Ahmed Fathi () is a Yemeni musician, composer and singer. Born in the city of

Al Hudaydah Hodeidah (), also transliterated as Hodeda, Hodeida, Hudaida or al-Hudaydah, is the fourth-largest city in Yemen and its Hudaydah Port, principal port on the Red Sea and it is the centre of Al Hudaydah Governorate. As of 2023, it had an estimate ...

to the west of

Yemen Yemen, officially the Republic of Yemen, is a country in West Asia. Located in South Arabia, southern Arabia, it borders Saudi Arabia to Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, the north, Oman to Oman–Yemen border, the northeast, the south-eastern part ...

in 1957. He emigrated to

Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...

for study. Fathi received a master's degree from the Arab Music High Institute in Egypt for his thesis "The Role of the Lute in the Yemeni Singing" in 1998. He also got a Honorary PhD. from Hodeidah University in 2006. He is the father of the singer Balqees.

Early childhood

In his early childhood, Ahmed Fathi showed his lute playing talent but his conservative family stood against him. His father broke his son's lute many times but he didn't give up. He made his own music instruments himself. In a party held in Alhoodeida in the year 1967, he met the

Aden Aden () is a port city located in Yemen in the southern part of the Arabian peninsula, on the north coast of the Gulf of Aden, positioned near the eastern approach to the Red Sea. It is situated approximately 170 km (110 mi) east of ...

star Ahmed Qasim who praised his talent and asked him to come to Aden so that he could help him polish his skill. Ahmed Fathi left his home secretly and went to Aden where he received free lessons from the musician. Later, in a school party, the Minister of Education

Ahmed Jaber Afif Ahmad () is an Arabic male given name common in most parts of the Muslim world. Other English spellings of the name include Ahmed. It is also used as a surname. Etymology The word derives from the root ( ḥ-m-d), from the Arabic (), from ...

was impressed by Fathi's talent and awarded him a scholarship to study music at the Arab Music High Institute in Cairo.

Albums

* ''Ekhtelaf'' (differences) horses production company * (Abu Zeid) the production of Al Jazeera Production * ''Shagel Alkhater'' (Mind occupying) produced by

Rotana Mousica Rotana Mousica () is a free-to-air satellite TV channel and part of the Rotana Group network. It was launched on 21 April 2003. It is a music channel in the Arab world showcasing the latest exclusive Khaliji, Egyptian and Arabic songs and roll ...

* ''Habibi Ta'ala'' (My Love please come) produced by Rotana Mousica * ''Ana lak'' (I'm yours) produced by Rotana Mousica * ''Akher Alakhbar'' (News) produced by Rotana Mousica

Awards and participations

Fathi was awarded many prizes for being the best lute performer in many festivals all over the world. These festivals include: * The Arab Music Festival (1994, 1998) in the

Cairo Opera House The Cairo Opera House (, ''Dār el-Opera el-Masreyya''; literally "Egyptian Opera House"), part of Cairo's National Cultural Centre, is the main performing arts venue in the Egyptian capital. Home to most of Egypt's finest musical groups, it is ...

* Arab lute Festival Sultanate Oman, 2005 * Doha Festival in January, 2006 * He was honored in "Sanaa" in Yemen in 2004 * Dubai Festival in 1998 * Najran Festival in 2003 * Jenadriyah Festival in 2004 * Nobel Celebration, 2011

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fathi, Ahmed 1957 births Living people People from Al Hudaydah Governorate Yemeni composers 20th-century Yemeni male singers 21st-century Yemeni male singers Yemeni singer-songwriters Yemeni oud players