 His first single "Meleh Wa Zad (Salt and Food)"—a reworking of a classic—became the top song in the Emirates for 1997.His next one "Hali (My Family)" was an original composition about a man who yearns to marry for love, against the advice of his family.From there, Rida recorded three albums for Rotana/EMI, Zalim (2001), Boadak Habiby (2003), and Enha Bzaman (2005).