Umm Kulthum is the only Arab on the list of the 200 greatest singers in history.
Umm Kulthum is the only Arab on the list of the 200 greatest singers in history.
With the arrival of the first day of the 2023 new year, the American magazine Rolling Stone has published an updated list of the “200 greatest singers in history” and Kawkab al-Sharq Umm Kulthum is the only Arab among these singers worldwide. sound in the list.
Umm Kulthum was ranked 61st, ahead of Billie Eilish at 198, Bob Marley at 98, Michael Jackson at 89 and Rihanna at 68.
The worldwide music, politics and popular culture magazine noted that because selections are based on originality, the list is based on a vote by the magazine’s team of critics, in addition to the opinions of a group of contributing music critics. the impact, depth and breadth of the artist’s musical legacy.
The list spans 100 years of pop music, and the introduction to the article explains that the list is about the best singers rather than the best voices, on closer inspection, those mentioned on the list are on the list for a reason: “When they open their mouths, they can reshape the world,” according to the magazine.
Umm Kulthum is unique in the West
Commenting on Kawkab al-Sharq’s voice, critic Will Hermes explained the reason for her selection: “Umm Kulthum is unparalleled in the West. For decades she has represented the spirit of the Arab world and continues to do so today. “The complex that runs smoothly for an hour while the crowd of fans gathers around.”
Millions poured into the streets of Cairo at Umm Kulthum’s funeral in 1975, and her influence on Arab singers is still endless and the Arab world goes beyond the world.
Bob Dylan called it great, Beyoncé used the song “You Are My Life” in the dance section of their concert in 2016, and British singer Robert Plant said, “It was the first time I heard Umm Kulthum came off the musical scale and had a beautiful ending.” note, I couldn’t even imagine singing. It was very difficult, as if someone had punched a hole in the wall of my perception of singing.”
American singer with eleven Grammy Awards, Al Green’s voice is described by the magazine as “extraordinarily flexible, going where the listener wouldn’t expect, and that’s always welcome”. And that he was one of the few people who created the impression that they were moving away from the song they were singing as intensely as possible.
Otis Redding
The magazine described him as someone who had no boundaries and managed to literally rock the stage. But it was a marvel of restraint, especially in the studio, in his songs that most permeated the walls of the soul.
The magazine saw him as the guardian of all black music history. He’s one of the great pop historians, an artist so fond of the heroes who shaped him that he can’t help but find opportunities to honor them in his music, performance and, of course, vocals, making himself a worthy icon. standing next to these giants.
Whatever tone Stevie Wonder wanted, from starry romance to gritty realism, the magazine said her voice could convey it with ease.
Ray Charles is quoted as saying to an interviewer in 1963: “People call me a jazz singer and a blues singer, but I really don’t know the difference. I’m just trying to sing a song, I just sing songs I love. I sing and I try to put a little soul into everything. ” It meant everything, Charles was a pop, jazz and country giant.
The magazine talked about Mariah Carey’s wide range of 5 wonderful octaves, she can easily move between a sour and ridiculous roar and a creative loud whistle, and her secret has always been her ability to be angelic or demonic at times, depending on how. she uses many of the secret sound weapons she has in her arsenal.
Billie Holiday stood out for her emotional realism, a quality that gave her a special place among her fellow artists. You can feel the boredom she feels when Billie Holiday sings a song like “I Love You Porgy” about a woman who is being abused by an abusive boyfriend. The way she sang the song was both beautiful and sad.
Billie Holiday will always be known as a poet of melancholy, her slow tone well suited to plain misery, but she could also use the clarity of her voice to express overflowing joy.
The magazine spoke of the inherent magic of “Wonderful World,” a song that might sound sticky in other hands, but few singers enjoyed being sung the way Cook did.
The magazine described the late singer Whitney Houston as a gentle yet powerful soprano and one of pop music’s most powerful singers. It was no accident that in 1993 Houston remembered what it was like growing up, believing her voice would resonate for decades after she died in 2012.
