Majida El Roumi, a renowned Lebanese soprano singer, and United Nations Goodwill Ambassador, was born on December 13, 1956. Her father, the illustrious composer Halim El Roumi, discovered the legendary Lebanese star Fairuz and bestowed upon her the stage name Fairuz. Her mother hails from Egypt.
As a child, El Roumi was deeply influenced by the rich cultural heritage of Arab music, drawn to the iconic singers and musicians such as Mohamed Abdel Wahab, Umm Kulthum, and Asmahan. Her cousin, Raymond Safadi, was particularly struck by her extraordinary vocal talent and envisioned a bright future for her as a professional singer.
In 1974, El Roumi participated in the esteemed talent show Studio El Fan, sneaking out of the house with her brother and cousins to showcase her remarkable skills. Her television debut was a resounding success, as she performed captivating renditions of Laila Mourad and Asmahan's songs, ultimately winning the gold medal for oriental singing.
This triumph prompted her father to reassess his initial reservations about her pursuing a singing career, and he eventually granted her his blessing to pursue her passion, provided she continued her higher education. Majida went on to graduate from the Lebanese University with a Bachelor's degree in Arabic Literature.
In 1975, Majida released her debut single, "Am Behlamak" (I'm Dreaming of You),a collaborative effort with renowned Lebanese poet Said Akl and musician Elias Rahbani. This song, released during the tumultuous period of the Lebanese Civil War, proved to be extremely popular.
Majida's exceptional vocal talents soon caught the attention of acclaimed Egyptian filmmaker Youssef Chahine, who was thoroughly impressed by her remarkable voice. In 1976, she made her cinematic debut alongside Hesham Selim in the film Awdat Al Ibn Al Dal (Return of the Prodigal Son),performing three of the movie's soundtrack songs.
