Fairuz

Born (November 21, 1934) and educated in Beirut, she began her musical career as a chorus member at the Lebanese Radio Station. In the late 1950s her talent as a singer became fully acknowledged. Fayrouz's early songs featured the singer's distinct vocal timbre and lyrics expressing romantic love and nostalgia for village life. They meshed with a delicate orchestral blend in which certain Arab instruments figured prominently but which also subtly incorporated European instruments and European popular dance rythms. She also sometimes sang adaptations of Arab folk tunes. By the early 1960s Fayrouz was already one of the main attractions of the annual Baalbeck Festivals and a celebrity not only in Lebanon but throughout the Arab world. The dissemination of hundreds of songs, many musical plays and several films had widened her audience to include Arabs living in Europe and the Americas. During most of her singing career, Fayrouz was part of a three-member team which included the two Rahbani brothers. Fairuz was married to Assi Rahbani. They had four children: Ziad Rahbani, ليال الرحباني (Layal Rahbani), Hali Rahbani and ريما الرحباني (Rima Rahbani).