Majda El-Roumy and the First Pan Arab Hit

It was 1991 when she released Kalemat, a song that was carried by by Arab radios and TV in a matter of days, the dudes and the gals were singing to this classic song for the relatively then unknown singer Majda El-Roumy. She made her first mas media appearance in Studio El Fan in the 70s. Back then her late father given her most of her songs that tended to be patriotic and Lebanon focused and tended to be oreintal melodies.

Magida was one of the first modern singers to combine western classical music and Arabic classical music (tarab). Her first hit was Am Behlamak Ya Helm Ya Lebnan, written by poet Said Akl and composed by Elias Rahbani.

Magida's self-titled debut album was typical of 1970s Arabic pop, with traditional percussion, a string section, guitar, and keyboard. Her Lebanese patriotism is evident in songs like Nab' El Mahabbeh, which are song in Lebanese Arabic dialect. This is also true of her 1980s songs Layalina Men Layali El Omr and Ya Saken Afkari. Her first work in classical Arabic was La Taghdabi and Salawna. Magida sang a hit rendition of the Abdel Halim Hafez's El Touba in 1987.

In 1991, Magida released Kalimat, her first pan-Arab hit, under the Music Master label. The title song was written by Syrian poet Nizar Qabbani and composed by Ihsan El-Mounzer. Other songs by Qabbani were Beirut, Set Eddounia and Ma'a Jarida.

Magida initiated the movement that re-popularized classical Arabic poetry in music and began to fuse East and West. 1994's Ibhath Anni followed the template set by Kalimat. Souad Al Sabah's Kon Sadiqi was about empowerment of women. Other patriotic songs were Oum Etthadda and Saqata Al Qina.

She is one of those heavy weight divas in her country Lebanon where she makes her political views made public. She has also dabbled into acting In 1976 where she Magida starred in Youssef Chahine movie Awdat Al Ibn Al Dal (The Return of the Prodigal Son) providing also 3 soundtracks for the movie. Chahine introduced her as 'the Voice of the 20th Century' and received the 'Egyptian Critics Award'.

And if that's not enough, she has performed one of the most memorable wedding songs that is on everyone's must play song at weddings in places like Lebanon, Syrian and Palestine. Nasheed Al Zafaf "The Wedding Anthem" is her epic song.

She continues to serve as one of those good will ambassadors for the United Nation. She also works with the FAO to combat hunger. There is more more song of hers that is waiting to be released. In this song the lyrics are the work of Syrian poet Nizar Qabbani and composed by none other than her buddy Iraqi composer/singer Katehm Al Saher. Majda has also taken part in the Quincy Jones mega production song for human rights to be released sometimes in the near future.

Majeda El-Romy - ماجدة الرومي عيناك




اجمل اغاني ماجده الرومي The best of Majda El Romy



[Tarboush Tip: Wikipedia]