Interview with Nour (Egypt Today)

Nour Diab is an only child. She has a cute little dog, a famous family tree — and a lot of money. Before you conjure up the image of a spoiled socialite who shamelessly exploits her family’s celebrity (Paris Hilton ring a bell?), meet Nour Diab. She is as normal and down-to-earth as any 16-year-old — a 16-year-old who happens to hear her father’s voice drifting out of cafe speakers and see his image displayed in shop windows everywhere — can be. In fact, it was six months before I realized that my friend’s father, Amr Diab, was a pop icon, let alone that her mother, Sherine Rida, is a well-known actress.

I know you and your dad are both vegetarians — what else do you have in common with your parents?
My dad is my idol, my mentor. With my mom, we have a lot in common, and I live with her most of the time. She’s really young and energetic; she’s a good role model. I look up to her because she raised me all by herself when my [parents] divorced when I was two. I really respect and love her for taking the time to raise me. So I share more with my mom than with my dad.

Who do you resemble more?
I think I look more like my dad. My mom’s really white with blonde hair; she’s Yugoslavian. Comparing black-and-white baby photos, I looked a lot like my mom. Now I look like my dad more than anything, but if I’m out with the two of them, people think I’m their tour guide.

When you introduce yourself are most people like, “Ahhhhh, Amr Diab’s daughter”?
Sometimes they’re just like “oh, Diab” and they don’t think about it. Others go on and on. At first it was annoying. Here we go again. But the more they ask me and tell me they’re fans, the more I come to appreciate what my dad does for a living; he’s an entrepreneur.

Do you want a career in show business when you grow up?
I always wanted to be a writer.

Novels, poems?
Novels. I show my mom everything I write and I have a lot of good ideas — so she says. Lately, I’ve been really getting into dance though. I might pick that up. I’m definitely not a singer. And an actress, well, I’m kind of a drama queen.

You can write songs for your dad then! Has he ever asked for help?
Kinda. He wrote a song about me (“Habibi Ya Nour El Ain”). Sometimes he asks me for my opinion. I play the piano and he’s teaching me drums. I really want to learn guitar. I’m new to drums and I’ve been playing piano for a while. And guitar is probably the next step, but I want to be really good at two before moving on.

What’s your favorite song? Do you like the one dedicated to you?
I like that one, but my favorite is the recent one called “Wemaloh.” I like the song called “Osad Einy.” I was there when he composed it, so I saw the transformation.

What languages do you speak?
Arabic, English, I’m getting there with French and Spanish and my grandma’s teaching me Yugoslavian. [] English is my first language, though.

You speak English with your mom?
Yeah that’s our main language. With my dad, Arabic. Both ways I get to practice. And then French with my stepmom. And then I’m stuck alone with Spanish!

Do you get lessons from his musicians?
Yes, his band. His drummer Ashraf [Fouad] used to teach me drums when my dad couldn’t, and he was really talented. My dad plays drums, violin, guitar and piano. He started the piano when he was five. He’s really musical. I always wondered if Hollywood celebrities were that talented. When I go to my [dad’s] studio, I can actually see that he goes up to the band, takes the instrument, and shows them how he wants it to be played. I find that really cool instead of giving orders to other people. He sits down for hours and doesn’t sleep till he plays it right.

Any closing remarks?
I don’t mind when people ask questions about my life and my dad, just don’t tell me how hot you think he is! Read More