Asmahan, whose birth name was Amil was the sister of Farid al-Atrache. In 1923 she fled Syria with her mother and two brothers after their home was bombed by the French army.
She performed in the 1930's and was famous for her voice and it rivalled the voice of the talented Egyptian singer Oum Kalthoum. The life of Asmahan is a tale of one of the most colourful, controversial, and inspiring women in the Arab world during the 20th century. She was a Druze princess who rebelled against society and marriage. She came from a distinguished clan from Suweyda in the mountains of Syria.
Her life, especially her private life was traumatic and after marrying her cousin Prince Hassan al-Atrache in 1933 she moved back from Egypt to Syria. The marriage didn't last and after giving birth to a daughter, Camellia, she returned to Egypt and was divorced in 1939. She had three marriages in her short lifetime. She was an admired performer, a role frowned upon for women of that time. She frequently visited the homes, as a guest, of many of Egypt's rich and famous, and was also rumoured to be an agent for the Allied forces during World War II. Her death in 1944 at the age of 32 was said to be in mysterious circumstances and gave rise to many conspiracy theories.
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