Nadina was recently interviewed by TheCelebrity.Online Magazine and below is the Q&A session we had with Nadina.
Nadina As Cover Story Interview – October 2025 Magazine Edition
How do you introduce yourself?
My name is Nadina. I was born in Beirut, Lebanon, during the civil war, a time when hope and hardship existed side by side. At seven years old, I was the first Arabic-speaking child to participate in a children’s music festival held by UNICEF in Italy, called Zecchino d’Oro, and I won the La Targa d’Oro. From that moment, I became known across the Middle East and Europe as a young voice of hope in a very dark time. I continued to perform in Lebanon, and through my performances, I dedicated myself to raising money to help families affected by the war. Music gave me a sense of purpose and became a way of giving something back to people who had lost so much. One day, after a TV interview where I was being recognized for my humanitarian work, our car was stopped by armed militias. We were held at gunpoint but managed to make it out alive. That was the turning point that led my parents to make the decision for our family, my sister, my brother, and me, to immigrate to Canada. Today, I live in North Vancouver, Canada, married to the man of my dreams, Olympic swimmer Brent Hayden, and our fur baby, Chewbacca.
What hardships have you gone through in life?
Being born and raised during the civil war, our days were filled with uncertainty. I remember being driven to school and hearing bombing in the distance, never knowing when or where it might reach. It wasn’t just on the way to school, it was everywhere. Roads could close without warning, and you had to quickly find a shelter nearby. There were many times we had to hide, unsure how long we’d be there. That kind of instability affects you at a young age. It taught me that things don’t last forever, that life can change in an instant, and it introduced me to fear in its rawest form. When my family immigrated to Canada, it meant starting over again, leaving behind everything familiar, and the sense of purpose I once had through my music. My voice had given me a way to help others, and suddenly that purpose was gone. I found a new outlet through swimming and poured my focus into it. I became one of the top three swimmers in my age group in Canada. But at thirteen, during a handball game at school, I was hit in midair and landed hard on my tailbone. The fall caused two stress fractures in my back. I continued to swim with the pain and even achieved my national standings. But after five years of pushing through the injury, with the pain never subsiding and my legs beginning to numb, I knew I couldn’t take that risk anymore. That’s when I decided to retire. With that came the loss of my Olympic dream, another thing that was taken from me, and another ending I didn’t see coming. Years later, when I returned to music and went back to the Middle East to focus on my career, I found an industry that no longer felt aligned with who I was. I remember one contract that included a clause for mandatory cosmetic surgery, and my late father said, “Tell that guy to wipe his ass with it.” I still smile when I think about that moment. Each of these experiences tested me in different ways, but they also gave me strength, perspective, and the will to never give up. Because life is that way, it demands that you keep going no matter what.
What do people usually not know about you?
Most people don’t know that a song I co-wrote with Delerium, called Monarch, was featured in the Netflix series Snowpiercer. Another thing people are often surprised to learn is that I graduated with honors in Computer Programming and worked in the field for four years before transitioning back into swim coaching and my creative work. That experience taught me to become a great problem solver and to think in systems, a way of thinking that influenced a framework I use in my Life Beyond Almost book.
What sets you apart from others?
What sets me apart is the work I’m doing now with my book Life Beyond Almost. It’s not something I wrote from theory. It’s something I’ve lived through and experienced firsthand. For years, I found myself circling what I call the cycle of almost, always just out of reach of the things I knew I was capable of achieving. Everything I’ve been through, from growing up in a war to rebuilding my life in a new country, taught me how to problem-solve, adapt, and find my own way forward. Nothing was handed to me. I had to learn how to navigate uncertainty, create stability, and build from the ground up. That’s why my work resonates so deeply, because I’m not speaking from the outside looking in. I’m guiding others through a path I’ve already walked.
What are your upcoming major events?
Right now, my main focus is the launch of my book Life Beyond Almost, along with its companion workbook and signature program. The book is for the disciplined, driven, high-achieving person who feels like they are always almost there, stuck in the cycle of almost. They’re showing up, doing the work, staying committed, yet still not fully arriving at the life they know they’re capable of living. Life Beyond Almost reveals the hidden force behind that quiet frustration: energy leaks. These subtle drains often disguise themselves as responsibility, consistency, or even discipline. They scatter your focus and dilute your power just before the finish line. This work helps people learn to spot them, seal them, and redirect their energy with precision. “Where your focus goes, energy flows. And if focused energy creates success, then misaligned energy can just as powerfully create roadblocks.” – Nadina
What expert advice would you like to give?
Your gut is your internal compass. Yet so often we move past it, doing what looks right instead of what feels true. Many people don’t realize they’re being pulled by distorted energy because it’s disguised as all the right things: helping, hustling, serving, surviving, keeping it together, doing what they’ve always done. Your body always feels before your mind forms the words. It deserves to be listened to. When you give that awareness your attention, it has the power to change everything.
Your social media handles and website links?
Instagram: www.instagram.com/nadinatv
Facebook: www.facebook.com/nadinatv
YouTube: www.youtube.com/nadinazarifeh
Website: www.nadina.tv
Tom Harrecks is an Author at TheCelebrity.Online Magazine who has a vast experience of covering interviews in various international media agencies.
