Iraqi composer Farouk Hilal dies in Baghdad at 91

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraqi musician and composer Farouk Hilal died on Friday morning at a hospital in Baghdad at the age of 91 after a prolonged illness. The Iraqi Ministry of Culture said in a written statement that Hilal was "one of the main pillars of Iraqi song," describing his death as a heavy loss for the country's cultural and artistic community. The Artists' Syndicate also issued a statement announcing his passing and extended condolences to his family and Iraq's artistic circles. Born in Baghdad in 1935, Hilal graduated from the Music Department of the Institute of Fine Arts in 1957 and joined Iraqi Radio and Television as a singer and composer in the early 1960s. Known for his calm voice and refined interpretation, he focused on composing from 1975 onward, producing works for singers including Maida Nazhat, Hussein Na'ma and Yas Khudair, as well as compositions for Kuwaiti artist Abdullah Al-Ruwaished such as "Uallimni Aleyk" and "Ta'alali." Hilal became widely recognized as a talent scout through his program "Awwat Shabbe," and his later show "Iqtishaf Awwat" in the 1980s helped bring artists including Mahmoud Anwar, Haytam Yusuf and Mihand Muhsin to public attention. After 2003, he moved to Egypt, where he published his memoirs under the title "Nafq Al-Asma." He had returned to Baghdad in recent years and died roughly a week after suffering a heart attack.