Um Kulthum is a legendary female Arab singer from Egypt. Oum Koulthoum’s real name is Fatma Ibrahim El Beltagi, she was born on the 4th of May 1904, and died on the 3rd of February 1975.
You will find her name in many forms, including Oum Kalsoum, Om Koltoum, Oum Kulthoom, Umm Kulthum, Om Kolthoum, Om Kalsoum, Oumme Kalsoom or even Umm Kulsoom. In Turkish her name is ÜmmÜ GÜlsÜm.
Um Kulthum was not only a singer but also a song writer and a talented actress. She was known as Kawkab El Sharq which means the Planet of the Orient.
So many years after her death, Om Kolsom is still by far the most recognizable names in Arab Tarab singing. She is also considered as one of the worlds most famous and distinguished singers of the twentieth century.
In 2001, the famous Lebanese DJ Said Murad gives Oum Kalsoum a fresh rebirth by introducing techno-driven mixes of her famous tunes. The whole world then rediscovers this Egyptian Icon under a new and much youthful angle.
CONTROVERSY:
Oum Kalthoum is believed to have lived her life as a lesbian; this shouldn’t be subject to controversy in a different context, but given she has a near-mythical status even among young Egyptians and Arabs today, and that she comes from a VERY conservative country, this is often seen as an offensive matter.
Another controversial issue was the rumors that circulated after the death of Asmahan (sister of Farid El Atrache) a tough competitor to the legacy of Oum Kalthoum. She was said to have the most beautiful voice in the Arab World and was showered with positive and admirative reviews, something that Oum Kalthum could not tolerate. After Asmahan had a car accident, the blaming fingers went pointing in the direction of Star of the East Kawkab el-Sharq! This is very similar to what can be witnessed in modern days between the two rivals on the Middle Eastern pop scene, Hayfa Wehbeh and Rola Saad…
Um Kulthum Discography:
Aghadan alqak (1971)maqam ajam
Alif Leila wa Leila (“One Thousand and One Nights”)…..maqam nahawand (1969)
Arouh li Meen or Arook Lemeen (“Whom Should I Go To”)…….maqam rast (1958)
Al Atlal (“The Ruins”)……maqam huzam (1966)
Amal Hayati”; Sono (“Hope of My Life”) (1965)
Ansak Ya Salam (1961)maqam rast
Aqbal al-layl (1969)
Araka asiya al-dam (1964)
‘Awwidt ‘ayni (1957) maqam kurd
Baeed Anak (“Away From You”)…….maqam bayyati (1965)
Betfaker fi Meen (“Who Are You Thinking Of?”)…..maqam bayati (1963)
Dalili Ehtar (1955) maqam kurd
Dhikrayatun (Qessat Hobbi) (1955)
El Hobb Kolloh (“All The Love”)…….maqam rast (1971)
Ental Hobb (“You Are The Love”)…….maqam nahwand (1965)
Enta Omri – Sono (“You Are My Life [Time]”)…….. maqam kurd (1964)
Es’al Rouhak (“Ask yourself”, or “Ask Your Soul”)maqam hugaz kar (1970)
Fakarouni (“They thought of me to be”)…….maqam rast (1966)
Fit al-ma’ ad (“It Is Too Late”) Sono Cairo…….maqam sikah (1967)
Gharib’ Ala Bab erraja (1955)
Ghulubt asalih (1946)
Hadeeth el Rouh (“The Talk of The Soul”)……maqam kurd (1967)
Hagartek or Hajartak (“I Abandoned You”) EMI (1959)
Hasibak lil-zaman (1962)
Hathehe Laylati (“This is My Night”)……maqam bayyati (1968)
Hayart Albi Ma’ak (“You Confused My Heart”)……maqam nahwand (1961)
Hakam ‘alayna al-haw’a (1973)
Hobb Eih (“Which Love”)…..maqam bayyati (1960)
Howwa Sahih El-Hawa Ghallab (1960)maqam saba
Kull al-ahabbah (1941)
La Diva – CD, EMI Arabia, 1998
La Diva II – CD, EMI Arabia, 1998
La Diva III – CD, EMI Arabia, 1998
La Diva IV – CD, EMI Arabia, 1998
La Diva V – CD, EMI Arabia, 1998
Leilet Hobb (“Night of Love”) (1973)maqam nahawand
Lel Sabr Hedod (“Patience Has Limits”)……maqam sikah (1964)
Lessa Faker (“You Still Remember”)…….maqam ajam (1960)
Men Agl Aynayk (1972)
Othkorene (“Remember Me”) (1939)
Raq il Habeeb (“My Beloved Tendered Back”) (1941)
Retrospective – Artists Arabes Associes
Rihab al-huda (al-Thulathiyah al-Muqaddisah) (1972)
Rubaiyat Al-Khayyam (“Quatrains of Omar Khayyam”)…….maqam rast (1950)
Sirat el Houb (“Tale of Love”)…….maqam sikah (1964)
Toof we Shoof (1963)
The Classics – CD, EMI Arabia, 2001
Wi-darit il-ayyam (“And The Days Passed By”)…….maqam nahwand (1970)
Ya Karawan (1926)
Yali Kan Yashqiq Anini (1949)
Ya Msaharny (“You that keeps me awake at night”) (1972) maqam rast
Ya Zalemny (1954)maqam kurd
Zalamna El Hob (“We Have Sinned Against Love”) (1962)