Arab Pop Icon Haifa Wehbe Takes Over New York’s Times Square as Spotify’s Global EQUAL Ambassador

Rashad Iskandrni 

Celebrating a career that continues to inspire women across the region, the Lebanese superstar represents the Arab world as part of Spotify’s global EQUAL programme.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 2 August 2026 — Spotify has named Lebanese superstar Haifa Wehbe as its Global EQUAL Ambassador for July, celebrating one of the Arab world’s most influential artists with a feature on Spotify’s iconic Times Square billboard in New York.

As part of the campaign, Haifa is also the face of Spotify’s EQUAL Arabia programme for July, reflecting her influence as an Arab pop icon whose impact continues to resonate across the region and beyond.

Launched globally in 2021, Spotify EQUAL is dedicated to amplifying and empowering women artists around the world. Through EQUAL Arabia, the programme celebrates the talent, creativity, and cultural impact of women artists across the Arab world, connecting their music with listeners regionally and globally.

Over a career spanning more than two decades, Haifa Wehbe has consistently reinvented herself, building a legacy that spans music, television, film, and fashion. Beyond music, she has fronted major international campaigns and starred in successful Arab series and box-office films, with her influence extending well beyond entertainment — she has been recognized by People magazine and numerous international and regional media outlets as one of the world's most beautiful women, cementing her status as both a cultural and fashion icon.

Haifa has built a catalogue that has become part of the soundtrack of Arab pop culture. Home to acclaimed albums including Badi Eish and Habibi Ana, her music has resonated across generations, cementing her place as one of the Arab world’s most enduring and influential artists. With more than 150 million streams on Spotify to date, she continues to show the lasting influence of her music and cultural presence.

As Spotify’s Global EQUAL Ambassador for July, Haifa appeared on the cover of Spotify’s global “EQUAL” playlist and “EQUAL Arabia” playlist, as well as on Spotify’s Times Square billboard in New York City on July 30.

“Being the Global Ambassador for Spotify EQUAL means a great deal to me,” said Haifa Wehbe. “The program aligns closely with my belief in empowering women to rise beyond the limitations placed around them and claim their space on the stages of the world, fully owning their identities, careers, art, and stories. It celebrates the legacies of women from around the world, and I’m honored to have mine celebrated through this program as well.

“Haifa has spent over two decades shaping Arab pop culture through her music, artistry, and fearless self-expression. She has helped create space for women in Arab music to be seen and heard on their own terms, which is exactly what Spotify EQUAL is here to champion. Through this program, we celebrate women artists shaping culture today, Haifa among them, and the impact they continue to have on music and culture,” said Sarah Zaki, Spotify's Artist & Label Partnerships Manager for Egypt.

To explore the sounds of the region’s most inspiring women artists, listeners can head to “EQUAL Arabia” on Spotify.

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