She is listed as the “First Rock Star of the Middle East” in the catalog of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as well as in the Museum’s Library and Archives, in Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A.
Her name is Lydia Canaan, and she has been indeed rocking it! A singer, a songwriter, and a humanitarian at best!
Canaan was born in the Lebanese mountain town of Brummana to a conservative family that, as expected, prompted to discourage her from singing rock music.
However, her passion rocking in her, she joined the heavy metal band “Equation” in 1984 when she was still a teenage girl. She was also known back then as Angel.
Lydia gained her place on stage perfectly as she became a role model for most teenage girls at the time.
Despite the civil war back then, the concerts held by the band used to be full-crowded that the organizers had to revert to stamping each fan’s hand at the door as they would run out of tickets.
Her last performance with Equation was held in 1986, after which Canaan followed the solo path that took her beyond Lebanon to the world.
Many of her original compositions were radio hits. Canaan’s first original composition “Why All The Hurt” was a tribute to a deceased friend, a composition she wrote as a teenager and was a #1 hit on the radio charts in Lebanon.
During the Syrian occupation of Lebanon, Canaan performed in Tripoli in front of a large crowd, defying the death threats. In 1987, she performed to a crowd of 20,000 at the Beirut Rock Festival.
Following the latter, she performed 3 consecutive nights at our prestigious Casino du Liban.
In 1989, she left Lebanon to settle in Switzerland where she continued releasing melodic international hits such as “Beautiful Life”.
Lydia Canaan has more beauty beyond her singing talent. She’s also a humanitarian activist, dedicated to worthy causes for children, the elderly, and animals’ rights. Throughout her life, she has been donating time, funds, and talent to many charities.
Worth noting that her composition “Beautiful Life” was chosen by President Nelson Mandela as the theme song for a charity event in South Africa.
As an artist with a voice and an objective, Canaan has received lots of valuable awards, such as the International Year of Volunteers Award for her humanitarianism from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Praised by an eminent UN Ambassador as a Diplomat Artist, Canaan has delivered intense humanitarian speeches at the 25th, 26th, 28th, 23rd, and 34th sessions of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017.
Nothing but applause for Lydia Canaan, and all Lebanese women who shine worldwide as they carry Lebanon in their hearts wherever they go!
