Sabah

Jeanette Georges Feghali (10 November 192726 November 2014), known professionally as Sabah, was a Lebanese singer and actress. Her professional career started in Egypt and later extended to Lebanon and the wider Arab world. She amassed a vast line of work over six decades, out-scaling most past and present contemporaries. Sabah is often regarded as one of the greatest Arab singers of the 20th century.

Born to rural Lebanese parents in a village 15 kilometres from Beirut, Sabah grew up with a love for performing arts. In 1945, she was noticed for an acting talent at her school in Lebanon and later invited to Egypt by actress and film director Assia Dagher. There, she was cast in her first film as the original character Sabah, whose name was chosen through a public poll and later adopted by Sabah as a stage name.

Most of Sabah's career spanned the mid-1940s to the early 2000s. In 1958, she acted in her first film with Abdel Halim Hafez, which helped her enter the mainstream Arab acting scene. She is said to have produced about 3000 to 5000 songs, acted in nearly 100 films, and nearly 20 stage plays.

Sabah remains a celebrated figure in Arabic music. Even though she was scrutinised for her bold outfits, use of cosmetic surgery, and outspoken personality, she has become praised as a major artistic figure within the Arab socialist movement.

Early life Sabah was born to a Maronite family in Wadi Chahrour, Baabda District, as the youngest of three daughters. During her childhood, she was harassed by her father who had hoped for a son. Her brother eventually killed their mother, suspecting her of having an affair. Sabah was the sister of famous Lebanese actress Lamia Feghali and a maternal first cousin of famous Lebanese singer and actress Alexandra Nicholas Badran, known as Nour Al Hoda. She grew up in the nearby town of Bdadoun, Aley District.

Career Sabah emerged in a period when the field of Arab singers included many notable talents, such as Umm Kulthum (1904–1975), Nagat El Saghira (born 1938), Warda Al-Jazairia (1939–2012), Shadia (1931–2017), Fairuz (born 1934 or 1935), among others.

Sabah began singing at a young age and released her first song in Lebanon in 1940 at the age of 13. In the early 1940s, she was invited to Egypt by actress and producer Assia Dagher. Sabah acted alongside Dagher in her first movie, El-Qalb Luh Wahid (The Heart Has Its Reasons), released in 1945, which brought her regional fame. She then became widely known by her character's name, Sabah, which means "morning" in Arabic. Sabah released more than 50 albums and appeared in 98 films.

Until 2009, Sabah performed in concerts and on television, including appearances on programs like Star Academy. She collaborated closely with singer Rola Saad in remaking some of her previous hits, such as "Yana Yana". The accompanying video, which pays tribute to Sabah as "the notorious diva", received significant airplay on Arabic music channels. Additionally, Sabah hosted the TV show Akher Man Yalam on 31 May 2010.

During the 2011 Beiteddine Art Festival, a performance was staged that retraced Sabah's journey as a singer and movie star. Rouwaida Attieh played the title role, alongside more than 40 singers and dancers, paying tribute to Sabah's contributions.

In 2010, Sabah retired from public life for health reasons, which resulted in paralysis affecting one of her arms and legs.

Personal life

Sabah held passports from Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, and the United States. Egyptian musician Anwar Mansy, Egyptian television presenter Ahmed Farraj, Lebanese politician Youssef "Joe" Hammoud, and Lebanese author-director Wassim Tabbara. Both of Sabah's children reside in the United States.

After selling her house in Hazmieh, which she felt as "too big and cold for only one person", Sabah relocated to the nearby Hotel Comfort in Baabda, Mount Lebanon, a hillside city with views of Beirut and the Mediterranean Sea. Later, she resided in another hotel adjacent to Baabda.

Death

Rumors of Sabah's death circulated days before she died. Amused by the rumors, Sabah said, "Even in my death, I'm making people busy."

Legacy The TV drama Al Shahrourah, based on Sabah's life, aired during Ramadan in 2011, with actress and singer Carole Samaha portraying her. Sabah generally responded positively to the series, though she noted some inaccuracies, such as the portrayal of her father in traditional Lebanese attire. Months before her death, Lebanese journalist Rima Njeim hosted a live TV episode on MTV Lebanon honoring Sabah.

Her music is included in music classes in Lebanon. In 2015, graffiti artists Halwani and the brothers Omar and Mohammad Kabbani created monumental murals on buildings in Beirut to commemorate Sabah. These artworks celebrated her for challenging gender-based and other social taboos, and for offering an alternative to the dominant images of political leaders and their slogans in Lebanese culture.

On 10 November 2017, Google honored what would have been her 90th birthday with a Google Doodle. In Marvel's Moon Knight TV series, her song "Saat Saat" from the 1980 Egyptian movie A Night When The Moon Cried is featured at the end of Episode 5.

On 6 September 2023, the Alexandria Film Festival announced the results of a poll it conducted to compile a list of the top 100 Egyptian musical films. Approximately 32 film critics and cinematographers participated in this poll. Sabah appeared in six of the selected films, including "Love Street" (1959), "The Unmarried Mother" (1950), "Bolbol Afandi" (1946), "Soft Hands" (1964), "Leila Baka Feha Al Qamar" (1980), and "He Stole My Wife" (1954).

Awards In 2004, Sabah was recognized at the Alexandria Song Festival and the Cairo Film Festival. Additionally, she was honored with a statue in Beirut during the same year.

She received multiple honors from the Lebanese Republic, including the National Order of the Cedar medal.

Work

Sabah released more than 50 albums and appeared in 98 films, along with over 20 stage plays. She was known for having a vast repertoire of over 3,500 songs.

Selected filmography Source: 1986 Ayyam El Lulu ايام اللولو aka = Days Of The Pearls 1972 Paris wal Hob باريس والحب aka = Paris and Love 1970 Kanet Ayyam كانت ايام aka = It Were Days 1970 Nar El Shoq نار الشوق aka = Fire Of Longing 1969 Easabet El Nesa عصابة النساء aka = Gang Of Women 1968 Thalath Nesaa ثلاث نساء aka = Three Women 1966 Mawwal El Aqdam El Zahabiyyah موال الاقدام الذهبية aka = Popular Song Of Golden Feet 1963 El Aydi el naema الايدى الناعمة aka = The Soft Hands 1963 El Motamaradah المطاردة aka = The Chase 1961 El Hub Keda الحب كده aka = That's What Love Is 1961 Goz merti جوز مراتى aka = Husband Of My Wife 1960 El Ragol El Thani الرجل الثانى aka = The Second Man 1959 El Ataba El Khadra العتبه الخضرا aka = The Green Threshold 1958 Shari' El Hobb شارع الحب aka = Love Street 1958 Sallem Al Habayib سلم ع الحبايب aka = Say Hello To Lovers 1956 Izayy Ansak ازاى انساك aka = How To Forget You 1956 Wahabtak Hayati وهبتك حياتى aka = I Gave You My Life 1954 Khataf merati خطف مراتى aka = He Kidnapped My Wife 1953 Lahn Hobbi لحن حبى aka = Melody Of My Heart 1953 Zalamuni El Habayib ظلمونى الحبايب aka = Were Unjust To Me, The Lovers 1951 Khada'ni Abi خدعنى ابى aka = My Father Deceived Me 1950 Ana Satuta انا ستوته aka = I'm Sattutah 1949 Al lailu lana الليل لنا aka = The Night is Ours 1948 Sabah El kher صباح الخير aka = Good Morning 1947 Albi W Sefi قلبى و سيفى aka = My Heart And My Sword 1947 lebnani Fi El gam'ah لبنانى فى الجامعة aka = Lebanese In University

Selected discography Source: