Latest news with #Balqees
Harpers Bazaar Arabia
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Harpers Bazaar Arabia
Disney Abu Dhabi: The A.I. Princesses We've Imagined Might Be There
Excited that a Disney theme park is opening in Abu Dhabi? We asked Omani A.I. artist and self-proclaimed 'visual poet' Mujahid Jamal (aka Sard Visuals) to reimagine some of our favourite MENA tastemakers as princesses What happens when the ultimate land of make believe crosses paths with A.I.? We put the question to Mujahid Jamal, asking the Oman based image-maker what he (and artificial intelligence, of course), thought that our very own MENA princesses would look like through a Disney lens. The results? As whimsical as you would imagine. With a new Disney theme park announced for Yas Island Abu Dhabi, in partnership with His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, there will be plenty of fans waiting for the park doors to open; whether you're young or just young at heart, Disney's fairy dust is still as potent – and as feelgood – as ever. Razane Jammal as Snow White 'I love Disney for its joyful, iconic soundtracks and how it bonds people together through a collective memory. All it takes is for you to start humming the first few notes of a Disney classic for the person next to you to smile and start singing along. My sister and I used to watch The Lion King on loop and still cry every time Simba loses his father.' Balqees as Princess Jasmine 'Disney is engraved in our memories and helped pave both the way we think and how we make decisions, based on the characters we grew up with. I was hooked on Pocahontas, Cinderella and, of course, Princess Jasmine who appeals to us as Arabs. People used to say I looked like her with my wide Arabian eyes and long hair.' Tara Emad as Belle 'My first introduction to Disney was through Aladdin. It felt magic every time I would watch it as a kid and I was completely swept away by every detail in it. I would regularly watch it before bed and to this day it is still my favourite.' Cynthia Samuel Bakri as Cinderella 'When I first encountered Disney, it felt like I was introduced to enchantment by life itself. It not only fuelled my dreams, but continues to do so today. I deeply appreciate the films from my childhood and the inspiring princesses who embodied kindness, empathy, romance, and strength. I believe these qualities have become integral to my character. Today, I still hold on to the magic of Disney, and I hope my future children will too.' Mai Omar as Esmerelda 'Disney holds a special place in my heart and always evokes feelings of nostalgia. For me, it's a vacation and an escape from the stressful life we live, into a world of fantasy and magic. Cinderella is one of my all-time favourites – I love the message of the movie which is if you never lose hope and faith, one day you'll be rewarded for enduring. Who knows, you can even become a queen…' Huda El Mufti as Ariel 'My favourite Disney movie? The Little Mermaid – both old and new versions. I love Disney because I grew up with it, and it has a knack of creating characters that you dream of becoming. When we were little, a fast food restaurant offered a Disney princess video with every family meal – my father use to buy one every Friday so we could all gather infront of the TV and watch it together.' A.I. Artwork by Mujahid Jamal
Web Release
22-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Web Release
Balqees Sparkles at Messika's Suhoor
Lifestyle Web Release Selection By Editor_wr On Mar 22, 2025 Emirati singer and Friend of the Maison, Balqees, captivated audience at Messika's Suhoor Event, hosted at Erth Restaurant within the historic Qasr Al Hosn in Abu Dhabi. For the occasion, she adorned herself with the Disco Pulsation Tie Necklace, matching earrings, and the iconic Lunar Diva Ring from the Midnight Sun High Jewelry collection. She elegantly complemented the look with the Imperial Move Bracelets, statement ring, and the striking Divine Enigma Ring—an exquisite combination that made her presence truly unforgettable. Balqees Sparkles at Messika's Suhoor Comments are closed.
Observer
10-03-2025
- Observer
Is your mobile phone listening to your conversations?
During a drive back from school, Balqees, a mother and her son, Abdullah, were planning to go to a restaurant. The two were speaking and wondering what should they eat and where should they go for lunch. Upon parking at a gas station at Shatti Al Qurum, Balqees picked up her phone only to see a variety of food options including the locations pop up as an advert on the screen of her mobile phone. Interesting but spooky isn't it? Similarly, Khalfan was searching for places to travel during Eid and was speaking to a travel agent for some vacation ideas in Thailand. Within a few hours, Khalfan opened his mobile phone and saw an ad customised with flights, accommodations and activities to do in Phuket, Thailand. Surprising but scary isn't it? Both Balqees and Khalfan spoke to me separately about their different incidents but had the same exact question, 'Are mobile phones listening to our conversations? 'I am sure this has happened to many of you, or at least with your loved ones. My article this week will try and shed some light on this growing concern. First things first — the mobile technology heavy weights companies, Apple for iPhone and Google for Android, have openly denied using their microphones to listen onto their customer conversations. Furthermore, both have strict privacy policies that prevent applications from accessing camera, microphone, location, photos and videos from gallery etc without explicit permission. You may notice this whenever you try downloading and installing applications via their respective app market (eg playstore for Google's Android platform, AppStore for Apple's platform iPhone/iPad). On the other hand, however, both of Apple and Google's Artificial Intelligence (AI) voice assistants apps (eg Siri and Google Assistant) would respond to you and offer services by simply starting by requesting for one using designated key words such as 'Hey Siri' for Apple, and 'Hey Google' for Android. I am pretty sure many of you have noticed this lately especially with the latest developments in AI space. Nashat, my wife, is fond of calling home using the words 'Hey Siri' and then 'Call home' while driving our car. Hmmm, the technology heavy weights both claim that they don't listen into our conversations, but they both technically have access to our microphone via the embedded stock AI voice assistance apps in our mobile phones. I have personally experienced the same with customised Ads I get via different apps I use. The customised ads are the result of websites I visit and searches I do, using the mobile phone. So what can we do to protect ourselves? Almost nothing or probably is a big challenge if one wants to continue living in a connected world and have access to information and services easily, conveniently and rapidly. Virtually everyday a new creative app, driven by some new form of technology (present heavily is AI), using your information, pops up and becomes popular and mainstream in a few span of hours. What fuels these apps is unfortunately your data (ie voice via microphone, video via camera, pictures via your gallery apps). About 6 years ago, during one of my cybersecurity sessions at one of the local banks here in Oman, I vividly stated that the word 'privacy' may no longer be valid at some stage of our lives. I see this pretty much a reality today. Scary, yes I agree. I will try and share some basic steps next week on some ways that can help with protecting oneself privacy. To conclude, is there someone listening to our conversations? There is no solid evidence or proof yet the technology is there and it is very possible as I had shared on my article today. I also recommend complementing this knowledge by reading my past article on Oman Observer on whether modern cars can spy on us. You will get additional insights on the same for your kind perusal. Until we catch up again, be positive and try to stay safe.
CairoScene
27-02-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Yemeni-Emirati Singer Balqees Fathi Fronts Messika's Ramadan Campaign
As the 1st Middle Eastern woman to join Messika's circle of muses, Balqees returns for the campaign, 'Connecting Light & Sound.' Feb 27, 2025 Building on her role as the first Middle Eastern woman to join luxury French jeweller Messika's circle of muses, Yemeni-Emirati Balqees Fathi returns for the Maison's Ramadan 2025 campaign, 'Connecting Light and Sound,' inspired by the rhythms of Ramadan nights. Set against an endless desert backdrop, the campaign highlights Messika's latest collection, with pieces handpicked by Artistic Director Valérie Messika to complement Balqees's presence. The selection includes the Imperial Move choker, the Move pavé tie necklace, and the Messika Care(s) green cord bracelet—each reflecting the Maison's signature Move motif, where floating diamonds glide within sculptural gold frames—modern yet timeless.
