih", "Oul Tany Kida", "Ana Yalli", and many others. Tareq has been in the industry for more than 20 years, and started his work with Amr Diab, an old friend that he still does songs for. Most of the greatest Arabic hits hold his signature.

- Salim Salama, composed two hits in the album, Lamset eed and Mashi Haddi. Salama previously composed Nancy's smash hit "Ehsas Jdeed" and her first best selling album's title "Ya Salam", with "Ahla Jaw" and "Nasseito Garho"

- Hamid elChaery, from the leaders of contemporary Arabic music, who has been in the industry for more than two decades, cooperated with Nancy for the first time in three songs, "Mashi Haddi", "Ibn elGiran", and "Sahharny Sahhar", notably adding a brand new oldies touch to Nancy's music.

- Waleed Saed: leading Egyptian composer, composed 3 songs in the album, Min Dalli Nseek, Safer, and Baladiyyat. Saad previously composed "Elli Kan", "Moegaba", "Hobbak Leyya", and "Ana Masri", Nancy's song for Egypt. Saed has added a clear Tarab and sad touch seen in works for Assala (Asfa), or Misheet Khalas (Wael Jassar) and even the legendary Warda.

- Hadi Charara (award-winning Lebanese music arranger and composer) has previously arranged "Ehsas Jdeed" for Nancy, with two songs in this album "Min Dalli Nseek" and "Lamset eeD".

- Mahmoud Khiami who previously did "Ballaa Aleik" for Nancy and is considered from Egypt's top composers, composed a slow song for Nancy in this album called "Akbar Men Keda".

- Mhd. Rahim, from Egypt's fastest rising artists, composed two songs in the album "Sahharny Sahhar" and "Ibn elGiran". Rahim previously composed Nancy's smash Coca-Cola hit "ElDonya Helwa" and "Ana Leih" from her album Ah w Noss.

- AbdulRab Idriss a singer and composer from one of the big names in Khaliji music composed "Khaffef Alayy Shwayy" (the only Khaliji song) which was written by the great poet AlNasser.

Background vocals: Nancy did the background vocals for all of the songs of the album except Tracks #2, #6, #8, #9, #12 and #14.

References

  1. ↑ نانسي تعود إلى نادين لبكي (accessed June 27, 2009)
  2. ↑ Stars Cafe Annual Survey 2008 Archived January 26, 2009, at the Wayback Machine.(accessed January 8, 2009)
  3. ↑ Melody Hits (accessed January 8, 2009)
  4. ↑ نانسي عجرم تسجّل رقماً قياسياً مع 48 أسبوع على قوائم "Hitmarker" (accessed Nov 30 2009)

External links

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