Maya Henri Diab ( ; born 12 November 1978) is a Lebanese singer, entertainer, actress and television personality. She is a former member of the Lebanese girl group The 4 Cats.
Early life Maya Diab, was born in Achrafieh, to a Christian Greek Orthodox family. She is the youngest of her parents' children and has one brother and two sisters. She majored in radio and TV media after receiving her university degree from the Lebanese University.
Career In 1996, she won the Gold Medal for the fashion category at Studio El Fan, when she was only 16 years old. In 1998, she participated in Miss Lebanon. In 2000, she competed in the TV presenting category at Studio El Fan, which led her to join The 4 Cats in 2001.
In 2007, she acted in Asad W Arbaa Kotat along with The 4 Cats and Hany Ramzy, then in two other TV series, Kalam Niswan in 2009 and El Donia Heik in 2010. In 2010, she left The 4 Cats. The following year, she released her debut solo single "Habibi", as well as a duet called "Sawa" with Ramy Ayach.
In 2011, she took on her first gig as a TV presenter with Heik Menghanni on MTV. She later presented Deal Or No Deal: El Ikhtiyar () on Al-Nahar in 2012 and Ask The Arabs () on MBC 1 in 2016.
In October 2020, Maya Diab was named the Fashion Icon of the Arab World by the Arab Fashion Council, and she announced the opening of the 12th edition of the Arab Fashion Week, which was hosted virtually in Dubai.
Personal life She married a businessman, Abbas Nasser, in 2006, with whom she had her daughter, Kai. The couple separated in 2017.
Public statements In 2016, Diab defended her decision to perform at a Beirut nightclub popular among LGBT audiences, criticizing those who judged her choice and stating that music transcends race, religion, and identity. In January 2020, she mentioned that she was kidnapped in Beirut in 2005, where she was held hostage and abused in a car for one day. In 2022, she reiterated her support for LGBT people, stating that homosexuality was not shameful, that individuals should be free to live their lives, and that society should embrace acceptance and respect.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Diab questioned the safety and rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines on social media, describing people as "not a field of experiments" and urging them not to "put death and poison" into their bodies, drawing criticism for promoting vaccine misinformation. In January 2021, she also expressed concern over the pandemic's impact on Lebanon, describing the country as "dying" and highlighting hospital overcrowding and shortages of available beds.
Discography Studio albums +TitleAlbum details #MyMaya Released: 23 July 2015 Label: self-publishing Formats: streaming, digital download My Maya I Released: 29 April 2023 Label: self-publishing Formats: streaming, digital download #MyMayaV Released: 28 September 2023 Label: self-publishing Formats: streaming, digital download
Live albums +TitleAlbum details Maya Live Released: 31 October 2015 Label: self-publishing Formats: streaming, digital download
EP's +TitleAlbum details My Maya II Released: 29 April 2023 Label: self-publishing Formats: streaming, digital download My Maya III Released: 29 April 2023 Label: self-publishing Formats: streaming, digital download My Maya IV Released: 29 April 2023 Label: self-publishing Formats: streaming, digital download
Singles +List of singles as lead artist, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name Title Year Peak chart positions Album or EP LBNPeak chart positions for singles in Lebanon: "Aktar Shewaya": "Albi Affaltou": "Ghariba": Other: "Sawa" 2011 — rowspan="2" "Ibn El Youzbashi" — "Habibi" 2 My Maya I "Tawel Balak" 2012 — "Chaklak Ma Btaaref" — "Dabou Aynaik" 2013 2 "Gatifin" 2014 — "Aywa" 2015 5 "Ya Niyali" 9 "Ya Bayyaiin El Asssal" 5 #MyMaya "Fina Nghayir" 2016 — rowspan="2" "El Donya" — "Keda Bardou" — #MyMaya "Biradini" 2017 — "Tebead Aanni" 13 My Maya II "Baadou" 2018 3 "Ysouffou Haki" 2019 1 "Khserna Baad" 6 "Rob3i Sa3a" — My Maya III "Yaba Yaba" 1 "Ana" 2020 18 "Naharna Wardi" — "Doub" 2021 — "High Heels" 18 "Ahla Kalam" 10 rowspan="3" "Watani Li Jayi" — "7ataly Rouge" — "Ahlan Wa Sahlan" 1 My Maya IV "Aktar Shewaya" 3 rowspan="2" "Asmar Ya Helou / Bassak Teji Haretna / Mayil Ya Ghzayel" 2022 — "Layliyi" 3 My Maya IV "Emmi Ya Emmi" 1 "Eiish Ahla Snin" 4 My Maya IV "Diali" 2 "Helw Dah" 2023— rowspan="7" "3arous (Bridal Song)" 2024 — "Albi Affaltou" 2025 13 "Haramt Ahebak" — "Akher Sahra" — "Gabbah" 2026 — "Ghariba" 14 "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Filmography
Film +YearTitleArabic TitleRoleNotes2007Asad W Arbaa Kotatأسد واربع قططHerself2019Lokhanda Elawbash——TV movie
TV Series +YearTitleArabic TitleRoleNotes2009Kalam Niswanكلام نسوانBatoul2010El Donia Heikالدنيا هيك—2011Heik Menghanniهيك منغنيHerself2012Deal or No Dealديل اور نو ديل
References
External links