Egyptian house painter rises to national fame after viral singing video

An Egyptian house painter was catapulted to nationwide fame over the past week when a video showing him singing a classic song was shared on social media, prompting one of the country’s top singers to launch an online search to find him.

In the now viral video, Ahmed Salem — a 32-year-old father of two who lives in Gharbia province, about 100 kilometres to the north of Cairo — can be seen singing as he paints the wall of a house.

He had…