Lydia Canaan

Early life and education

Born and raised in Brummana, Lebanon during the Lebanese Civil War to a prominent Greek Orthodox Christian family, Canaan studied at Brummana High School (BHS) and later at Lebanese American University (LAU).

According to Canaan, from a young age singing and dancing served as an outlet and form of catharsis. Raised in a conservative family, Canaan's parents forbid her artistry and prohibited her from having a musical education or any formal training. However, Canaan, a native Arabic and French speaker, defied them, and early in life taught herself English and cultivated the unusual ability to compose and store melodies, lyrics, and poetry in English—unaided by instruments—by means of eidetic memory.

At the age of eight, Canaan was awarded the first place prize (in a contest in which all grades competed against each other) by her French elementary school, College des Saints-Coeurs, Bikfaya, for a poem she composed about a child who wept for being scolded for trivial matters such as staining her fingers with ink when she writes.

As reported by the newspaper Campus: "For Lydia Canaan's first gig, she had to throw her trademark short rockish black leather skirt and studs out of her bedroom window in Brummana, put on a long skirt, lie to her conservative father about where she was going, and, after changing into her leather gear, singing her teenage heart out as Angel with the band Equation".

Early career

In 1984, the teenaged Canaan—under the stage name Angel—joined the heavy metal band Equation, who until then had been intent on finding a male lead singer. Canaan's talent, personality, and stage presence gained her national popularity among Lebanese youth. The same year, she donned what would be become her trademark, trend-setting look: revealing, studded leather outfits with dramatic capes and hip-length blonde-streaked hair. Off stage, Canaan's Alma Mater, Brummana High School (BHS), voted her "Best Dressed". On stage, her provocative costumes contributed to the perception of her as a sex symbol. The Daily Star wrote: "On stage, with her daring looks and style, Canaan became a role model". At the height of their success the band drew a crowd of over 15,000. Canaan's first original composition, "Why All The Hurt", a tribute to a deceased friend that she wrote as a teenager, was a No. 1 hit on the radio charts in Lebanon.

Following Canaan's first concert with Equation, a The Gulf Today writer noted, "the first show produced a phenomenal reaction". Society magazine stated, "tickets were sold out but more teenagers stormed in to see the young Angel perform ... To accommodate the crowd, the concert organizers had to stamp on each fan's hand as they ran out of tickets. It was ... Her first success".

Canaan was hailed by the media as the first "rock star" of the Middle East. Since her first public appearance, Canaan held over 25 sell-out concerts in the country from 1984–1988, and despite the risks and dangers of warring militias and armies, recorded her songs for radio, and topped the charts in Lebanon. Her last concert with Equation was held in 1986.

Solo career

In 1987, Canaan embarked on a solo career, performing her original compositions, such as "To Oblivion and Back", "Does it Need Some Action", "A Hard Situation", "Hey Richie", and "The Christmas Wish", all which were radio hits.

As Canaan's music evolved, her fame grew. With Lebanon under Syrian occupation, Canaan's concerts were held in East Beirut, Mount Lebanon, and the north of Lebanon. In Tripoli, the second largest city in Lebanon, Canaan performed in front of a sold-out crowd under tight security after receiving numerous death threats. A scantily-clad Christian woman rock musician performing in a predominantly conservative Muslim city (whilst Lebanon was occupied by Syrian troops), her presence attracted some negative attention.

In 1987, Canaan performed to a crowd of 20,000 at the Beirut Rock Festival. In 1988, she held sell-out concerts for three consecutive nights at Casino du Liban, the last performer to grace its stage until it resumed activity following the end of the Liberation War in 1990.

International success

Canaan's international breakthrough was widely reported on by the Arab media, Al-Hayat writing that she had " ... invaded the European market with her ballads". In 1989, she left Lebanon and settled in Zurich, Switzerland, where she became a naturalized Swiss citizen. There she took vocal lessons with soprano Anita Monti. In 1990 she was interviewed by Radio Z in Zurich, where her songs received airplay.

In 1991, Canaan began working with record producer David Richards (producer of Queen and David Bowie). The same year, she gave a live interview for NBC Europe. Also in 1991, Canaan signed a two-year contract with London-based production company Spinny Music (led by Queen manager Jim Beach) to write and record her original songs produced by David Richards at Mountain Studios in Montreux, Switzerland. The same year she recorded the duet "Love and Lust" with Roger Taylor (Queen drummer).

Thereafter Canaan took vocal lessons with Tona de Brett in London. In 1993, she gave an interview and performed the duet "Spiritual Man" with Robin Scott (of M with hit song "Pop Muzik") on Channel 4 in London, recording the song along with other tracks with Scott that year.

Canaan is catalogued in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum's Library and Archives.

International hits

Beautiful Life

In February 1995, Canaan, who had up until that time performed under the stage name Angel, dropped the moniker, and under her birth name Lydia Canaan presented the single "Beautiful Life" (produced by Barry Blue and The Rapino Brothers) at the Midem in Cannes, France. That Spring, Canaan's international release of "Beautiful Life" by London-based Pulse-8 Records gained her international critical acclaim, the buzz culminating in a promo tour in the UK and radio airplay in the UK, Europe, South Africa, and the Middle East.

Canaan performed "Beautiful Life" at the launch of MTV Europe held in Beirut, on May 12, 1995. In promoting the event, MTV Europe billed her as "the diva from the Middle East". During the press conference, President of MTV Europe Peter Einstein stated:

MTV is proud and privileged to play Lydia's videos on Music-Non-Stop Show ... All at MTV have fallen in love with Lydia, her songs, and her performance.

The Sound of Love

Canaan's second single "The Sound of Love", produced by Barry Blue and The Rapino Brothers and recorded at the Maison Rouge Studios in London, was released in 1997. In 1998, Canaan's recordings, made in New York City at Jay Ward's Dogbrain Music, were exhibited on billboardtalentnet.com, a web site promoting unsigned talent, and appeared on its RadioBTN top 10 chart.

Canaan's debut studio album, The Sound of Love, that followed was released in the summer of 2000. Recorded in London and New York City and including a track featuring Tommy Mandel (who performed keyboard and produced a remix of the song), the album was distributed by SIDI/XEMA in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon. Canaan launched the album through Orbit, Music Now, MBC, ART, LBCI, Future TV, Showtime's MTV Arabia, Murr TV, Dubai TV, Bahrain TV, local television stations, radio stations, and all major pan Arab printed press. In support of the album release, Canaan performed various venues in Beirut, Jumeira Beach Hotel in Dubai, and UAE, Savage Garden Club, and Rifaa Golf Club in Manama, Bahrain.

Libnan

Canaan wrote and recorded "Libnan" in 1993. In 2004, it became the title song of the advertisement "Rediscover Lebanon", produced and broadcast by CNN to over one-billion viewers and commissioned by the Lebanese Ministry of Economy & Trade to promote Lebanon as a tourist destination.

Never Set You Free

In 2014, Canaan was awarded by the UK Songwriting Contest as Semi-finalist for her song "Never Set You Free".

Activism

In 2014, Canaan, called a "high-profile" celebrity by ABC News, was compelled toward activism as a United Nations delegate for Khiam Rehabilitation Center for Victims of Torture (KRC) to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

Humanitarian work

Canaan supports Khiam Rehabilitation Center for Victims of Torture (KRC), Solitary Watch, John Legend's Free America campaign, Human Rights Watch, War Child Holland-Lebanon, SAWA for DEV & AID, Azarieh Nun's Order School, and the International Campaign to Prosecute War Crimes in Iraq chaired by former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark.

Charity work

Throughout her life, Canaan has donated her money, music, and time to many charities, particularly those concerned with children, animals, and the elderly. She reportedly made generous donations to the Children's Care Unit of Salmaniyah Hospital, Child Fund International (CFI), and St. Jude's Hospital, and has performed at charity and fundraiser events including American Women's Club, Salmaniyah Hospital (Children's Care Unit), Beirut Rotary Club, American Community School, Association pour la Promotion Feminine, Caritas Internationalis (Liban), Centre Renee Wehbe Le Vieillard Malade, Beirut for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (BETA), Lion's Beirut Code Club, Unite Lebanon Youth Project (ULYP), Arab Resource Center for Popular Arts, Al-Jana (ARCPA), Social Support Society Active Ageing House, NASMA Foundation, and Association Amour et Partage.

Her song, "Beautiful Life", was selected by South African President Nelson Mandela as the theme song for a charity event in South Africa.

Advocacy

Support for animal welfare

Canaan, an outspoken animal welfare supporter and animal rights activist, supports the Asian Conservation Awareness Programme (ACAP/WildAid), the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Le Roselet Foundation, and Beirut for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (BETA).

Public speaking

Film

In 2014, Canaan was interviewed by America-based Global Sorority Foundation for their documentary film series as a prime example for young girls worldwide to overcome adversity and raise awareness for gender equality.

Literature

American author Robert W. McGee mentioned Canaan's songs "So Much To Give" and "Never Set You Free" in his two novels Justifiable Homicide (2014) and Annie and the Senator (2015); Canaan and her songs "Shine", "Fallin'", and "Libnan" were referenced in all three volumes of McGee's The Iraqi Girl Trilogy (2015). McGee's characters often risk their lives to listen to Lydia Canaan's music.

Honors