Hali Rahbani, the youngest son of renowned Lebanese singer Fairuz and her late husband, composer Assi Rahbani, has died at the age of 68.
His death comes just months after the passing of his brother Ziad Rahbani, the acclaimed composer, playwright and political commentator, at the age of 69.
Ziad, often described as the “voice of Lebanon’s soul”, was widely revered for his sharp intellect and uncompromising artistic vision.
Hali, who was born with physical and intellectual disabilities, lived with several medical conditions and spent his life in a wheelchair under the care of his mother. He was last seen in public at Ziad’s funeral in Lebanon, which drew thousands of mourners.
Fairuz, 91, had four children with Assi Rahbani, a pioneering composer and musician. Their daughter and third child, Layal, was just 18 when she reportedly died of a brain haemorrhage in 1988. Their daughter Rima Rahbani, 61, a visual artist and filmmaker, is now the only surviving sibling.
Born Nouhad Haddad in Beirut in 1935, Fairuz is regarded as one of the most important cultural figures in the Arab world, a singer whose voice has come to symbolise memory, nationhood and shared identity across generations.
She rose to prominence in the 1950s through her collaborations with the Rahbani Brothers, particularly Assi Rahbani. Together, they forged a distinctly Lebanese musical language that blended classical Arabic poetry, folk traditions, and western orchestration. Her voice became a daily presence in homes across the region, with her songs famously played each morning on radio stations from Beirut to Baghdad.
Throughout her career, Fairuz largely avoided politics, endorsements and public spectacle. Yet her music accompanied some of the most turbulent moments in modern Arab history. During Lebanon’s civil war, her songs offered unity and nostalgia, presenting a vision of the country rooted in beauty rather than conflict.
Decades into her career, she remains a rare unifying figure across sects, borders, and generations – an artist whose voice is not only heard but deeply felt.
