Anybody who knows anything about Arabic music knows the name Om Koulsoum. This is the name of perhaps the most famous of all Arabic singers. Om means ‘mother’ in Arabic. Used in this context it usually is a nickname, but in this case, the old Arabic name Om is the actual name of a woman who is the ‘mother’ of the most recognized, most beloved Arabic songs.
You might see variant spellings of the name. Sometimes Om is spelled: Um, Umm, Oum or Omm. Sometimes Koulsoum is spelled: Kulthum, Kalsoum, Kaltsoum, or Kalthoum. All are phonetically-spelled versions of the same name.
Om Koulsoum was born in a small village to a poor family in appx. 1904. She learned to sing from her father, who was the imam of the local mosque and who supplemented his meager income by singing songs for weddings and other celebrations. Om, her father and her brother performed together for special occasions. Because of her youth and her strong, exceptional voice, Om became an attraction for the group and eventually its premiere singer. In time, the family traveled farther and increased their fees. Yet despite their success, her family was reluctant to go to Cairo, although most people encouraged Om to further her career in the city which is the center of the entertainment business. Finally, the family moved to Cairo in 1923, when Om was about 19 years old.
Om Koulsoum’s voice was immediately noticed by the press, but was considered unschooled, so Om set out to study with numerous music teachers, as well as with a poet. She also worked on emulating the dress and manners of the elite ladies in whose homes she sang and soon became friends with some of them.
In the spring of 1926, Om Koulsoum hired professional musicians to accompany her singing, taking the place of her family. By 1928, she rose to the top of the ranks of Cairo’s professional singers.
During the 1920’s and 30’s, Om Koulsoum began to make commercial recordings which launched her life-long involvement with mass media. Om Koulsoum was involved in radio at the inception of Egyptian National Radio in 1934. In 1935 Om began singing for films and in 1960 for television.
Her commercial recordings established her financial comfort, so Om could be particular about the performing opportunities she accepted. She was a clever business-woman, removing her agent and handling all contracts herself. She carefully cultivated her audience to include the vast numbers sitting in homes and shops near a radio, which made Om Koulsoum a familiar figure to them.
The ‘golden age’ of Om Koulsoum came in the 40s and 50s. Her repertory expanded from modernist romantic songs, to neo-classical works based on historically Arab poetic and musical practices, which were viewed as indigenously Arab and became extremely popular.
Health problems plagued Om Koulsoum for most of her life, seriously disrupting her career in 1946. Om greatly feared for her voice, resulting in deep depression. The depression was further complicated in the following year by her mother’s death, her brother’s death and a failed love relationship. In 1949, Om faced problems with her eyes, aggravated by the bright lights of the stage and film. Eventually, she always chose to wear sunglasses during performances. A long period of illness occurred, as show was not able to resume her normal schedule of appearances until 1955. Audiences looked upon her time of illness with compassion, accepting that the immutable star was an actual human being. It only endeared her to them more.
At this time, Om Koulsoum began collaborations with a premiere composer, Mohamed Abdel Wahab. (This is another name in which you should become familiar!) By 1964, they produced the very popular song "Ente Omri", which was the first of ten by Mohamed Abdel Wahab for Om Koulsoum.
During the 50s and 60s, Om Koulsoum expanded her role in Egyptian public life. She became a spokeswoman for various causes. She advocated governmental support of Arabic music and musicians. After the war in 1967, she began a series of domestic and international concerts for Egypt. She traveled throughout Egypt and the Arab world, collecting contributions and donating the proceeds to the Egyptian government. She became known as the voice and face of Egypt.
Her health problems worsened as she aged, deteriorating dramatically in 1971. Her last concert was given in December 1972. In January 1975, Om Koulsoum suffered a final kidney attack that led to her death on February 3. Millions of Egyptian mourners turned out for her funeral.
Om Koulsom’s repertoire is said to consist of about 280 songs on various themes: love, patriotism, nature, and religion, in both classical and colloquial Arabic. Most are still as popular today as they were the day she first performed them. Some of the most popular for you, as an oriental dancer, to recognize are: "Alf Leila We Leila", "Ana Fintezarak", "Ente Omri", "Fakarouni", "Leilet Hob", and "Lessa Faker".
It is of the utmost importance for any professional oriental dancer to know at least a little about the diva of Arabic song, Om Koulsoum. For further study, you can check out the Internet, but be sure to search on the various ways of spelling her name. Also, a wonderful reference is the website: http://almashriq.hiof.no/egypt/
(back)
©2000 Jasmin Jahal