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Samira Said

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Samira Said
سميرة سعيد
Said at the 2011 Beirut International Awards Festivals (BIAF)
Born
Samira Abdelrazak Bensaïd[1]

(1958-01-10) 10 January 1958 (age 66)
Rabat, Morocco
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
  • actress
  • entrepreneur
Years active1975–present
Spouses
Hany Mehanna
​
(m. 1988⁠–⁠1994)​
  • Mustafa Naboulsy
Children1
Musical career
GenresEgyptian,[1] Arab pop
Labels

Samira Abdelrazak Bensaïd (Arabic: سميرة عبد الرزاق بنسعيد, romanized: Samīra ʿAbd ar-Razzāq ibn Saʿīd; born 10 January 1958), professionally known as Samira Said (Arabic: سميرة سعيد, romanized: Samīra Saʿīd), is a Moroccan-Egyptian singer who has lived in Egypt for more than 40 years and is known for her Egyptian Arabic genre.[1]

Career

[edit]
Said on a postcard for the Eurovision Song Contest 1980

Samira Said was born in 1958 in Rabat, in Morocco,[2] to a father from Rabat and a mother from Fez.[3] She began singing at the age of nine[citation needed], and was discovered on the music program, Mawaheb, broadcast on Moroccan TV. She then moved to Egypt where her fame around the Arab world began. She has dual nationality in Morocco and Egypt,[4] her resident home, as she moved to Cairo in 1977.[citation needed] All her albums are in Egyptian Arabic, but she has also recorded some songs in Moroccan Arabic, such as "Kifash Tlakina" ("How we Met"), "Fayetli sheftek shi marra" ("I've seen you once"), "Sarkouh" ("They Stole Him"), and "Al Behhara" ("Mariners"). Her singles included "Maghlouba" ("Beaten") and "Wa'ady" ("My Love"). In 1980 she represented her native Morocco in the Eurovision Song Contest singing a hit song in Netherlands at that time called Bitaqat Hub, placing 18th out of the 19 contestants.

Said has recorded many Arabic hits that were ranked highly in Egypt, such as "Ben Lef" ("The Circle of Life"), "Sayidati Sadati" (Ladies and Gentlemen"), "Malich 3inwan" ("Ready When You Are") and "Akher Hawa" ("Last Love"). She worked with the Egyptian composer Mohamed El Mougi, and sang and acted in the film Saaktob Ismak Ala Arrimal ("I Will Write Your Name in the Sand"), which included her singing "Yadamiiti Haddi" ("Tears, Fall from My Eyes"). Other recordings include "Lilet El Ouns" ("Magnificent Get-Together"), "Ech Gab Li Gab" ("A Cut about the Rest"), "Amrak Aagib" ("I Don't Get You"), and "Menghir Sabab" ("For No Reason").

Said in 2005

In 2000, she released the song "Lilah Habeebee", ("One Night, My Love"), the album title track, which went on to win for best video in the Arab world in 2001 at the Cairo Arabic Music Festival.[citation needed] At the 15th annual World Music Awards in 2003, Said won a World Music Award based on worldwide sales figures for that year. She won the BBC award for world music[5] for the best artist in the Middle East with her album Youm Wara Youm.[6] She has won more than 40 awards.[7][8]

Reception

[edit]

Halina Hopkis called Said "an emblem of trans-nationality in her moves between Morocco and Egypt as well the different awards and shows she has received and participated in as a representative of the Arabic music community".[9]

In 2003, Said was chosen as the best singer in the Middle East by BBC Radio 3 Awards for World Music.[10] She won the Rabab D'or prize at the Tétouan's Voix des Femmes Festival in 2008.[11] She was the winner of the Murex d'Or Award in 2009.[12]

At the 2009 Timitar Festival in Agadir, Said performed for a crowd of 100,000.[13] In 2011, the Beirut International Award Festival (BIAF) honored a number of Arab and international singers, including Said.[14][15]

She has been both credited and criticized for bringing Arab music into the pop-driven, commercially fueled 21st century.[16]

According to Egyptian newspaper Al Ahram, Said's albums have sold over 60 million copies. Aweeny Beek is the top selling Arabic album in the Middle East and worldwide to date, with over 10 million copies released in 2004.[8][17][18]

Musical style

[edit]
Said performing on the Star Academy Arab World TV show; Beirut, Lebanon; 8 July 2011

Halina Hopkins said that "One reason Said’s music is popular is because of the tonal beauty of her voice against the background instrumentation. The centrality of her voice represents her personal influence in her work.[9]

Personal life

[edit]

Said was married to Egyptian musician Hany Mehanna from 1988 to 1994. She then married businessman Mustafa Naboulsy, with whom she had her only son, Shady.[19]

In multiple interviews, Said has expressed her desire to return to Morocco and live near her family and loved ones.[20]

Philanthropy and humanitarian work

[edit]

Said spearheaded concerts to draw people together after the 2006 riots in immigrant suburbs across France and solidarize between faiths.[21][22][23]

Discography

[edit]
  • El hob elli ana a'aycheh (1975)
  • Ben Lif (1979)
  • Bitaqat Hub (1980)
  • Hikaya (1981)
  • Allemnah el Hob (1982)
  • Ketr al Kalam (1983)
  • Methaya'li (1984)
  • Lilet el Ouns (1984)
  • Ya Damaiti Haddi (1984)
  • Ehki ya Shehrazade (1985)
  • Youm akablak Fih (1985)
  • Ech gab li gab (1985)
  • Amrak ajib en (1986)
  • Ana walla anta (1989)
  • Moch hatnazel a'anak (1986)
  • Sibak (1986)
  • Ya ebn al halel (1987)
  • Ghariba (1988)
  • Sibni louahdi (1988)
  • Ensani (1989)
  • Ba'adin neta'ateb (1990)
  • Choft el amar (1991)
  • Hannitlak (1992)
  • Khayfa (1992)
  • a'ach'a (1993)
  • Enta habibi (1995)
  • Wallah Mahansak (1995)
  • Kolli de echa3at (1996)
  • A'al bal (1998)
  • Rouhi (1999)
  • Laila habibi (2001)
  • Youm Wara Youm (2002)[24]
  • Awweeni Beek (2004)
  • Best of Samira Said (1995-2005)
  • Ayaam Hayati (2008)
  • Be winner ft. Fnaïre (2010)
  • Khallouh (2010)
  • Mazal (2013)[25][26]
  • Ayza Aeesh (2015)
  • Ensan 'Ali (2021)


References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "Samira Said tease ses fans avec un mystérieux nouveau project", ledesk.ma
  2. ^ libvoice.net. "سميرة سعيد". Retrieved 6 November 2011.
  3. ^ "Samira Saeed reveals why her father's family refused to enter the field". saudi24news.com. 19 February 2021.
  4. ^ "Such the dutiful citizen! Samira Saeed takes voting very seriously, no matter the country she resides.", albawaba, Samira had announced from the polling center where she cast her vote, that it is the civil duty of every Egyptian citizen to vote for the amended constitution.
  5. ^ Samira Said: Winner in the Middle East Category; Garth Cartwright; 2002
  6. ^ Winners of the 2003 World Music Awards; Oct. 12, 2003; Monaco; Billboard.com;
  7. ^ LG Fait Chanter Samira Bensaid Archived 2013-11-11 at the Wayback Machine; Aujourd’hui le Maroc; 2004
  8. ^ a b Samira Saeid; the Best-seller Moroccan Singer in Arabic Music History; hitmarker.com Best Sellers; Stars Cafe Entertainment; 2009
  9. ^ a b "Kolleena Ensan: Samira Said's Music as an Interpretation of Moroccan Women's Cultural Identity" (PDF). Halina Hopkins. Valparaiso University. 2011-03-31. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 11, 2013.
  10. ^ "Awards for World Music 2003 - Samira Said (Egypt)". BBC Radio 3. Retrieved July 29, 2018.
  11. ^ "Samira Said Glows in Front of 60,000 Fans". Al Bawaba. Associated Newspapers. 2009-06-28. Archived from the original on June 27, 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-28.
  12. ^ "Star Scene: Murex D'or Hosts its 9th Award Ceremony". Associated Newspapers. 2009.
  13. ^ "Timitar Festival 2009". BBC. BBC Radio 3. 2009.
  14. ^ "The Beirut International Awards Festivals (BIAF) honored Samira Said". BIAF. 2012. Archived from the original on November 11, 2013.
  15. ^ "Pack of Cards". Al-Ahram Weekly; Issue No. 1076. Associated Newspapers. 15 December 2011. Archived from the original on November 11, 2013.
  16. ^ Mowafi, Amy (2010-09-10), Samira Said: The Time of Her Life, archived from the original on 2012-05-29
  17. ^ Samira Said: A Moroccan Star Shines in the Arab World; Magharebia.com; 2009-02-05)
  18. ^ Samira Said's record "Ayaam Hayati" Has Been Ranked No. 1 Best-selling Album of 2008; البوم سميرة سعيد يحتل المرتبة الأولى; AlRiyadh.com. (2004-12-16)]
  19. ^ "How Is Your Relationship With Your Mother During Home Stay? Samira Said Is Dancing With Her Son In Full Glam!". albawaba.com. 15 April 2020.
  20. ^ "Moroccan Singer Samira Said to Return Permanently to Morocco".
  21. ^ "Samira Saeed Fights Terrorism". Al Bawaba. Associated Newspapers. 2006-05-09. Retrieved 2009-12-12.
  22. ^ "Concert Pour la Tolérance: Réussi, Oui Mais". GoAgadir. Associated Newspapers. 2007-11-02. Retrieved 2007-11-02.
  23. ^ "Concert Pour la Tolérance 2007 à Agadir". news.agadir-souss.com. Associated Newspapers. 2007-09-29. Archived from the original on 2009-03-12. Retrieved 2007-09-29.
  24. ^ Garth, Cartwright (2002-02-13), Samira Said: Egypt's top female singer
  25. ^ worldmusicawards (2013-10-11), Morocco: Samira Saïd Nominated for Worlds Best Song, archived from the original on 2014-02-26
  26. ^ "Moroccan Diva Samira Said Back with a Great Song in "Darija"". Morocco World News. 12 October 2013. Archived from the original on October 17, 2013.

Further reading

[edit]
  • Women of Fes: Ambiguities of Urban Life in Morocco, by Rachel Newcomb, University of Pennsylvania Press, 2009 - 236 pages. ISBN 978-0-8122-4124-2, 9780812241242. (in English)
  • Iraqi Maqam voices of women: an analytical study of the critical technical experience of Iraqi women in singing Almqami, by Hussein Azami, by Hussein Azami, AIRP, 2005 - 316 pages. ISBN 978-9953-36-677-7, ISBN 978-9953-36-677-7. (in Arabic)
  • Songs and stories, by Karīm Irāqī, by Karīm Irāqī, Company Whites of Arts and Letters, Volume 1 de Aghānī wa-ḥikāyātuhā, Karīm ʻIrāqī - . (in Arabic)
[edit]
  • BBC.co.uk; Samira Said: Youm Wara Youm; review by Garth Cartwright; 16 November 2007; BBC
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