WOMEN IN TURKISH AND ARABIC MUSIC
By Daniel Karni
Women played a significant role in the evolution of music in middle eastern culture. Unlike the common thought, women actively participated in Ottoman music, singing and playing various instruments, from frame drums and riqs to qanun and saz.
Today the scene is not much different as there are countless female artists in the Turkish music scene, from modern music like pop and rock to more ethnic genres like Arabesque and Turkish folk music. They not only perform, but many women show their impressive composing skills, creating some of the iconic songs in eastern music history.
So, today we will take a fast look at the Turkish and Arabic music scene and learn about some of the greatest women in Turkish and Arabic music.
Short History Of Women In Turkish and Arabic Music
While there were many anonymous female artists in the Ottoman Music scene, which are clearly seen in Ottoman miniatures and paintings, women started to take a more active role in music after the 19th century.
Names like Adile Sultan, Dilhayat Kalfa, and Ayşe Sultan were highly famous artists in the Ottoman Empire. They were multi-instrumentalists, composing their own songs and performing for the palace as well as the common folk.
After the fall of the Ottoman Empire, the Turkish world and the Arabic started producing their own female singers. In the Turkish world, the music got modernized with western influence, and many women participated in the music scene in the 19th century. The most famous names were Muzeyyen Senar, Safiye Ayla, and Selda Bagcan, who were the queens of Turkish Classical Music.
The Arabic world also had great female singers in the 19th century, especially in Egypt and Lebanon areas. Undoubtedly, the best and the most famous voice in the Arabic world was Umm Kulthum, who amazed the world with her magical compositions and voice.
After the western influence on eastern music, the music scene in the Turkish and Arabic world slightly changed with more female artists on the stage singing modern songs of pop, rock, hip-hop, and all kinds of music.
Especially the Turkish world also had great female instrumentalists like İdil Biret and Gülsin Onay, who are worldwide-known pianists, and Sefika Kutluer, a classical flutist virtuoso.
When looking at the music scene today in the Turkish world, it is clear that there are countless female musicians in every part of the music sector, from singers to instrumentalists, managers to producers, and composers to performers.
In the Arabic world, things are a bit more complicated as women’s freedom heavily relies on the laws of individual countries. But, especially in countries like Egypt and Lebanon, the music scene is more or less similar to Turkey.
Famous Women In Modern Turkish And Arabic Music
Sertab Erener
Having started her career as the backing vocalist of Sezen Aksu, who is the “Queen of Turkish Pop Music,” Sertab Erener quickly became popular in the Turkish Pop scene with her amazing 3-octave voice. She released many hit singles like “Zor Kadın” and “Yanarım” that rocked the country. Sertab Erener also won the Eurovision song contest in 2003 with her amazing song “Everyway That I Can,” which featured a great synthesis of eastern and western music.
Gaye Su Akyol
Gaye Su Akyol may not be the most famous name in the Turkish music scene, but her popularity rapidly grows each day. She is a name from the alternative culture where Anatolian Rock Music or Turkish Psychedelic Music is experiencing a revival.
Gaye Su incorporates the eastern rhythms, lyrics, instruments, and sounds with western instruments, song structure, and harmony creating an amazing musical style. She has a big fan group in Europe and U.S.A.
Yasmine Hamdan – Lebanon
Born in Lebanon, Yasmine Hamdan is a legend and a true icon in the Arabic underground music world. She was the founder of one of the first independent electronic bands in the Middle East.
With her beautiful voice and visionary musical perspective, she got the attention of the west with her approach to Arabic music with electronic influences. Hamdan collaborated with famous artists like Jim Jarmusch, who gave her a cameo in one of his movies.
Ghalia Benali – Tunisia
Another name that defined contemporary Arabic and Middle Eastern music is Ghalia Benali. With her multicultural and polymorphic voice and modern approach to classical Arabic music, Benali got very famous in the Middle East. She mixes eastern instruments like qanun and frame drums with structures and forms of western music, creating a lovely harmony.
Tamtam – Saudi Arabia
Riyadh-born and Los Angeles-based Saudi Arabian singer, Tamtam is one of the new stars of the contemporary music scene in the Middle East. Tamtam creates electronic-based music with Arabic rhythmic grooves and harmonies as well as eastern sounds. She is famous for her conscious lyrics that highlight social problems like the struggles of women, especially in the Middle East.
Conclusion
Women played and are still playing crucial roles in the eastern music scene. The contemporary female artists often find unique perspectives on music, mixing the eastern and western elements and creating a greatly balanced harmony that results in wonderful pieces.
