Ahmad Tilawi
Majarih (Wounded)
SIDE A
SIDE B
Label
Disco Al Shark
Location Issued
Damascus, Syria
Artist Origin
Idlib, Syria
More Info
Ahmad Tilawi comes from the city of Saraqib in Idlib governorate. He achieved great fame and popularity in the Syrian shaabi scene in the 1980s and 1990s – performing tirelessly at weddings and private parties. Tilawi lived his entire life in his home city and never left until armed clashes forced him out. On a video posted on social media in 2021, Tilawi could be seen singing attaba and crying over the mention of his city. The female voice on this casstete isn't credited, but we can assume it is the voice of frequent Tilawi collaborator Fariha Al Abdullah. Tilawi sang next to Fariha on many occasions. He supported her early career, which started when she was only 18. Fariha comes from a shaabi background in Homs, whose singers are called 'Hajjiat' or 'Sheikhat', and are relatively rejected in the conservative Syrian communities there. However, she has maintained an active career for over thirty years, and now holds the title 'singer of the desert'.