Samira Said facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Samira Said
سميرة سعيد
Said at the 2011 Beirut International Awards Festivals (BIAF)
Born	Samira Abdelrazak Bensaïd (1958-01-10) 10 January 1958 (age 66) Rabat, Morocco
Occupation	Singer songwriter record producer actress entrepreneur
Years active	1975–present
Musical career
Genres	Egyptian, Arab pop
Labels	Mazzika Alam El Phan Rotana Records

Samira Abdelrazak Bensaïd (Arabic: سميرة عبد الرزاق بنسعيد, romanized: Samīra ʿAbd ar-Razzāq ibn Saʿīd; born 10 January 1958), professionally known as Samira Said (Arabic: سميرة سعيد, romanized: Samīra Saʿīd), is a Moroccan-Egyptian singer who has lived in Egypt for more than 40 years and is known for her Egyptian Arabic genre.

Career

Said on a postcard for the Eurovision Song Contest 1980

Samira Said was born in 1958 in Rabat, in Morocco, to a father from Rabat and a mother from Fez. She began singing at the age of nine, and was discovered on the music program, Mawaheb, broadcast on Moroccan TV. She then moved to Egypt where her fame around the Arab world began. She has dual nationality in Morocco and Egypt, her resident home, as she moved to Cairo in 1977. All her albums are in Egyptian Arabic, but she has also recorded some songs in Moroccan Arabic, such as "Kifash Tlakina" ("How we Met"), "Fayetli sheftek shi marra" ("I've seen you once"), "Sarkouh" ("They Stole Him"), and "Al Behhara" ("Mariners"). Her singles included "Maghlouba" ("Beaten") and "Wa'ady" ("My Love"). In 1980 she represented her native Morocco in the Eurovision Song Contest singing a hit song in Netherlands at that time called Bitaqat Hub, placing 18th out of the 19 contestants.

Said has recorded many Arabic hits that were ranked highly in Egypt, such as "Ben Lef" ("The Circle of Life"), "Sayidati Sadati" (Ladies and Gentlemen"), "Malich 3inwan" ("Ready When You Are") and "Akher Hawa" ("Last Love"). She worked with the Egyptian composer Mohamed El Mougi, and sang and acted in the film Saaktob Ismak Ala Arrimal ("I Will Write Your Name in the Sand"), which included her singing "Yadamiiti Haddi" ("Tears, Fall from My Eyes"). Other recordings include "Lilet El Ouns" ("Magnificent Get-Together"), "Ech Gab Li Gab" ("A Cut about the Rest"), "Amrak Aagib" ("I Don't Get You"), and "Menghir Sabab" ("For No Reason").

Said in 2005

In 2000, she released the song "Lilah Habeebee", ("One Night, My Love"), the album title track, which went on to win for best video in the Arab world in 2001 at the Cairo Arabic Music Festival. At the 15th annual World Music Awards in 2003, Said won a World Music Award based on worldwide sales figures for that year. She won the BBC award for world music for the best artist in the Middle East with her album Youm Wara Youm. She has won more than 40 awards.

Musical style

Said performing on the Star Academy Arab World TV show; Beirut, Lebanon; 8 July 2011

Halina Hopkins said that "One reason Said’s music is popular is because of the tonal beauty of her voice against the background instrumentation. The centrality of her voice represents her personal influence in her work.

Personal life

Said was married to Egyptian musician Hany Mehanna from 1988 to 1994. She then married businessman Mustafa Naboulsy, with whom she had her only son, Shady.

In multiple interviews, Said has expressed her desire to return to Morocco and live near her family and loved ones.

Philanthropy and humanitarian work

Said spearheaded concerts to draw people together after the 2006 riots in immigrant suburbs across France and solidarize between faiths.

Discography

See also

In Spanish: Samira Saïd para niños