40. 1937-1973, Egypt

On the first Thursday of every month for nearly 40 years, a singer’s live performances, often lasting five hours or more, are broadcast throughout the Middle East. These programs become so popular that during them streets empty, stores and restaurants close, and politicians avoid scheduling any speeches or press conferences. Millions of people thrill to her brilliant improvisations. Famously, she never sings a line the same way twice. Seeking to convey to the non-Arab world the enormous scope of her reputation and the uniqueness of her talent, an American scholar later writes: “Imagine a singer with the virtuosity of Joan Sutherland or Ella Fitzgerald, the public persona of Eleanor Roosevelt, and the audience of Elvis.”

(Umm Kulthum, Virginia Danielson)