Table of contentsIntroductionArtist biographyMusic reviewMeaning and contemporary relevanceThe joy and tenderness that is in your loveSay no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Is enough for more than many long generations Your love has filled my heart and thoughts Lightens my night and makes my life longer ~ Umm Kulthum, “The Hope of My Life” Introduction Fifty years ago, Umm Kulthum (or “Oum Kalthoum”) was an internationally renowned Egyptian singer. Kulthum had an incredible style and unique vocal ability, leading to her being recognized as one of the "most influential Arab singers of the 20th century and is arguably the most important Arab woman in contemporary history" (Brittanica np). As one commentator noted: "Imagine a singer with the virtuosity of Joan Sutherland or Ella Fitzgerald, the public persona of Eleanor Roosevelt and the audience of Elvis and you have Umm Kulthum" (Oxford np). With this eulogy in mind, this discussion paper examined Umm Kulthum, the almost mythical Arab singer from Egypt, in the context of her biography, her music, and the meaning she brought to her own world and to the contemporary world. Understanding Oum Kulthum, like many singers, requires understanding both their musical style and their personal lives. The article first turns to Umm Kulthum's personal and public life before turning to an assessment of her musical style, using the elements of rhythm, instruments, pitch, form and meaning . Finally, the discussion turns to the meaning and impact of Oum Kulthum. The whole discussion is formulated in an assessment of the most famous NGOs of Umm Kulthum – “The hope of my life” (Amal Hayati). Recorded in 1965, the song essentially represents Umm Kulthum, her musical abilities and style, and the contemporary relevance she holds. Biography of an Artist The date of Umm Kulthum's birth is not known with certainty, although it is believed to be December. 31 1898 or May 4, 1904 (Brittanica np). What is known is that his father was "a village imam who sang traditional religious songs at weddings and festivals" in order to make ends meet for his family (Britannica np). While during her childhood singing was widely looked down upon in Egypt, Kulthum was able to study music and poetry when she moved to Cairo with her family in 1923. This was at the invitation of another famous Arab musician, Zakariyya Ahmad: his talents “were noticed by [the] famous oudist”, who “then invited him to Cairo to study under his tutelage” (Stanton 297). It was there that she perfected her singing and oud skills. From there, his success took off. By the 1950s, she was a national icon in Egypt and found one of her greatest figures in Gamal Abdel Nasser, the nationalist who overthrew the king and founded his own government in 1952. Throughout the 1950s , Nasser often broadcast his speeches and government propaganda. before and after Kulthum concerts. Despite her fame, Kulthum remained relatively private: she “avoided succumbing to the debauchery of the bohemian lifestyle championed by artists and musicians.” Instead, she emphasized her humble origins and conservative values” (Stanton 297). As another scholar concludes, Koulthum's song "accompanied the Arab world in all its national aspirations and catalyzed a feeling of Arab unity that managed to transcend (at least on a cultural level) social tensions and conflicts policies” (Shohat 305). This is of course not the biography of Umm Kalthum in.