Playlist #13: All Women’s

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The representation of women from the Arabic-speaking world as singers or musicians evokes questions about stereotypes and gender roles. In reality, some of the first to be recorded with the rise of music recording at the start of the 20th century were women like Umm Kulthum, who earned more than most of their male contemporaries. 

This playlist is a reminder of some of the beautiful voices that adorned the musical skies of the Arabic speaking region over the past 100 years. It is by no means exhaustive or representative of all the powerful voices that could be included in it, however, it’s a melancholic and melodic selection of joyful listening. We slowly progress to the more recent works of singers and composers like Lebanese Yasmine Hamdan or Algerian Souad Massi. It brings together voices from the East of the Arabic speaking countries to their west, with Egypt being a significant actor in the music field. 

Spotify Playlist

What are MARSM Playlists?

Marsm’s bi-weekly playlists take on the musical history, trends and upcoming productions from the music scene in the Arabic-speaking countries. Each playlist focuses on a new theme, showcasing both underground and established artists – from the more dance-able to the most experimental – and everything in between.