Fariha Al Abdullah

Fariha Al Abdullah

• Ya Arab Al-Sharqiah (Hey, Arabs of The Eastern Side)
• Elna Allah (We Have God on Our Side)

• Ma Teza'l (Don't Fret)
• Mawal Mu Kel Men Tehebbah - Ya A'lla (Not Everyone You Love - Oh, Alaa Mawal)

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One of Fariha Al Abdullah's most enjoyable tapes in our archive, this live tape presents sophisticated dynamic arrangements that can be compared to contemporary pop works with amplified sound production. Amid these arrangements, Fariha Al Abdullah sings, dominates, and reigns with her powerful broad voice, captivating listeners from her performance of the dabke Ya Arab Al Sharqiya at the beginning of the tape. Although the song is one of the most frequently performed dabkes in Syrian shaabi music, it's difficult to find a version that matches Fariha's version here in terms of vitality, production, and powerful presence. Before Sarya Al Sawas became the first lady of Syrian shaabi song, this throne belonged to another mighty voice, that of Fariha Al Abdullah. Fariha is still present today, but she lived a golden age in the 1990s, when she was abundantly present at weddings, private parties, and nightclubs. She collaborated with a wide spectrum of voices and musicians, and shaped the features of the Syrian shaabi singer with her highly dynamic voice adorned with a hoarseness that gives it sadness. At the beginning of her career, Fariha carried the classification of Al-Hajiat or Al-Sheikhat, a title given by the people of Homs to female Syrian shaabi singers from their region, who suffered rejection from their conservative societies. However, Fariha today carries another title she deservedly earned through her long career: Singer of the Badia.