“Reclaimed Middle eastern 1970s idol” of the year

It’s a tie!  Dalida vs Googoosh. Too tough to call! 2007 was the year that I discovered both of these singers- both giants in their home territories. Dalida was the Egyptian beauty queen who moved to France in the 1950s, swept to fame as a balladeer, and then transformed herself into a glittery disco queen, selling 200 million records in six languages, across the Mediterranean, before her suicide in 1984.Googoosh was the Madonna of pre-revolutionary Iran, an icon to millions and symbol of Middle eastern modernity with her short bob-cut hair and miniskirts. She starred in movies and enjoyed a Spanish-language hit in South America, before the curtain came crashing down with the revolution and she was silenced, disappearing from public life for decades (but still revered in private). A few years ago she was finally able to emigrate to Canada and has been performing again, to packed halls of nostalgic Iranian expats around the world. And no wonder- her voice is truly beautiful, and her gently funky Middle Eastern folk tunes are quite lovely.Both glamorous, talented artists - and both well-represented on youtube and iTunes, by the way! Check them out.