Ziad Rahbani

He was considered one of the most influential artists in modern Lebanese history, remembered for his wit, creativity, and refusal to conform.

• Name — Ziad Rahbani • Genre — * Arabic music • Lebanese music • opera • jazz • Born — 1 January 1956 • Birthplace — Antelias, Lebanon • Died — 26 July 2025 • Place of death — Beirut, Lebanon • Instrument — * Piano • electronic keyboards • accordion • buzuq • vocals • Occupation — * Composer • writer • musician

• Illustration — Rahbani with his mother in a photo from a 1973 magazine Ziad Rahbani was the son of the Lebanese composer Assi Rahbani and Lebanese singer Fairuz. Rahbani was married to Dalal Karam, with whom he had a boy named "Assi" but he was later found out not to be his biological son. Their relationship later ended in divorce, prompting Karam to write a series of articles for the gossip magazine Ashabaka about their marriage. Rahbani composed a number of songs about their relationship, including "Marba el Dalal" and "Bisaraha". Rahbani had a long-standing relationship with Lebanese leftist movements, and was a self-declared communist, being a lifelong affiliate with the Lebanese Communist Party. Furthermore, in an interview with the journalist Ghassan Bin-Jiddu, Rahbani stated that the bloodbath massacres in the Palestinian camp Tall a-Za’tar by extreme-rightist Christian militias in 1976 was the main reason that drove him to leave to West Beirut. Notwithstanding, he also expressed his support to the Lebanese resistance and its project in the face of "the Israeli occupation and its Zionist Apartheid regime". Coming from a Christian family, his politics and viewpoints were very radical when compared to his right-wing teenage surroundings. Rahbani was popularly understood to be atheist.

Rahbani's first artistic work was "Sadiqi Allah" (My Friend God), a collection of writings between the years 1967 and 1968 when he was in his teens which was released without his knowledge by his father Assi Rahbani. In 1973, at age 17, Rahbani composed his first music for Fairuz, his mother. Assi Rahbani, his father, was hospitalized and his mother Fairuz was to play the leading role in Al Mahatta by the Rahbani brothers. Mansour Rahbani, his uncle, who had written the lyrics of a song about Assi Rahbani's forced absence, gave Ziad Rahbani the task of composing its music. The song "Saalouni El Nass" (People Asked Me) gained Rahbani recognition in the music world. Rahbani appeared for the first time on stage in Al Mahatta where he played the role of the detective. He also appeared later on in the Rahbani Brothers' Mays el Rim in the role of one of the policemen. Rahbani's first step into theatre was with the Bkennaya Theater in Sahriyyeh. He followed that with highly politicized string of plays. "In 'The Harvest of Thorns: Political Comedy Theater in Syria and Lebanon,' Aksam Al-Youssef wrote, "Under these circumstances, as a young adult, Ziad imposed himself on the artistic scene as a playwright, director, composer, pianist, and actor. In a short time, his original theatre would become the center of attention for young people who found in it the voice of a lost generation caught in the throws of war and violence. As an actor, besides appearing in his own plays, Rahbani starred in Randa Chahal Sabbagh's 2003 film The Kite.

Before, during, and after the Lebanese Civil War, Rahbani released and co-released several albums, television programs, radio programs and a children's book consisting of: Bi hal shakel, Abou Ali, Halleluja, Shareet Ghayr Houdoudi, Baadna Taybeen Ullo Allah, Houdou Nesbi, Ana Mouch Kafer, Hakaya al Atfal, Bema Enno, Monodose (with singer Salma Mosfi). and Maaloumat Mush Akidi (with singer Latifa).

Rahbani died at a hospital at approximately 9:00 am (UTC 6:00 am) on 26 July 2025, at the age of 69, reportedly of a heart attack. He had been a chain smoker for most of his life. Culture Minister Ghassan Salamé said Rahbani needed a liver transplant but refused to undergo surgery. On 6 August 2025, the Lebanese Cabinet approved renaming Hafez al-Assad Avenue – which links Beirut to the Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport – to Ziad Rahbani Avenue to honour Rahbani.

• Year — Original Title — Translation — Songwriter(s) — Label • 1972 — Sa'alouni Annass (Song from the musical "Al Mahatta") — People Asked Me — Mansour Rahbani Ziad Rahbani — Voix de l'Orient • 1987 — Maarefti Feek — What I Know About You — Assi & Mansour Rahbani Ziad Rahbani Joseph Harb Joaquin Rodrigo — Relax-In • 1989 — Live at the Royal Festival Hall London — Assi & Mansour Rahbani Ziad Rahbani Sayed Darwish — Voix de l'Orient • Khalleek bil Bayt — "Stay at Home" — Ziad Rahbani Assi & Mansour Rahbani Ziad Rahbani Joseph Harb — Relax-In • 1991 — Kifak Inta — How Are You — Ziad Rahbani Joseph Harb — Relax-In • 1995 — Ila Assi — (Dedicated) to Assi — Assi & Mansour Rahbani — Voix de l'Orient • 1999 — Mesh Kayen Hayek Tkoun — You Wasn't Used To Be Like This — Ziad Rahbani Mohamed Mohsen Qays Bin Al Malouh — Relax-In • 2000 — Live at Beiteddine — Assi & Mansour Rahbani Ziad Rahbani Sayed Darwish Mohamed Younes Alqadi — EMI • 2002 — Wala Kif — Les feuilles mortes — Ziad Rahbani Jacques Prévert & Joseph Kosma Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller — Relax-In • 2010 — Eh Fi Amal — Yes There's Hope — Assi & Mansour Rahbani Ziad Rahbani — Fayrouz Productions

• Year — Original Title — Translation — Producer — Songwriter(s) — Vocalists — Label — Main Tracks • 1973 — Sahriye — Evening — Ziad Rahbani — Ziad Rahbani — Joseph Sakr Marwan Mahfouz Georgette Sayegh — Voix de l'Orient — Ya Bint Al Maawin Dallouni Al Aynayn Al Soud Fi Oyoun Btebki El Hala Taabana Ya Leila • 1974 — Nazl el sourour — Happiness Hotel — Ziad Rahbani Franz Liszt Gerardo Matos Rodriguez — Ziad Rahbani Joseph Sakr Carmen Lebbos Sami Haouat — Baatilak Ya Habib Al Rouh Jayi Maa Al Shaab Al Maskin Mashi El Hal • 1978 — Bennesbeh Labokra Chou — What About Tomorrow — Ziad Rahbani Joseph Sakr Sami Haouat Nabila Zaitouni — Ziad Rahbani Joseph Sakr Sami Haouat Nabila Zeitouni — Zida — Al Bosta Ismaa Ya Reda • 1980 — Film Ameriki Tawil — The American Motion Picture — Ziad Rahbani — Ziad Rahbani Joseph Sakr Sami Haouat Mona Maraashli — Rajiaa Bi Izn Allah Ya Zaman Al Ta'ifiya • 1985 — Shi Feshil — Failure — Ziad Rahbani Joseph Sakr Sami Haouat Mona Saidun — Voice of Beirut • Ana Mush Kafer — I Am Not an Infidel — Ziad Rahbani Farouq Al Koussa Stephanie Stephano — Relax-In — Ana Mush Kafer • 1986 — Bhal Shakel — Oriental Jazz Concert Live At Buc, Irwin Hall — Ziad Rahbani Frédéric Chopin, Antonio Carlos Jobim Thelonious Monk Charlie Parker — Aprodisco • 1987 — El Akl Zineh — The Mind Is Decorative — Ziad Rahbani — Ziad Rahbani — Sawt Al Shaab • 1992 — Lawla Fushat Al Amal — If It Weren't For Hope — Grace Aoun Toufic Kerbaj — Relax-In • 1993 — Bi Khsous Al Karameh Wal Shaab Al Anid — About Dignity and Stubborn People — Carmen Lebbos • Tabeh La Shi Tebeh Shi — Following Something That's Following Something — Ziad Rahbani Salma Mosfi • 1996 — Al Fasl Al Akher — The Last Part — Ziad Rahbani Antonio Carlos Jobim Astrud Gilberto — Ziad Rahbani Carmen Lebbos Salma Mosfi — Cairo Beirut Audio • 2006 — W Noss Alf 500 — 1000/2=500 — Ziad Rahbani Baz Luhrmann — Bankers Assurance SAL • 2008 — Live at Damascus Citadel — Ziad Rahbani Sayed Darwish Mohamed Younes Al Kadi — Ziad Rahbani Bassel Daoud Rasha Rizk — Art Line

His recorded language was Arabic. He was the child of Assi Rahbani and Fairuz. Other recorded relations include Mansour Rahbani, Elias Rahbani, Oussama Rahbani and Ghassan Rahbani.