Umm Kulthum

Biography

Umm Kulthum (born Fatima Ibrahim El-Sayyid El-Beltagi on 31 December 1898, died 3 February 1975) was an Egyptian singer, songwriter, and film actress active from the 1920s to the 1970s. She was given the honorific title Kawkab al-Sharq (كوكب الشرق, "Star of the East").Umm Kulthum was known for her vocal ability and unique style. She sold over 80 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling singers of the Arab world of all time. She is considered a national icon in her native Egypt; she has been dubbed "The voice of Egypt" and "Egypt's fourth pyramid".