| Warda Al-Jazairia (وردة الجزائرية; literally "Warda, the Algerian"), commonly referred to as just Warda (وردة) ( July 1940), is an Algerian singer. She is well known in the Arabic music community for her Egyptian songs and music. She is one of the most famous Arabic artists due to her powerful voice. She was born the youngest of five children near Paris in Puteaux in 22 July 1940. Her father, Mohammed Ftouki was one of the first Algerian immigrants to France, ran a hotel for migrant workers at Boulogne-Billancourt then became the owner of an Arabic music cabaret in the Quartier Latin called the Tam-Tam (named after the three initials of the three Maghreb countries, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco). She used to sneak out of her room every night and hide in one of the corners for two or three hours to listen to the band while they were playing or rehearsing in her father's night club below and then she would sing for her self the next morning. In those days Warda was unable to write any Arabic, she always had to ask her older brother to write out all her Arabic songs in the Latin alphabet. From time to time Warda's father was tolerant enough to allow his daughter's brief appearance on a stage of his club at the request of a friend. Warda's mother was a Lebanese born in Beirut in a Muslim family of good social position called Yamout. She had taught Warda every Lebanese song of some importance. Thus the girl's liking for the Middle Eastern song had developed. She was only a ... |
