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Fairuz is one of the most iconic performers of the Arab world. Born in Lebanon in November 1935 as Nouhad Haddad, Fairuz became a model for classic Arabic singers. She is the first woman performer of Arab music who mixed with exceptional talent Arabic music to European classical music, tango, jazz and pop!
No one (who loves classical Arabic music of course) is indifferent to the charm of the fairy Fairuz. Yet, apart from her talent, nothing predisposed her to become the diva that we know: she does not belong to a family of musicians but to a poor mountain home ... Fortunately for her fans, her talent does not remain anonymous!

Her childhood and career

When she was a little girl, Nouhad often sang in her neighborhood in Beirut, Zuqaq El Blat, performing songs of stars of the time as Asmahan and Leila Mourad. In that time, her family as the locals had no television. So Nouhad, with her soft and melodious voice, sometimes animated evenings.
At the age of twelve, she participated in the Fleilfel Mohamed choir and her precocious talent was noticed. Moreover, the girl had not only a beautiful voice; she also had a remarkable memory. She was able to learn by heart four pages of text in just two hours!
Fleilfel, who was convinced that he had found a real gem, introduced the young artist to Halim El-Rumi, a director of radio programs called Mahattat Aladna Sharqi, which broadcast national anthems.
Later, Halim El-Rumi called Nouhad for an audition with songs of Asmahan and Farid El-Atrash. The test was conclusive. Captivated by the talent of the young girl, El-Rumi launched her career by writing songs for her. Then, he suggested to the singer that she should choose "Fairuz", which means Turquoise in Arabic, as a stage name because her voice reminded him of the beauty of the precious stone! In fact, you should know that Fairuz was known as Yola or the modest Fatat El-Jabal (The Mountain Girl) ... At first embarrassed by the idea of taking a stage name as ambitious as Fairuz, she took eventually his advice.

Fairuz met the Rahbani brothers

When Fairuz was 15 years El-Rumi introduced her to Assi Rahbani, a policeman by profession and an aspiring composer who was passionate about music. Fairuz did not know it yet, but she met her future husband and mentor! Assi Rahbani worked with his brother Mansour, also a composer. The Rahbanis were avant-garde composers.They lived in a cosmopolitan city, Beirut, where different music groups lived side by side (Arab orchestras, South American and European music groups...). They also chose to upgrade country's folk songs by mixing them with foreign tunes in particular from Argentina. Fairuz, with her sublime voice, enhanced the repertoire of her innovative composers.

About Fairuz and Assi Rahbani marriage

In the early '50s, songs that played on the radio were not recorded but performed live by the artists in radio stations. When she was waiting her turn, Fairuz used to sit under a tree near the broadcasting studio and Assi Rahbani often kept her company. The two chatted together about how they saw their future. Fairuz was passionate about singing, but did not anticipate a great future for herself as a singer. She rather dreamed of becoming a teacher. Assi Rahbani, the policeman, wanted to become a composer and was sure that Fairuz would be successful. Thus Fairuz and Assi fell in love with each other. On a certain spring day in 1953, Assi proposed to Fairuz, who was 18, and she said yes. The engaged couple got married in the summer of 1954. At 20, Fairuz gave birth to their son Ziad. Later she gave birth to their daughter Rima.

1957: The first major success

Fairuz made a break when her son was born, but she was preparing to move beyond the recording studios. In 1957, during the inauguration of the festival of Baalbek, Fairuz's career took off. For the first time she sang on an outdoor stage near the columns of an ancient Roman temple. Fairuz, serene and radiant, gave the best of herself to her audience ... The public heered and loved her performance. Since that date, Fairuz were considered as a diva in the Arab world and not only as an artist from Lebanon. After this event, she performed in several major scenes in Damascus, Baghdad, Tunis, Algiers and Rabat, among others, and all over the world! Until 1978, the collaboration between Fairuz and Rahbani brothers has been very successful. But due to personal events, the couple Assi Rahbani-Fairuz split up. In 1979, their artistic collaboration and marriage ended. At that time however the collaboration between Fairuz and her own son Ziad began.

Ziad Rahbani became the composer of Fairuz

Ziad Rahbani is the composer of Fairuz since 1979. His style was heavily criticized by Rahbanis's fans. Some people found his lyrics indecent and his contemporary tunes disconcerting. Despite criticism, Fairuz has relied on his composers talents and accepted his originality. She was right! Indeed, the songs that had been strongly criticized when first broadcast, as "Kifak Inta", were eventually very successful.