The last living legend of Arabic song, Fairuz, celebrated her 90th birthday today, at a time when her country, Lebanon—which she has so often praised—has been plunged into a bloody war between Hezbollah and Israel.
The internet went wild over her songs, and users sent their best wishes to Fairuz, a rare symbol of national unity in a divided country, and media outlets on all sides paid tribute to her.
In 2020, French President Emmanuel Macron, who was visiting Beirut, went to Fairouz’s home and awarded her the Legion of Honor.
“To the woman who embodies the spirit of this region with dignity, happy birthday,” he wrote today on his Instagram account.
“Fairuz’s voice is my country,” wrote the famous Lebanese composer Marcel Khalife on Facebook.
After performing for more than half a century—from Beirut and Paris to London and Las Vegas—the star has not appeared in public for more than ten years.
