🎊📻 Eid in Egypt has an arguably vivid peppy soundscape that accompanies the holiday. Every year, we witness the celebratory echoes of Wahawi Ya Wahawi and Ramadan Gana make way for the all-too-familiar Safaa Abu El Saoud classic Ahlan Bel Eid and others.

What’s the oldest anthem on our Eid list? It comes courtesy of Kawkab El Sharq, back when she was at her peak across the Arab world. Um Kalthoum’s classic Ya Leilet El Eid, penned by poet Ahmed Ramy and composed by Riad El Sonbaty, was the transitional bell to the holiday’s eve, having first aired in the 1939 musical film Dananir. It wasn’t until 1944 when the iconic singer performed an altered version honoring King Farouk as he watched her historic night live at Al Ahly Club that the song became the first of its kind to define Eid’s airwaves.

Fast forward to 1982, and another Eid anthem is born — one that lasts, becoming a defining tune of the cherished holiday. Safaa Abu El Saoud, an actress and media personality, lent her voice perfectly to the lyrics of poet Abdel Wahab Mohamed and the melodies of songwriter Gamal Salama. With a colorful and energetic music video to match — accompanied by the balloons that have become an Eid visual staple — the chorus gave new life to the holiday, capturing it in high, youthful spirits like never before. In the most natural way, the song quickly became everyone’s Eid replay, a nostalgic track we now can’t imagine the celebrations of Eid El Fitr and Eid El Adha without.

The tradition of Eid songs didn’t stop at the beloved Ahlan Bel Eid, with songs from newer artists adding to the festival’s sonic flair like Hakim’s El Leila Eid, but none have been able to rule the sonic landscape of Eid like Abu El Saoud’s hit has.

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