Sabah (Jeanette Gergis Al-Feghali) passed away in Lebanon: Icon and diva of Lebanese and Arabic music

Posted by: adonis49 on: November 26, 2014

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Icon of Arab music Sabah dies in Lebanon

Music and film diva Sabah passes away at 87 after a six-decade long career in the entertainment industry. Last updated: 26 Nov 2014

Al-Nahar newspaper said the Lebanese diva passed away on Wednesday morning at her residence at the age of 87. The Lebanese official news agency confirmed her death, saying she passed away in Beirut.

The Shahroura is gone: The legend endure

During her more than 6-decade long career, Sabah, who was born as Jeanette Gergis Al-Feghali, released over 50 albums (3,000 songs) and acted in 98 films.

Today, Lebanon lost a legend. Sabah is gone but she remains in our hearts.Her memory will remain in the minds and hearts of millions. Nancy Ajram, Lebanese pop singer

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She is reportedly the first Arabic singer who performed at Olympia in Paris, Carnegie Hall in New York, and Piccadilly Theatre in London and Sydney Opera House in Sydney, according to the Beirut-based Daily Star newspaper. The deceased singer was born in Bdadoun, a Lebanese town in the Baabda-Aley province. She is known for her multiple marriages, tying the knot with at least 9 men. She brought out her first song in 1940, while her parallel screen career began three years later in Egypt, the centre of the Arabic film industry. She held Egyptian, Jordanian and US citizenship as well as Lebanese, and continued to perform and make television appearances into her 80s. In Lebanon, she was humorously mocked for refusing to leave the limelight, clinging to youth through surgeries, marriages to younger men and garish outfits. Sabah was nicknamed “Shahroura“, Arabic for “singing bird” and “the Sabbouha,” a diminutive for Sabah (Morning) by millions of fans across the Middle East. Lebanese politician Walid Jumblatt wrote on Twitter: “She was a great singer of a Lebanon that my generation knew, that will never come back”. She told tabloid! in an interview in 2009 that she was still young at heart even in her 80s.

“I always wanted to deliver a message to Lebanese women telling them to stay elegant and fit,” she said. “I was one of the first artists to be known for their elegance. I wore all kinds of dresses and outfits. In one Egyptian movie, for example, I appeared in 70 different outfits. Every woman can look elegant even without spending a lot of money.”

In 2011, a TV drama series, Al Shahroura, based on Sabah’s life, was released with Lebanese singer Carole Samaha playing her.

“Sabah is a legend and her shoes are hard to fill,” Samaha told tabloid! before the series’ premiere. “However, after reading the script, I couldn’t put it down, and realised it would be terrible to turn down such an amazing role. I think this series is a great opportunity to introduce Sabah to younger generations, for them to learn about such a wonderful artist. I hope I make her proud.” Sabah retired in 2010.

Tribute

Dubai International Film Festival (Diff) chairman Abdulhamid Juma paid tribute to Sabah at a press conference announcing the festival’s line-up on Wednesday. Sabah was given the festival’s Lifetime Achievement award in 2010.

 “I don’t know if you’ve heard the sad news that the artist we once honoured, Sabah, has passed away. We send our condolences to her family. The industry will miss her extraordinary talent.”

Some of her best hits are here:

Note 1: Saba7 asked for people to dance dabkeh and be merry during her funeral. She will be officially buried in her home town tomorrow

Note 2: Saba7 had a day long journey to her hometown burying ground in Bdadoun. Along the way, people were waiting to pay the last homage, and the army band of 40 members played her famous song about the army. People danced and listened to her songs while partying according to her wish of feeling happy..

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Tags: Abdulhamid Juma, adonis49, Al Shahroura, Carole Samaha, dance dabkeh, entertainment industry, icon of music, Jeanette Gergis Al-Feghali, lebanon, Piccadilly Theatre, Sabah, Sabbouha, Shahroura