Laila Murad - ليلى مراد

Laila Murad

was born on February 17, 1918, in Abbasiya, Cairo. She graduated from the Sisters’ Boarding School in Zeitoun. Laila Murad began her singing career at the age of fourteen, studying under her father, Zaki Murad, and the renowned composer Dawood Hosni. She started by singing at private parties, then public concerts, and later worked in radio, where she gained fame. Her father then introduced her to the young composer at the time, Mohamed Abdel Wahab, who, upon hearing her sing, expressed his admiration for her voice and predicted a brilliant future for her, signing a ten-year exclusive contract with her. When the Egyptian Radio Station was established, composer Medhat Assem contracted her to sing once a week. The first musical performance she gave on the radio was on July 6, 1934, where she sang the muwashshah “O Gazelle Whose Eyes Are Adorned with Kohl.” She then stopped performing on the radio due to her busy schedule with filmmaking, but returned in 1947, singing the song “My Heart Is My Guide.” Laila Murad starred in 27 films, the first of which was “Long Live Love” with composer Mohamed Abdel Wahab. After that, she became the Cinderella of Egyptian cinema, the highest-paid star in the East, and the only actress to star in a series of films bearing her name. Some of her most important films include: (My Heart Is My Guide – Laila – Laila, Daughter of the Poor – Laila, Daughter of the Aristocrats – Beloved of the Soul – Amber – Lady of the Train – The Unknown Past – The Madwoman – From Heart to Heart – Girls’ Flirtation – Beach of Love – A Rainy Night – Laila, Daughter of Schools… and others). Her name became associated with Anwar Wagdi after her first film with him, which he also directed, “Laila, Daughter of the Poor.” On the last day of filming, the scene was a party. The wedding scene between the two protagonists, Anwar and Laila, surprised the studio staff when it turned into a real-life event, and they were actually married in 1945. Laila Murad sang approximately 1000 songs, composed by prominent composers such as Mohamed Fawzi, Mohamed Abdel Wahab, Munir Murad, Riyad Al-Sunbati, Zakaria Ahmed, and Al-Qasabji. Some of her most famous songs include: “Ya A’az Min Eini” (O Dearest to My Eyes), “Qalbi Dalili” (My Heart is My Guide), “Ya Shaghelny W Ana Shaghlak” (You Occupy My Thoughts and I Occupy Yours), “Hayran” (Confused), “Atmakhtari Ya Khail” (Strut, O Horses), “Shahhat Al-Gharam” (The Beggar of Love), “Qalbi Li Qalbak Mal” (My Heart Inclines Towards Yours), “Min Ba’eed Ya Habibi Basallim” (From Afar, My Love, I Greet You), “Eini Bitraff” (My Eye Twitches), “Tayyar” (Pilot), and “Bitbuss Li Kida Leh” (Why Are You Looking at Me Like That?). Her last film was “Al-Habib Al-Majhoul” (The Unknown Lover) with Hussein Sedky, after which she retired from acting. She was honored at the Cairo International Film Festival in 1998 with a certificate of appreciation, which was received on her behalf by actress Laila Elwi. She passed away on November 21, 1995.