Umm Kulthum (Arabic: أم كلثوم‎, Egyptian Arabic: [ˈomme kælˈsuːm]; French: Oum Kalthoum; born Fāṭima ʾIbrāhīm es-Sayyid el-Beltāǧī فاطمة إبراهيم السيد البلتاجي  on 31 December 1898, or 4 May 1904; died 3 February 1975) was an Egyptian singer, songwriter, and film actress active from the 1920s to the 1970s. She was given the honorific title Kawkab al-Sharq (كوكب الشرق, ‘Star of the East’). Umm Kulthum was known for her vocal ability and unique style. She sold over 80 million records worldwide, making her one of best-selling singers of all time from the Arab world.

She is considered a national icon in her native Egypt; she has been dubbed “The voice of Egypt” and “Egypt’s fourth pyramid”.