Omar Souleyman in Montreal

Omar Souleyman is a Syrian singer, born in 1966 in Tell Tamer, who performs Arabic wedding music and electronic dabke. Recordings from years of wedding performances circulated on cassette before Sublime Frequencies compiled selections on Highway to Hassake. His best-known releases include Wenu Wenu and Bahdeni Nami, while “Warni Warni” became one of his signature songs. In 2011, Omar Souleyman performed at Glastonbury Festival and Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago. Two years later, he appeared at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo. His shows center on his lead singing, electronic keyboards and dabke rhythms. Longtime collaborator Rizan Sa'id has been his principal keyboardist and composer in the studio and onstage.