Celebrating Mohamed Mounir on his 70th birthday

Ahram Online , Thursday 10 Oct 2024

Today marks the 70th birthday of Mohamed Mounir, a legendary figure in Arabic music often referred to as The King.

Mohamd Mounir

 

Born on 10 October 1954, in Manshiyat Nubia, a village in Aswan, south of Egypt, Mohamed Mounir’s music and unique voice have captivated millions across the Arab world for decades.

Known for his ability to blend Nubian roots with modern genres, like pop and jazz, Mounir has solidified his place as one of Egypt’s most iconic singers.

Mounir made his first important imprints through collaboration with the Al-Masryeen band led by musician Hani Shenouda. Those years also saw the beginnings of The King's collaboration with Ahmed Mounib and poet Abdel Rahim Mansour, who helped Mounir find his sound and supported the release of his early albums.

As his popularity grew significantly and in no time, Mounir became beloved by the growing scores of fans. Mounir's musical wealth encompasses 20 albums and countless singles.

Among his best-known albums are Almouni Aineki (1977), Shababeek (1981) which solidified his collaboration with the jazz musician Yehia Khalil and became among the important footprints in his career, Bari (1986), Leila Ya Samra (1993), Fi Ishq El Banat (2000), Ahmar Shafayef (2003), and Embareh Kan Omri Eshreen (2005), among others.

Each of Mounir’s albums showcases his ability to blend Nubian sounds with modern music, with lyrics often tackling themes of love, freedom, and social justice, resonating with audiences across generations.

His voice became iconic for the youngest listeners when he sang the theme for the animated series Bakkar, an Egyptian production traditionally broadcast during the holy month of Ramadan from 1998 to 2004 and from 2011 to 2015, running for a total of 11 seasons.

Mounir also appeared in cinema and television. Following his film debut in Youssef Chahine’s Hadduta Masreya, he starred in productions, such as El Yom El Sades and Youm Helw Youm Morr. 

Until this summer, Mohamed Mounir's concerts multiplied as he continued to perform in Egypt and across the Arab Region.

One of his most significant appearances was last July when he performed during the official opening of the New Alamein Festival at Egypt’s North Coast.

During that concert, he expressed his solidarity with the Palestinian people by singing one of his known hits from the late 1980s dedicated to Palestine, El-Amara.

He also concluded the concert with his 2002 hit, Maddad, fusing the new lyrics "Jerusalem is Arab" into the composition.

In early August, Mounir cancelled his Alexandria concert due to a sudden travel to Germany, for what he described as "a medical treatment" due to kidney and liver complications. 

Days later, he reassured fans through a video appearance from Germany, confirming that his condition was improving. 

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