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Thekra Mohammed Abdullah Al Dali (Arabic: ذكرى محمد عبدالله الدالي‎; September 16, 1966 – November 28, 2003), better known as Thekra (Arabic: ذكرى also spelled Thikra, Zekra or Zikra) was a Tunisian singer. The word "Thekra" is Arabic for a memory or memorial.

Early life[link]

She was the eighth youngest among her siblings Tawfeeq, Mohsin, Al Sayyidah, Salwa, Al Habeeb, Hajar, Kawthar and Wedaad. She attended elementary school in Wadi Al Lail and later transferred to Al Khaznadar (Arabic script: الخزندار) elementary school to complete her studies.

Career[link]

Thekra started performing at school. Her father was very supportive, but her mother was not. After her father's death, her mother started to support her as her brothers and sisters did. In 1980, she performed on the TV show "Fan Wa Mawahib" (Arabic: فن و مواهب), where she impressed the judges and was brought to the attention of Ez Al Deen Al Ayyashi, so she joined the show's chorus. In 1983, her first recording was made, which was of a song composed by Abdul Hameed Khareef. In the same year, she performed at the Carthage festival.

Later she joined the vocal group section of the Tunisian Radio and TV National band. There, she met Abdul Rahman Al Ayyadi, who composed many of her later songs. Thekra became known for her powerful voice and her ability to perform any kind of Arab genres including Qasa'ed, Mowashahaat and Tarab songs.

Thekra in Tunisia[link]

During the 10 years before moving to Egypt, she released 30 songs in Tunisia. 28 of them were composed by Abdulrahman Al Ayyadi. Some of her hit songs in Tunisia were:

• "Liman Ya Hawa Satakoon Hayati Wa Kaifa Sa'Arifo Ma Howa Aati?" (Arabic script: لمن يا هوى ستكون حياتي وكيف سأعرف ما هو آتي?) - To whom does my life belong and how should I know how it will end up?
• "Habeebi Tammin Fo'adi" (Arabic script: حبيبي طمن فؤادي) - My beloved, comfort my heart
• "Ela Hadhn Ommi Yahin Fo'adi" (Arabic script: الى حضن امي يحن فؤادي) - My heart misses my mother's hug
• "Wadda'at Roohi Ma'ah Min Youm Ma Wadda'ani" (Arabic script: ودعت روحي معاه من يوم ما ودعني) - I said good bye to my soul which is gone with him since the day he said good bye to me

In 1990, she had a fight with Abdulrahman Al Ayyadi, who was Thekra's fiancee at the time because he did not want any other person to compose for her. She left and joined a new group, Zakharif Arabiya(Arabic script: زخارف عربية). That was her last station in Tunisia before moving to Egypt.

Thekra in Libya[link]

She did not move to Egypt directly but she stayed for a while in Libya and released many songs written and composed by great Libyan poets and composers such as "Mohammed Hassan", "Ali Al Kailani", "Abdullah Al Mansoor" and "Salman Al Tarhooni". Her last Libyan release album was the album "Nafsi Azeeza" written by the poet "Salman Al Tarhooni" and that album won best performing and lyrics in Sharm Al Shaikh, Egypt festival.

Thekra in Egypt[link]

Some CDs and cassettes of Thekra

After her career in Libya, she moved back to Tunisia for a while but then she went to Egypt and begins her career to be known in the whole Arab World. In Egypt, she met the musician Hani Mihanna who produced 2 albums of her and they are Wehyati Andak in 1995 which was an instant hit in the Arab world, until then she was known in the West side of the Arab world only but after that album she became widely known all over the Arab world. Mr. Mihnna also produced her 2nd and last album with her which was "As'har Ma'ah Sertak" in 1997.

A few months later in 1997 she released Al Asami with a different producer and in 2000 Yana. Her last album in Egypt was Youm Aleek, released in 2003, only 3 days before her murder.

Her voice was very powerful and that's made the great composers in Egypt notice her such as "Salah Al Sharnoobi" and "Hilmi Bakir".

Her greatest hits performed in Egyptian Arabic were:

• "Wehyati Andak" (Arabic script: و حياتي عندك).
• "Mish Kol Hob" (Arabic script: مش كل حب).
• "Youm Aleek" (Arabic script: يوم عليك).
• "Bahlam Beloqak" (Arabic script: بحلم بلقاك).
• "Al Asami" (Arabic script: الاسامي).
• "Yana" (Arabic script: يانا).
• "Ya Azeez Aini" (Arabic script: يا عزيز عيني).
• "Law Ya Habeebi" (Arabic script: لو يا حبيبي).
• "Ya Khofi" (Arabic script: يا خوفي).

Thekra in GCC and Gulf region[link]

Thekra performed many songs and album in different Arab dialects including "Khaleeji".

She released many Khaleeji albums and they are:

• Thekra (1998).
• Thekra 2 (2002).
• Thekra 3 (2003).
• Wish Maseeri (2003)
• Wa Tabqa Thekra (2004) released after her death
• Aghani A'ajabatni (2004) released after her death

She also performed many duets with Khaleeji singers such as Abo Bakir Salim in the song "Mishghil Al Tafkeer", and duet with Mohammed Abdo in 2003. She was going to perform a duet with Abdullah Al Rowaished but she was killed before recording it.

Her greatest hits in Gulf Arabic are:

• "Elain El Youm" (Arabic script: الين اليوم).
• "Wainik Enta" (Arabic script: وينك انت).
• "Ma Feeni Shai" (Arabic script: ما فيني شي).
• "Ahibbik Moot" (Arabic script: احبك موت).
• "Ghayib" (Arabic script: غايب).
• "Al Jarh" (Arabic script: الجرح).
• "Qalaha" (Arabic script: قالها).
• "Hatha Ana" (Arabic script: هذا انا).
• "Al Mesafir" (Arabic script: المسافر).

Death[link]

Tributes from celebrities[link]

After her death, many celebrities from the Arab world flew to Tunisia and Egypt to attend her funeral. Some singers performed Thekra's songs in their concerts such as Asalah who performed "Elain Al Youm", Sherine who performed "Mish Kol Hob", Ghada Rajab who performed "Al Asami" and Elissa who performed "Bahlam Beloqak".and samira said ""alasami""

Latifa did not perform any of Thekra's songs, instead she recorded a Tunisian folklore song called "Fi Al Ghorba" and dedicated it to her, she also dedicated her Murex D'or award for best female singer in 2003 to her and asked them to play a reportage about Thekra instead a reportage about her.

Singles[link]

• "Al Hilm Al Arabi" FEAT. others (Arabic script: الحلم العربي).
• "Ommahu" (English: Oh Mam). A trio with Ali Al Hajjar & Moniem. (Arabic Script: أماه)
• "Nihlam Eih?" A duet FEAT. Angham (Arabic script: نحلم إيه؟).
• "Hilmina Al Wardi" A duet FEAT. Mohammed Abdo (Arabic script: حلمنا الوردي).
• "Ya Hajiri" (Arabic script: يا هاجري).
• "Al Asmaraniya" (Arabic script: الاسمرانيه).
• "Baghdad La Tata'allami" FEAT. others (Arabic script: بغداد لا تتألمي).

Videography[link]

• "Ya Khoofi" (Arabic script:يا خوفي).
• "Wehyati Andak" (Arabic script:و حياتي عندك).
• "Al Asami" (Arabic script:الأسامي).
• "Al Hilam Al Arabi" (with other Arab singers) (Arabic script:الحلم العربي).
• "Kol Elli Lamooni" (Arabic script:كل اللي لاموني).
• "Allah Ghalib" (Arabic script:الله غالب).
• "Qalaha" (Arabic script:قالها).
• "Elain El Youm" (Arabic script:الين اليوم).
• "Al Jarh" (Arabic script:الجرح).
• "Atfaal" (Arabic script:أطفال).
• "Wala Arif" (A duet FEAT. Ehab Tawfiq) (Arabic script:ولا عارف).
• "Nihlam Eih?" (A duet FEAT. Angham) (Arabic script:نحلم ايه؟).
• "Youm Aleek" (2003) (Arabic script:يوم عليك).
• "Bahlam Beloqak" (Arabic script:بحلم بلقاك) She shot parts of it before her death but the video was never completed so the idea was changed, it was montaged to make her appear as a ghost.
• "Law Ya Habeebi" (Arabic script:لو يا حبيبي) She shot parts of the clip mentioned above "Bahlam Beloqak" before her death but the video was never completed so the idea was changed, it was montaged to make her appear as a ghost.

Sources[link]

• Al Rayah Qatari newspaper.
• Latifa's official website.