November 28, 2023, marks the 20th anniversary of the passing of Tunisian singer Zekra, who passed away at 37. She was a renowned artist who made an impression on the music scene in the Arab world. She had nine albums, two EPs, and two posthumous records.
Zekra performed on a TV show, Fan Wa Mawahib, at the beginning of her career in the 80s. She had many hits, including Wehyati Andak, Mish Kol Hob, Youm Aleek, Bahlam Beloa’ak, Al Asami, etc. Many of her singles were beautiful poetry written by Arab poets. Those poetic pieces get honoured with songs that last six minutes and more. The richness of these songs is profound.
Her career started in Tunisia, and after ten years, she moved to Egypt. Zekra also stayed in Libya. She had a powerful and bold voice. She sang her songs with passion. Zekra could adapt to the different musical styles of the Arab music scene. She had an incredible ability to perform in different dialects, including Egpytian. Also, some of her songs combined classical Arabic music (Tarab) and modern/contemporary beats, such as the song Youm Aleek, a piece from her last album before her passing. It’s my favourite tune from the late singer.
Zekra leaves behind an incredible legacy. Her musical career was impressive.
Rest in peace, Zekra.
