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.