Fayza Ahmed, often hailed as ‘The Nightingale of the East,’ was a revered Syrian-Egyptian artist known for her substantial contributions to the realms of singing and the arts. Born in Sidon, Lebanon in 1934 to a Syrian father and a Lebanese mother, she embarked on her artistic journey at a young age, leading a rich career in which she wrote hundreds of songs and starred in several films. Initially based in Damascus, Ahmed faced challenges when applying to the Syrian radio’s committee for selecting singers. Undeterred, she traveled to Aleppo, where her talent was recognized by Aleppo Radio, catapulting her to fame. Damascus Radio subsequently requested her return, marking the continuation of her successful career. Under the mentorship of composer Mohammed al-Naami, she became an accredited singer on Damascus Radio. Her journey extended to Iraq, where she collaborated with the Iraqi composer Ridha Ali, who wrote lyrics for her in the Iraqi dialect and composed the music. Ahmed then ventured to Egypt, where she impressed the Egyptian radio’s audience in Cairo with the help of radio host Salah Zaki and composer Mohammed Mohsen. Over the course of her career, Ahmed…
Remembering One of Egypt’s Most Iconic Artists of the 1960s, Fayza Ahmed
December 5, 2023
