Omar Souleyman

Omar Souleyman is a Syrian singer and musician from Ras al-Ayn in northeastern Syria. For decades he performed at weddings and celebrations across the Jazira region, reportedly recording over 500 live albums on cassette before gaining international attention in the late 2000s. His music fuses traditional Syrian dabke rhythms with electronic production, creating an ecstatic, high-energy sound built on rapid-fire vocals, buzzing keyboards, and driving percussion. Souleyman's crossover into the global music scene was catalyzed by compilations on Sublime Frequencies and his signing to Ribbon Music, where he released "Wenu Wenu" (2013), produced by Four Tet, and "Bahdeni Nami" (2015), produced by Kieran Hebden and Modeselektor. He has performed at festivals worldwide, from Glastonbury to Coachella, and collaborated with Björk, Damon Albarn, and other artists. His music represents a thrilling bridge between Middle Eastern folk traditions and contemporary electronic dance music.