Umm Kulthum
The legendary Egyptian singer, dubbed 'The Voice of Egypt' and 'Planet of the East'.
Chronology: 1898-12-31 – 1975-02-03
Origins & Early Life
Fatima Ibrahim es-Sayyid el-Beltagi (4 May 1904 – 3 February 1975), known by her stage name Umm Kulthum, was an Egyptian singer and film actress. She was given the honorific title Kawkab el-Sharq (Egyptian Arabic: كوكب الشرق, lit. 'Planet of the East'). Immensely popular throughout the Middle East and beyond, Umm Kulthum is a national icon in her native Egypt; she has been dubbed "The Voice of Egypt" and "Egypt's Fourth Pyramid".
Pivotal Works & Achievements
In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked Umm Kulthum at number 61 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time. She is widely regarded as Egypt and the Arab world's most distinguished singer of the 20th century. Her funeral in Cairo in 1975 drew a crowd of over 4 million people, the largest human gathering in Egypt's history, and one of the largest funerals in history. Born in the village of Tamay al-Zahayra in the Dakahlia Governorate of Egypt, she began her music career as a child, singing religious hymns with her father, who initially dressed her in boys' clothes, as singing was unacceptable for girls in the countryside at that time. She moved to the city of Cairo in the early 1920s, where her career truly took off.
Enduring Legacy & Impact
She collaborated with renowned poets such...
Source: Wikipedia