Birth name:
Nagat Mohammad Mahmoud

Place of birth:
Cairo, Egypt

Nagat was born to a simple, middle class family. Her father, Mohammad Hosni Effendi was a calligrapher, who played 'ud (the lute). Her elder bother Ezzeldien wrote music, and her younger sister, was film diva Suad Hosni.

Nagat started signing at age 5 when she sang Umm Kulthoum's song ghanni ya karawan (Sing Curlew), at a concert at the Oriental Music Club. She was called al-Saghira (the Young) to distinguish her from the then famous singer Nagat Ali.

Young as she was, she surrounded herself with a group of intellectuals, e.g. Mohammad al-Tab'ie, brothers Kamel and Ma'moun al-Shennawi and Fikri Abaza, who would guide her along with an inbred thoroughness bordering on paranoia as regards her work, which has made her so successful as a singer.

Nagat's famous songs include:
Irga' Elaya (Come back to me)
Alfu Ahwahu (I love you a thousand times)
'As'aluka arrihala (I beg you to let me leave)
La takzebi (Don't lie)
'Ashar wansheghel (Up and worried)
Leih khaletni ahebak? (Why did you let met love you?
Istanani (Wait for me)
Mush hayen 'awadaek (How difficult it is to say good bye?
En kont habibi (If you are my love)
'Oyoun el-alb (Eyes of the heart)
Fakrah (Remember?)
Mahmah al'ayam (Whatever the days)
Mazonish yahabibi (I don't think so love)
Tifriq ketteir (It makes such a difference)
Bahlam ma'k (Dreaming with you)
'Ana ba'sha' el Bahr (I love the Sea)