Umm Kulthūm (c. 1898-1975) was known around the world for her powerful singing voice and larger-than-life demeanor, often called “Egypt’s fourth pyramid.”
Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we’ll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know -- but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Leading Ladies, Activists, STEMinists, Local Legends, and many more. Encyclopedia Womannica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures.
Encyclopedia Womannica was created by Liz Kaplan and Jenny Kaplan, executive produced by Jenny Kaplan, and produced by Liz Smith, Cinthia Pimentel, Grace Lynch, and Maddy Foley. Special thanks to Shira Atkins, Edie Allard, and Carmen Borca-Carrillo.
We are offering free ad space on Wonder Media Network shows to organizations working towards social justice. For more information, please email Jenny at jenny@wondermedianetwork.com.
Follow Wonder Media Network:
Hello, from Wonder Media Network, I’m Jenny Kaplan and this is Encyclopedia Womannica.
Today’s Hometown Hero is a household name in Egypt. She was known around the world for her powerful singing voice and her larger-than-life demeanor. She was a diva, a national icon, and was even known as “Egypt’s fourth pyramid.” Please welcome Umm Kulthūm.
Umm was born in a small village called Tammany Al-Zahayrah in the Nile Delta. Sources disagree about her birth date: some say she was born in 1898, while others place her birth in 1904. What we know for sure is that Umm started singing soon thereafter. She first learned by listening in while her father, an imam, taught her older brother how to sing. It didn’t take too long before her father realized the power of Umm’s voice.
Umm’s father took her to wedding and holiday events where they sang traditional religious songs. At the time, singing was not a very reputable occupation, especially for women-- so, wherever Umm went to sing, her father dressed her up as a boy.
In the meantime, Umm also attended a kuttab, or a Qur’an school, for most of her education. She learned rudimentary reading and writing skills there. But singing was Umm’s true calling. By the time she was a teenager, she had made a name for herself singing in the Egyptian delta, and in 1923, her family packed up and moved to Cairo to pursue her singing career.
Once they got to the city, however, Umm and her family found themselves out of place. Other people found them old-fashioned compared to the modern, populous city, and Umm had few contacts to help her find her way. Umm’s singing was also critiqued-- although she had a uniquely strong voice, she was untrained. Her repertoire and style were seen as too traditional for 1920s Cairo.
But Umm was determined. She began studying music and poetry from accomplished performers and hired all new instrumentalists for her band. When she performed, she mimicked the manners and gestures of the wealthy ladies in the audience. She also learned new love songs to modernize her portfolio.
By the mid 1920s, Umm had successfully updated her style. She recorded her first songs and quickly gained fame. By the end of the decade, she was one of the best paid musicians in Cairo and made regular appearances on film and radio. She used radio to connect with her audience on an individual level, which gained her immense popularity.
In the 1930s, Umm’s career was so successful that she took over all her own productions and contract negotiations. In 1936, she made the first of six motion pictures in which she played the title role. In 1937, Umm began giving live radio performances on the first Thursday of every month. These monthly concerts became a staple in Egyptian popular culture and made Umm even more of a fixture in Egyptian homes.
As Umm’s popularity grew, her unique singing and style became more emblematic. She performed more and more popular tunes, further endearing herself to the public by singing in a colloquial dialect. She was known for delivering deeply emotional renditions of songs written by the best composers of the day. Her voice was so powerful that she stood nearly a yard away from the microphone while singing.
She had a signature look: Umm always carried around a trademark scarf in her left hand, which she would wring and toss during performances. And she frequently donned a pair of diamond studded, cat-eye sunglasses.
The 1940s and 50s are regarded as Umm’s golden age. During this time, she actively worked to establish her identity as a patriotic Egyptian and devout Muslim, especially during the 1952 revolution. She supported Gamal Abdel Nasser and continually supported the Egyptian military via her songs and monetary contributions. As a show of her national pride, she reworked her repertoire to showcase traditional Egyptian musical styles. One of her songs was even adopted as the Egyptian national anthem from 1960 to 1979.
Umm also served in official capacities as president of the musician’s union and as a member of the listening committee. In these positions, she helped select which music was deemed appropriate for radio broadcasting.
In the late 40s, Umm ran into a series of personal problems that forced her to take her first ever break from the spotlight. She developed a thyroid problem that endangered her singing, a tragedy that was soon followed by the deaths of her mother and brother. Umm fell into a deep depression.
At the same time, Umm was also at the center of a media frenzy over her love life. Umm had never married or publicly announced a romantic relationship. Rumors flew that Umm was too cold of a person to be in love, or that she had been disappointed by love early on. She had allegedly been proposed to by King Farug’s uncle, but was deemed unfit to marry him by the royal family. In the early 50s, Umm married and divorced a man within days. Eventually, in 1954, she married Hasan al-Hifnawi, one of her doctors.
Umm resumed her entertainment schedule in 1955. She embarked on a media tour where she spoke more openly about her personal life and her past, especially her rural roots. She also advocated for government support of Arabic music. In 1967, after Egypt was defeated in the six day war, Umm toured Egypt and neighboring countries. She gave concerts and met with important leaders, toured cultural monuments, and took on the typical activities of a state visit. She donated all her proceeds to the Egyptian government.
Throughout her life, Umm continued to suffer from ill health. In December of 1972, she felt faint midway through a concert. Though she finished the set, it would be her last. In 1975, Umm fell gravely ill. A vigil took place outside of her house, and Egypt’s main newspaper, al-Ahram, published daily updates on her health.
When Umm died in February of 1975, the streets of Cairo were filled with four million admirers. It’s said that the crowd took turns with the pallbearers carrying her body to its final resting place.
For decades after her death, Umm remained one of the world’s best selling singers. In 2001, the Egyptian government established the Kawkab al-Sharq museum in Cairo, which celebrates Umm’s life. It’s named after Umm’s honorary nickname, “Star of the East.” To this day, Egyptian radio plays Umm’s music at 10 pm on the first Thursday of the month.
All month, we’re talking about Local Legends. For more on why we’re doing what we’re doing, check out our newsletter, Womannica Weekly. Find us on facebook and instagram @encyclopediawomannica. You can also find me on twitter @ jennymkaplan.
Special thanks to Liz Kaplan, my favorite sister and co-creator.
As always, we’ll be taking a break for the weekend. Talk to you on Monday!