Umm Kulthum was a powerful symbol, first of Egypt and then the Arab world. Born a peasant, she became a woman of great wealth and power, confidant of presidents and kings. Her funeral in 1975 drew four million people in Cairo, and her cassettes still outsell other Arabic female vocalists.
Umm Kulthum
Umm Kulthum, a legendary singer, combined the musical talents of Ella Fitzgerald with the charisma of Eleanor Roosevelt, captivating a massive audience akin to Elvis Presley.
