Umm Kulthum, an Egyptian singer, songwriter, and actress lived from the 1920s through the 1970s (31 December 1898 – 3 February 1975). She received the moniker “Kawkab el-charq” (‘Star of the Orient’).
She is considered a national symbol in her home Egypt and has been dubbed “The Voice of Egypt,” the “Lady of Arabic Song,” and “Egypt’s Fourth Pyramid.”
Amin El Mahdi welcomed her into Cairo’s artistic community. It was in 1924 that she first met the poet Ahmed Rami, who would go on to write 137 songs for her, expose her to French literature, and become her main teacher of Arabic literature and literary analysis.
In 1926, she switched from Gramophone to Odeon records because they paid her nearly twice as much for each record and even an additional $10,000 in revenue. She also maintained a tightly managed public persona, which probably added to her appeal.
She was also shown around the Arabic Theatre Palace by renowned oud virtuoso and composer Mohamed El Qasabgi, who also assisted her in achieving her first considerable level of public success.
What was Umm Kulthum’s cause of death?
Umm Kulthum passed away on February 3, 1975, at the age of 76 from kidney failure before she could finish and perform her two songs, “Awkaty btehlaw ma’aak wa hyaty btekmal b’redak” and another song she requested poet Saleh Goudet write for her to sing in honor of Egypt’s victory over Israel in the October War (also known as the Yom kippur War).
