Haifa Wehbe Biography

Haifa Wehbe was born on March 10, 1976, in Mahrouna, South Lebanon. Growing up in Beirut, Wehbe enjoyed listening to jazz and R&B music. She got an early start in modeling, and was crowned "Miss South Lebanon" by the time she was sixteen. In 1995, nineteen-year-old Wehbe was runner-up in the Miss Lebanon competition; a title that was later revoked when it was discovered that she was married, had a daughter, and therefore did not qualify as a "Miss."

By 1996, Wehbe had modeled for several magazines, and soon after released her first album, It is Time. In 2005, she released her second album, I Want to Live, featuring the successful single “Hayat Albi.” It was followed up with her signature hit song, “Ana Haifa (I am Haifa).” On June 10, 2006, Haifa performed as an opening act for 50 Cent, at his first concert in Lebanon.

In 2005, Wehbe and fourteen other Arab celebrities starred in the critically-acclaimed reality show series The Valley, which aired for three months. Wehbe played a central part in the show, often singing her songs and flaunting her engagement ring from Saudi businessman, Tariq Al-Jaffali. The couple was only engaged for a few weeks prior to calling off the wedding, amidst rumors that Al-Jaffali’s family had disapproved of the union. Meanwhile, Wehbe’s ex-husband has retained custody of their daughter, Zaza, whom Wehbe has not seen in over ten years due to Lebanese child custody laws, in which fathers get custody of their children.

In addition to being known for her stunning looks, Wehbe also has a reputation for being catty and hypocritical with other women, especially when criticizing them for wearing revealing clothing. Wehbe, however, is no stranger to exposure herself. At the 2004 London Lebanese Fashion show, Wehbe sported a skin-tight dress that stole the spotlight from the show's models, who seemed conservative in comparison. In March 2006, a video of her dress coming undone reportedly hit the internet and went straight into cyber-circulation, creating a scandal in her home country. Her management later stated that the video was fabricated and "not worth worrying about."

In 2005, Wehbe accused rival Lebanese songstress Marwa of stealing her ideas for a dress she was planning to wear for one of her music videos. Marwa, however, beat her to the punch by releasing her video first.

Outside of show business, Wehbe has become engaged in designing her own line of diamond jewelry, as well as being a spokesmodel for Pepsi.

In AskMen.com’s 2006 Top 99 Most Desirable Women, Wehbe was ranked #49, and compared to a Lebanese Marilyn Monroe.

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