In the episode released on 1 October, the host Ahmed El-Ghandour (Da7ee7) highlights how Um Kalthoum’s concerts in the late 1960s, particularly her performance at the prestigious Olympia Theatre in Paris, showcased her unparalleled influence across the Arab world and Europe.
The episode explored the Star of the Orient's impact on Middle Eastern society and music, emphasizing her status as a cultural icon.
It also highlighted her entailment in cultural diplomacy and her role as a unifying national figure.
Focusing on the Paris concert, the episode highlights how this event is among the important showcases of Um Kalthoum being a symbol of Egyptian soft power and Arab unity.
Speaking about Egypt's defeat in the 1967 Six-Day War, known as Al-Naksa, El-Ghandour shed light on how the singer used her voice and status: while performing across the Egyptian governorates, the Middle East, and Europe, she raised funds for the Egyptian military.
Since 2014, El-Ghandour launched more than 200 episodes on various topics, from ancient civilizations to modern scientific discoveries, from stories about influential politicians, rulers, artists, and sportsmen to psychology, human behaviour, pop culture, and media.
Many episodes are 10-20 minutes long, while others are much longer, like Um Kalthoum in Paris (more than 44 minutes).
Combining wit and humour with well-researched educational content, the Da7ee7 show appeals to a wide audience, with many episodes scoring several million views.
The Um Kalthoum episode, with over two million views so far, is among the most popular episodes released by Da7ee7 on his YouTube channel which has 5.25 million subscribers.
In November 2023, Da7ee7 released The Story of Palestine, a more than one-hour-long episode that looks into Israeli sources to debunk modern and historical myths about Palestine and the dispossession of the Palestinian people in the 1948 Nakba.
So far, this episode has garnered over 22 million views, making it the most popular show ever.
Other popular episodes include Hashasheen (Order of Assassins), the Concept of Boredom, and the Flat Earth, which scored more than seven million views.
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