Fans celebrate birthday of Arab music icon Fairouz

Ahram Online , AP , Wednesday 21 Nov 2018

Thousands of fans across the Arab region, including celebrities, are expressing birthday wishes for their beloved music icon

Fairouz
Fairouz REUTERS

Wednesday 21 November 2018 marks the 83rd birthday of Lebanese diva Fairouz, one of the Arab world's most beloved singers.

Thousands of fans across the Arab region, including celebrities, have expressed wishes for their beloved music icon sharing her songs with memories and impressions about it through various social media platforms.

Fairouz, or Nihad Wadie Haddad, was born to a poor family lived in Zuqaq el-Balatt neighborhood in Beirut in 1935.

In the 1960s and 1970s Fairouz achieved regional and international fame with dozens of popular songs. She also starred in several musicals and films.

She collaborated with the renowned composers Rahbanni brothers for decades. She was married to one of the siblings, the late Assi Rahbani, who had a huge impact on her singing career.

In recent years, she formed a musical duo with her eldest son, composer and musician Ziad Rahbani.

She has dedicated much of her work for the Palestinian and Arab struggle against Israel, as well as for peace in war-torn Lebanon.

Among the diva's most popular hits are Habbaytak Bissayf (I Loved You in the Summer), Saalouni Al-Nass (People Asked Me), Zahrat Al-Madaeen (The Flower of All Cities—a reference to Jerusalem) and Le Beirut (For Beirut).

Her most famous musicals include Mais Al-Reem (The Deer's Meadow), Al-Mahatta (The Station) and Biyyaa Al-Khawatem (The Ring the Salesman).

Fairouz has also starred in several films including Bent Al-Hares (The Daughter of the Guard) and Safar Barlak (A Trip to Barlak).

The award-winning Arab star performed in Egypt on a number of occasions, and on one occasion giving a concert at the Giza Pyramids.

Ziad Rahbani will perform in Cairo on 30 November at Manara Hall.        

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