Beloved singer Fairuz, a symbol of unity in crisis-torn Lebanon, turns 90
Legendary Lebanese singer Fairuz celebrated her 90th birthday as tributes poured in from around the world. Known for her songs of love, Lebanon, and the Palestinian cause, Fairuz remains a unifying figure in a divided country, with her enduring music capturing the spirit of a region in turmoil.
Legendary Arab singer Fairuz, whose ballads have told of love, her native Lebanon and the Palestinian cause, turned 90 on Thursday as her conflict-weary country is wracked by the Israel-Hezbollah war.
Social media users lit up the internet with her songs and tributes to the Lebanese star, who has seldom been seen in public in recent years but remains a rare symbol of national unity in the crisis-hit country.
In one for her most well-known songs, which came out during Lebanon's civil war, Fairuz crooned: "I love you, oh Lebanon, my country, I love you."
In a post on Instagram, French President Emmanuel Macron said Fairuz "embodies the soul of this region with dignity".
She "watches over the hearts of many Palestinians and Lebanese who are deprived of the peace they deserve", Macron said.
Composer and oud player Marcel Khalife, in a tribute on social media platform X, wrote: "My homeland is Fairuz's voice."
She shot to fame after her first performance at the Baalbek International Festival in 1957.
(AFP)
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