Bin Laden niece envisions career as pop singer March 16, 2003 BY CHARLOTTE EDWARDES Advertisement LONDON--A niece of Osama bin Laden is launching a career as a pop singer after rejecting her Muslim background and throwing herself into the London party scene. Waffa bin Laden, whose father Yeslam is a brother of the world's most wanted man, hopes to release a single by the end of the year after being told that she has the looks and voice to become a star. She has been working on a demo tape and reportedly has been advised on her musical ambitions by acclaimed rap artist Wyclef Jean. Bin Laden, 26, has become a fixture on the London club scene since moving here six months ago. Bin Laden, who trained as a lawyer in America, dissociated herself from her notorious uncle long before the Sept. 11 attacks. At the time, she was living less than a mile from the World Trade Center. Sunday Telegraph
More: Bin Laden launches pop career OSAMA BIN LADEN’s niece is to launch a pop career in Britain. Waffa bin Laden, who I revealed yesterday is a regular on the London party scene, has been working with MADONNA producer NELLEE HOOPER and JOHN BENSON, the man who discovered ALL SAINTS. She is also believed to have been advised by former FUGEES star WYCLEF JEAN. Waffa, whose dad Yeslam is the al-Qa’ida terror leader’s brother, moved to London six months ago. She has been working on demos and is hoping to sign a record deal. But she fears her name may put labels off. John told me last night: “She has a very dusky and sultry voice and has real potential. It’s hard for her with her name but I am giving her some songs and I think she could be a success. “She is very polite and sweet and has recorded stuff in the States, I think with Wyclef. It’s adult pop.” Unsurprisingly, Waffa is quite camera shy but she is said to resemble NATALIE IMBRUGLIA. She parties at London clubs such as Chinawhite, socialising with the likes of It Girl TAMARA BECKWITH, model CATALINA and millionaire businessman ROBERT HANSON. This week she was at a bash at trendy restaurant Nobu rubbing shoulders with Natalie Imbruglia, JADE JAGGER, WESTLIFE’S BRYAN McFADDEN and model JERRY HALL. Waffa is a trained US lawyer who has disowned her uncle since the September 11 attacks. At the time of the atrocities she had a £4,000-a-month loft apartment in New York, less than a mile from the World Trade Center. When the planes hit she was travelling in Europe and now feels unable to return. Waffa was born an American citizen when dad Yeslam was studying at the University of Southern California, in LA. She was mostly raised in Switzerland. She has said: “I love American movies and American music, like DESTINY’S CHILD and MARIAH CAREY. I love Madonna. And MICHAEL and JANET JACKSON, too. I love JENNIFER LOPEZ, she’s the most beautiful woman in the world.” Her mum Carmen said: “It is terrible for our daughter. Our world is the West and to have this family association is very difficult. When Waffa says, ‘I am bin Laden’ will they believe that she didn’t know about September 11?” But record company boss and Pop Idol Mr Nasty SIMON COWELL doesn’t rate her chances. He said: “I wouldn’t touch her with a bargepole. There’s only one worse surname you could have to launch a pop career — and that’s Hitler.”
She seems like a nice enough girl from those little snippets, but she's going to get a huge backlash no matter what she does, even though it's not deserved. She's probably much better off just staying out of the spotlight, Simon's statement is dead on.
