Hani Shaker.. “The laugh” is silent forever
On Wednesday, May 6, the attention of fans of Arab art and the fans of the late Egyptian star Hani Shaker will turn to the Egyptian capital, Cairo, to follow the funeral of the “Prince of Arab Singing,” whose family announced, through his official pages on social media platforms, his death yesterday, Sunday, as a result of complications from an illness that struck him at the beginning of this year, and ended with his departure from this world, after he remained in a coma for nearly two weeks at the “Foch” Hospital in the French capital, Paris, where the funeral prayer will be held over him, after the noon prayer inside. “Abu Shaqa Mosque” in the “Palm Hills” area, and his body will be buried in the family cemetery on Al-Wahat Road in 6th of October City. Meanwhile, the funeral ceremony will be held on Thursday, May 7, at “Abu Shaqqa Mosque,” in “Palm Hills,” where the relatives of the deceased receive mourners from family, friends, and lovers.
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The Egyptian star’s page had officially announced his death, and his son Sherif mourned him with poignant words, via his account on the Instagram platform, saying: “I did not just lose a father, but I lost my soul, and the person closest to my heart… Oh God, have mercy on him, forgive him, and make his resting place Paradise… We belong to God and to Him we shall return.”
overwhelming sadness:
Immediately after the news was announced, a wave of sadness swept artistic circles in Egypt and the Arab world, and condolence messages poured in, in which art stars and the public recalled the qualities of the late Egyptian star, and unanimously agreed on the great artistic legacy that he left for his fans.
The late artist (73 years old) had colon cancer, and after its removal, he suffered from blood poisoning, which resulted in him entering a coma, where he was placed on artificial respirators in the last days. The treating medical team had informed the family, last Friday morning, that the artist Hani Shaker’s condition had reached a very critical stage, with a severe decline in body functions. However, the family insisted on continuing to provide full medical support, hoping for an improvement in the condition, but fate was faster.
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The last generation of giants:
The Arab public in general, and the Egyptian public in particular, remembers the overwhelming presence of the late star, whose name was synonymous with the title “Prince of Arab Singing,” for fifty years, during which he was a beloved star and an overwhelming presence, with his warm voice full of melancholy, which gave his songs a special emotional character and made them close to the hearts, as the archive of the Arab Music Library is filled with a large collection of Hani Shaker’s songs, which will remain engraved in their minds.
Hani Shaker’s first artistic appearance was at the age of six, when he was chosen to participate in the movie “Sayed Darwish”, directed by Hassan Al-Imam, where he embodied the character of the great musician during his childhood, in an experience that opened the doors of stardom for him. As for the real breakthrough in the world of singing, it was during the seventies of the last century, when he presented his first song in 1972, entitled “Helwa Ya Dunya,” composed by musician Muhammad Al-Muji. To serve as his launching pad into the world of stardom.
The career of Hani Shaker – who appeared and proved his stardom during the time of “The Brown Nightingale” Abdel Halim Hafez, and was even considered his successor after his passing – witnessed artistic collaborations with major composers and poets, including: Salah Al-Sharnoubi, Hassan Abu Al-Saud, Bahaa Al-Din Muhammad, Mustafa Kamel, and Khaled Al-Bakri. He presented a group of songs, which achieved unparalleled success, the most prominent of which are: “Forgetting You is Certainly Hard,” “It’s Not Just Love,” “You Still Ask,” “That’s It, Moon,” “Ghalata,” “Ali Al-Dahhakia,” “The Beautiful Dream,” “The Supposed,” “My Wound,” “I Wish I Was,” and other masterpieces that carved a high place for his name among the biggest stars. Arabic singing, for more than five decades, has adhered to the identity of the classic Arabic song, and was known as one of its most prominent defenders. To become a model of an artist who combined the passion of sound, romantic feeling, and authentic artistic commitment.
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Hani Shaker.. “The laugh” is silent forever
A busy journey:
During his great career, Hani Shaker performed about 600 songs, released about 30 albums, and participated in the largest Arab festivals, such as: “Jerash,” “Carthage,” “Mawazine,” “Dubai Nights,” “Doha,” “February Nights,” “Love and Peace,” “Babylon,” and “Fuheis,” in addition to his constant singing for Arab communities in America. Europe, and Canada.
During his artistic career, Hani Shaker received many honors and honors, the last of which was his honor in 2022 in Lebanon, within the “Beautiful Time” Festival, and then in 2023, within the activities of the 37th “Jerash Festival”, in recognition of his long-standing contributions and his prominent contribution to preserving the identity of the Arabic song and consolidating its presence in the conscience of the public.
His participation, alongside the late musician Hilmi Bakr, and the star Samira Said in the talent discovery program “The Voice of Life,” and then his participation, along with Samira Said, Najwa Karam, and Melhem Zein in the program “The Voice Senior,” were two important milestones in his artistic life as a true supporter of singing talent.
Special style:
The most prominent characteristic of the late star Hani Shaker was his special way of performing songs, as he relied on deep feeling more than any vocal show. This style made him close to the audience, especially in songs that expressed love, sadness, and nostalgia. At a time when music styles changed rapidly, Hani Shaker maintained his traditional singing style, which is based on authentic tarab. It did not depend on temporary trends; Rather, he preferred to present long-lasting works that depend on artistic quality, and this commitment helped consolidate his image as an artist with true artistic value. This great success contributed to consolidating the title of “Prince of Arab Singing,” as an artist who has an influence that transcends geographical borders and reaches various generations.
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Stable family life:
On a family level, the artist Hani Shaker married Mrs. Nahla Tawfiq in 1982. She is from outside the artistic community, and she chose, from the beginning, to stay away from the media and focus on her family life.
During the years of marriage, Nahla was a fundamental supporter of Hani Shaker, and supported him at various stages of his artistic career, especially during the difficult times he went through, which helped maintain the stability of his family life over the years.
Hani Shaker and his wife, Nahla Tawfiq, had two sons, as well as staying away from the spotlight to a large extent, in order to preserve their privacy. They are: Dina Hani Shaker, who died in 2011, after suffering from cancer, an event that left a profound impact on her father’s life. He spoke in more than one media interview about the amount of pain he went through after losing her. The second is Sherif Hani Shaker, who is completely far from the artistic and media field, and prefers to maintain a stable personal life away from the limelight, like his mother.
The family also includes two grandchildren: “Magdy and Malika,” who are the sons of his late daughter Dina. They have become a source of joy and support within the family after the loss of their mother, and Hani Shaker’s connection to them appears clearly in the details of his quiet family life. He also has another granddaughter from his son Sherif Shaker, named after her late aunt, “Dina.”
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