Thursday 19 November 2015

Oum Kolthoum

They call her different other Powerful names, such as  "El Sett" which means "The Lady", "Kawkab Al Sharq", means "The Star of East", but for me her name "Oum  Kolthoum" is the most powerful name of them all,, as she was just a powerful Lady, the way she stands, the way she sings, her powerful, talented, gifted and amazing voice, the few words she would speak gives you the feeling of the power she had in her just by being herself.


She was born in 1904, her talent was figured at a very young age, Her father, an imam at the local mosque, taught her to recite the Qur'an, and she is said to have memorized the entire book. which means she had the strengthen of memorizing.

though she has been in Cairo for few Performances in her teen years, but she moved to Cairo in 1923, an ambition woman with a voice that was a mystery for everyone


Reading all about Oum  Kolthoum, I can see how most of the Middle east on a Thursday night would turn on the Radio and just listen to her incredible voice, as every one was drugged by her amazing voice, and songs that was composed by big names in Egypt.


As she came from an Islamic house, she became known as a traditional artist with her modest style and fashion sense, She would appear in a bejewelled floor-length gown, the silk scarf clutched in her hand a constant presence, rising and falling on euphoric waves of song. her audience actually looked up to her, she was also very very Humble, when today there is a very different view of being an artist. Oum  Kolthoum did not disappoint her Audience, not once.






She has her own signature dark glasses that are Diamond studded , not because she did not like the light in the studio's, she always wore them because she had a thyroid condition that caused her to develop exophthalmus, which is a bulging of the eyes, and cause sensitivity to the light, and could have damaged her vocal cords and possibility of losing her voice that was actually everything that she is, and this was the reason why she ended her career in Cinema, she had only 6 Films, her final film was in 1948 where TV Camera operators were instructed not to focus on her face or zoom in for close-ups. Those Glasses are now at Oum  Kolthoum's Museum in Egypt.




 




She apparently liked Sparkly thing, as this was very stylish back then, and she was one fashionable and stylish woman, Those shoes are glittery and looks very comfortable for a woman to stand hours wearing them, and singing.







This necklace was one of the most famous Jewelry of Oum Kolthoum, a nine-row pearl necklace with multi-coloured enamel and white stone details, that is now also at Oum Kolthoum's Museum.

at the Museum, you can also find Oum  Kolthoum own Oud: an oriental musical instrument, she taught to play it by Mohammad el Qasabgi who was a composer, and formed her small orchestra "Takht"





She had all different of Sparkly Earring, that she would wear in most of her performances, 




In 1967, she performed for the first time outside the Arab world in Paris. Olympia concert in Paris, the only concert she ever gave outside the Arab world.the Egyptian singer performs, in Arabic, "Ya Foadi" ‘Oh My Heart’, accompanied by her orchestra.


you can watch it Here, and at the end of this video you can see her speaking with her Glasses on, thanking the audience, wearing sparkly earrings.


Here you can find the performance in Paris, and a very humble interview she has made in Paris with an Egyptian Presenter, Oum Kolthoum's soft, calm speaking voice would make you understand the power she had was good power, and the power in her voice when she sings will make you feel the meaning of real powerful women



She was married twice, one for only a couple of days, and then she waiting a long time to be married again, but this time was to her doctor and that was one of her biggest fans. She had no children.

When she died in 1975, four million mourners walked the streets of Cairo to honor their beloved singer.




But It's incridiable that even though she passed away 25 years before I was even born, to witness how Oum  Kolthoum’s image and style had been reintroduced into my century. Fashion designers, Jewerly designer, and graphic designers are still looking up to her. and sometimes they also use her Image in the designs




Graphically and Fashionably she is everywhere you turn, even with Lyrics of her Music.

 










Tuesday 17 November 2015

And she is completely different today.

She didn't want to find herself, She wanted to get away, She wanted to be someone else, she wanted to be someone she is not.

Whatever she was, it doesn't matter anymore, whatever she is now, no one will ever know, and who is she going to be, is someone she is not.

She ran far away,

and every time she talks to someone, whether it was a security guard, a lady in the train or a guy to ask for direction she spoke in different tone of voices, different accents, and different ways.

She was very polite, cute and clueless to the security guard, very lovely and independent to the lady, and very strong, smart, and passionate with the guy.
With each person she talked to, had to ask her questions, from where is she?, or what does she do in life?, how did she end up where ever she is?
She looked very mysteries to everybody, they all wanted to know more about her, she talked alot, she gave her opinion about everything, but you can see that sometimes her opinion doesn't match with some other opinions that she had before.  everyone loved the way she thinks, how she analyze people, and how she could tell you the story of your life the minute she meets you.
she could tell you how you feel about everything. she knows, she just knows, she can always feel you through your own eyes, she analyze the way you speak, the way you roll your eyes, where you put your hands, your legs, how you stand, everything. She is interested in what you do and what you like, she will help you follow your dreams whatever they are, she find your weakness points and try to make you feel good about them, she finds all your insecurities and work hard for you to accept them, and be secured about them.. people were her projects. And with each project she is a different person  with the same powers.
whats the mystery in those beautiful eyes of hers?

She never met a guy who didn't fell in love with her, or at least wanted to fall in love with her, she never went to an interview where they didn't want to hire her, and never met a smart ass who didn't hate her, just because they couldn't figure her out, but she couldn't decide to use her powers for good or for evil.

She raise her voice when she is angry but never shouts, she smiles when she's happy but doesn't laugh, she turns around when she is sad so you wont see her cry, she could hold her tears like a man and let them fall down on her cheeks when she wants to pretend she is weak.

She could dress pretty like Princess Diana, and the next day hot and sexy, she could dress gypsy and the next day nerdy, she could look Gothic, and the next day absolutely angelic.
Who was she and why?

She was a mystery, a mystery to herself as well. she wanted to become something. she wanted to become someone else.

with all her power she had insecurities, she had doubts, she had love that she wanted to give to someone, no one special, she wanted to spread her love everywhere, she never hated a soul, even the people that would hurt her the most, she would just forgive, she believes that time heals everything, she never held a grudge, but with all that, there is a devil behind this smile, she manipulated people and got everything that she wants, she controlled the world around her, and the minute that she feels she cant, tears roll of her cheeks, and that was one of her powers, somehow those tears could just give her all that she wants, or at least she would compromise for something that would make her feel better.

with time she started realizing her powers more and more and understanding those powers more, she started believing that the world revolves around her. and that she wants what she wants when she wants it, and if whatever she wants is not there she could use her powers for evil.

She never loved because of love, she fell in love for the sake of her powers to be used, or else it would turn into evil powers that are never good to be used.

She only falls in love to feed her ego, give love to someone,  and make them feel good about themselves.

She doesn't believe in love. she believes in kissing, hugging, and dancing, she loves gifts, she loves sparkling gifts, she loves to be surprised, she loves poems, she hated flowers, she hated chocolates, she hated lies, she hated him,

She broke a lot of hearts, but only to save another.


She is who she is, whoever she wants to be, she is different everyday,

everyday is a different person, only with the same powers.