Ya Salam

Ya Salam (Arabic: يا سلام, English: How Wonderful) is the third studio album by Lebanese singer Nancy Ajram. It was released on February 24, 2003 by Relax-In and Megastar. Ajram worked with all new collaborations, including Tarek Madkour, Adel Ayesh, Samir Sfeir, Salim Salameh and Tony Saba. Described as a turning point in Ajram's career, it represents a departure from the classical sound of her previous releases, Mihtagalak (1998) and Sheel Oyounak Anni (2001). Apart from the sound, she also endorsed a new image for the release going from an innocent girl to an edgier and more sexual look. Upon its release, the record received generally positive to mixed reviews from music critics, some of them praised its composition and Ajram's new musical direction, while others criticized its lack of musical focus. Thanks to Ya Salam, Ajram received several Awards, including Murex d'Or and The Golden Lion Award. Ya Salam spawned three singles, the lead single, "Akhasmak Ah", was a commercial success. The follow-up, "Ya Salam", was praised by critics and garnered chart success in the Arab World. The last single, "Yay", became a top 10 hit in various Arab countries. Ajram performed several songs from Ya Salam in a number of shows, notably during El Hawa Hawana on Dream TV with Hala Sarhan, the 2003 Sham El Nessim Festival in Egypt and Jerash Festival in Jordan. In support of the album, Ajram embarked on her first Middle Eastern concert tour. The album was reissued in 2007, packaged with both audio and visual discs with a different artwork.