Oum Kalthoum

Pictures

Listen to, buy or share

Buy

Buy
  • Digital download
  • 7digital 7digital
  • iTunes iTunes
  • Physical media
  • Amazon Amazon Search
  • eBay eBay Search
  • 145,167
    scrobbles
  • 22,254
    listeners

Tags

Everyone’s tags

More tags

Biography

Oum Kalthoum (Arabic: أم كلثوم; other English spellings include: Umm Kulthum, Om Kalthoum, Oum Kalsoum, Oum Kalthum, Omm Kolsoum, Umm Kolthoum, Um Kalthoom) (1904–1975) was an Egyptian singer and musician.

Oum Kalthoum was born in Tamay ez-Zahayra village in El Senbellawein, Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt. Her birth date is controversial, and even the Egyptian Ministry of Information seems to have given either 31st December 1898, or 31st December 1904.

At a young age, she showed exceptional singing talent. Her father, an Imam, taught her to recite the Qur’an, and she is said to have memorised the entire book. When she was twelve years old, her father disguised her as a young boy and entered her in a small performing troupe that he directed. At the age of sixteen she was noticed by Abol Ela Mohamed, a modestly famous singer, and by the famous oudist Zakariyya Ahmad, who invited her to Cairo. She waited until 1923 before accepting the invitation. She was invited on several occasions to the house of Amin Beh Al Mahdy, who taught her how to play the oud. She developed a very close relationship with Rawyeha Al Mahdy, daughter of Amin, and became her closest friend. Kalthoum even attended Rawheya’s daughter’s wedding, although she has always tried to avoid public appearances. Amin Al Mahdy introduced her to the cultural circles in Cairo.
Read more… Edit bio

Top Albums

Listening Trend

22,254listeners all time
145,167scrobbles all time
Recent listeners trend:

Start scrobbling and track your listening history

Last.fm users scrobble the music they play in iTunes, Spotify, Rdio and over 200 other music players.

Create a Last.fm profile

Shoutbox

Leave a comment. Log in to Last.fm or sign up.

Top Listeners