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‘Madonna Masr’: Remembering the Forgotten 90’s Pop Icon Simone

January 30, 2019

In the West, pop music represented the rise of a youth generation in the postwar era that were attempting to break away from traditional values and search for new romantic ideals like freedom, love, and justice. From the early days of The Beatles to Michael Jackson and Madonna, music was no longer about just lyrics and composition, but also visual appeal and lifestyle. As this style of music spread across the world, it came to represent different things for different regions. In Egypt, for instance, the 90s were a confusing period. While there was a rapid rise in terrorist attacks and extremism, with Islamist movement Al Gamaa Al Islamiyaa gaining a huge momentum, there was Simone – a new Egyptian pop singer, dressed in all black and dancing with her black shades and her big, curly hair in the music video of “Mabsouta” (Happy). “I walk along and my watch is not set correctly, And to where I was heading, I had no idea But I continue to walk while I’m happy   On the sidewalk, There is someone catcalling Why would he do that when he’s old in age?…


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