Shahrazad شهرزاد

Shafika Mohamed El Sayed, better known as Shahrazad's art name, was an Egyptian singer and actress born in El Helmiya, a popular neighborhood of Cairo, on 8 January 1928.

Raised in a family of humble origins, she attended school in her neighborhood. At a very young age she took her first steps in the world of art, taking part in various films and playing a role in the operetta "Al’ashara al Tayyiba" written by Muhammad Taymur and set to music by Sayyed Darwish, a metaphorical work on the domination of the Mammelucks in Egypt.

As a singer she got her first hit with the song "Awal ma jayt fy al mi'ad", composed by Riad Al Sunbati and played by her on national radio in 1952.

Grown musically in what is called the golden age of Egyptian music, she  will clash, at a professional level, with the heavyweights of the genre obtaining the applause of them. Mohamed Abdel Wahab will recognize the value of her voice and the great Umm Khultum will say of her "Shahrazad is the only singer after me who can be on stage singing for hours".

For her  wrote the best Egyptian composers including: Kamal Al Taweel, Baligh Hamdy, Mohamed El Mougy and Sayed Mekawy. In the early 1960s she began performing in monthly concerts in the theaters of El Gomhouriaand Azbakeya consolidating her fame.

Although much loved at home, Shahrazad is almost unknown to the Western public. Her fame and her interpretations have often been obscured by singers such as Najat al Saghira and Umm Khultum  , artists best sponsored by the self-styled specialized press. Her name circulates little on Western sites that would like to deal with Arabic music and that's why I wanted to dedicate a post to her.

In 2007 her career got the right tribute anyway. The Egyptian Academy of Arts has indeed honored the artist for her exceptional contribution to the development of the fine arts.

After a satisfying existence Shahrazad died in her sleep on April 6, 2013 at her home in Agouza. The niece, the director Heba Yousri, made a documentary on the life and career of the artist in 2011 entitled “ Stu Zad, Awal ashq”.













Shafika Mohamed El Sayed, meglio conosciuta con il nome d’arte di Shahrazad, è stata una cantante ed attrice egiziana nata a El Helmiya, quartiere popolare del Cairo, l’8 gennaio 1928.

Cresciuta in una famiglia di umili origini, ha frequentato la scuola presso il proprio quartiere. Giovanissima muove i primi passi nel mondo dell’arte prendendo parte a varie pellicole cinematografiche e interpretando un ruolo nell’operetta “Al’ashara al Tayyiba” scritta da Muhammad Taymur e musicata da Sayyed Darwish, un lavoro metaforico sulla dominazione dei Mammelucchi  in Egitto. 

Come cantante ottiene il primo successo con il brano “Awal ma jayt fy al mi'ad “,Composto da Riad Al Sunbati e da lei interpretato sulla radio nazionale nel 1952.

Cresciuta musicalmente in quella che viene definita l’età dell’oro della musica egiziana si confronterà , a livello professionale, con i pesi massimi del genere ottenendone il plauso. Mohamed Abdel Wahab riconoscerà il valore della sua voce e la grande Umm Khultum dirà di lei “ Shahrazad è l'unica cantante dopo di me che può stare sul palco a cantare per ore”.

Per lei hanno scritto i migliori compositori egiziani tra i quali : Kamal Al Taweel, Baligh Hamdy,Mohamed El Mougy e Sayed Mekawy. All'inizio degli anni '60 ha iniziato a esibirsi in concerti mensili nei teatri di El Gomhouria
e Azbakeya consolidando la sua fama.

Sebbene molto amata in patria Shahrazad è poco conosciuta presso il pubblico occidentale. La sua fama e le sue interpretazioni sono state molto spesso oscurate da cantanti quali Najat al Saghira e la stessa Umm Kulthum , artiste meglio sponsorizzate dalla stampa sedicente specializzata. Il suo nome circola poco sui siti che vorrebbero occuparsi di musica araba  ed è per questo che ho voluto dedicarle un post.

Nel 2007 la sua carriera ha ottenuto comunque il giusto tributo. L'Accademia delle Arti egiziana ha infatti onorato l'artista per il suo eccezionale contributo allo sviluppo delle belle arti.

Dopo un esistenza ricca di soddisfazioni Shahrazad è deceduta nel sonno il 6 aprile 2013 presso la sua abitazione ad Agouza. La nipote, la regista Heba Yousri , ha realizzato nel 2011 un documentario sulla vita e la carriera dell’artista intitolato “ Stu Zad, Awal ashq”.

 









Filmography
                

               

1941  Masna'u al zawjat  مصنع الزوجات  
1942  Ibn al balad   ابن البلد
1944  Hababa  حبابة
1946  Al ahdab الأحدب
1948  'ashat fy al vallam عاشت فى الظلام
1949  Kursy al a'atiraf كرسي الاعتراف
1950  Amir al intiqam  أمير الانتقام
1952  Zainab زينب
1952  Mismar Juha  مسمار جحا
1964  Amir al daha' أمير الدهاء
2011  Stu zad awal 'ashq ستو زاد، أول عشق






Shahrazad شهرزاد - Arab Tunes Collection Vol. 1 & 2

Vol. 1

01 Ma inta fahum ماانت فاهم
02 Usik ya habiby أوصيك يا حبيبي
03 Shuf Ya habiby شوف يا حبيبي
04 Fy al qalb huna في القلب هنا
05 Ashr wa Asunk أسهر واصونك
06 Al Hubb Al Ghaly الحب الغالي
07 Ana lya fy qalby Hikaya أنا ليا في قلبي حكاية
08 Ba'ada al marra dy بعد المرة دي
09 Ba'adin huqulkبعدين حقولك
10 Habiby fi al janub asmar حبيبي في الجنوب أسمر
11 'ady al qanal عدي القنال
12 Ghayrak inta malish غيرك انت ماليش
13 Mishwar al hubb مشوار الحب
14 Min jadid al qalb hubbik من جديد القلب حبك
15 Ya hulm layla sayfa يا حلم ليلة صيف
16 Yally tuhibbu al hayat ياللي تحب الحياة
17 Uhibbu wa al Huwy fy 'anik أحبك و الهوي في عنيك
18 Hajarti al hub هجرت الحب
19 Ya 'ammu yally يا عم ياللي
20 Layala farah ليلة فرح
21 Mish ha qawlillak مش ح قوللك
22 Wa anta malik و أنت مالك
23 Hayatuka ma hatansany حياتك ما حتنساني
24 Ya Qasawa qalbik يا قساوة قلبك
25 Ya sakinu arady al nil يا ساكن أراضي النيل
26 Duluni ya 'ashqain دلوني يا عاشقين
27 Ba'adin Ma'ak بعدين معاك
28 Tawab wa bab rahmatik maftuh تواب و باب رحمتك مفتوح
29 Ya halawa al qalb ally yuhibbu يا حلاوة القلب اللي يحب
30 Yamma qaluly 'alayk ياما قالولي عليك
31 'Asil wa sukkar عسل وسكر
32 Uhibbu ismak أحب أسمك

HERE



Vol. 2

01 Al layla الليلة
02 Hubbiyatuhu  ana hubbiatuhu حبيته أنا حبيته
03 Misik bilkhayr مسيك بالخير
04 Bashir al nasr بشير النصر
05 inta ahluyt kidda lyya انت احلويت كدة لية
06 Sukkar wallahu halawatak سكر والله حلاوتك
07 Jamila al dunia 'ashan hubbik  جميلة الدنيا عشان حبك
08 Aba'ad 'aynuk 'anny  أبعد عينك عني
09 Inta 'arifu أنت عارف
10 Awal ma jayt fy al mi'ad اول ما جيت في الميعاد
11 Lihi bita'anud fya ليه بتعاند فيا
12 Bilhadawa بالهداوة
13 Kitar biza'al minka كتير بزعل منك
14 Nawayt uhibbuk tul 'omry  نويت احبك طول عمري
15 a'shiq al khalis lihubbik اعشق الخالص لحبك
16 Ya sahi wa al huwy ghidar يا ساهي و الهوي غدار
17 illa fakira ألا فاكرة 
18 'ashan habiby عشان حبيبي
19 Risala رسالة
20 Shay jamil anny uhibbuk شئ جميل اني أحبك
21 Diny mi'ad ديني ميعاد
22 Qabla ma ashufuk قبل ما أشوفك
23 Fy Valla al ward في ظل الورد
24 Jana al dunya جنة الدنيا
25 Ramadan ya shahr al siyam رمضان يا شهر الصيام
26 'adini min waqtik sa'a jawda  'alia أديني من وقتك ساعة جودة عالية
27 Kuntu anshaghal bik كنت انشغل بك
28 Hikayat al mandil   حكاية المنديل
29 Ya nassiny  يا ناسيني
30 Al Bakht  البخت
31  Laka liwahdika   لك لوحدك 
32 Mish bi ayady مش بأيدي


HERE