Hello out there, dear readers, how are you? I hope life is treating you to beautiful music, lovely experiences and lots of blessings. 

What a brilliant start of “Love Is In Da Blog” yesterday. Thank you so much to all who have taken part and all who have brought prompts to my attention. You rock!!!!

Today I am very excited to introduce you to a Moroccan singer who fuses soul, Jazz, Hassani, Gospel, Afrobeat and Sufi music in her songs. Her name is Oum, and she was born in Casablanca. Even though she is a Muslim, she joined a gospel choir as a teenager and ever since she fuses Muslim musical traditions with Western music. I like her style a lot and have been listening to several of her songs recently. 

Oum sings both in her native Moroccan dialect, French and English. She is a self-taught musician and has studied architecture. What impresses me the most though is the fact, that she considers herself a devout Muslim without wearing a headscarf which she expresses in her stage shows: She often dances in dresses that are considered too risque by conservative Muslims because they leave her shoulders free. 

But in her opinion, she can bring her sensuality as an African and Arab woman with her belief as a Muslim. I think it is vital for Muslim but also all women to have a role model like that. Please find out more about Oum in this interview with Quantara.

The song I have chosen is called “Taragalte” which is the name of a Festival that is located in the oasis of M’hamid El Ghizlane, in the province of ZAGORA (southern Morocco). It celebrates the Sahara desert and its cultures. Last year its overarching theme was Antoine Saint-Exupery and what he has done for the region. Find out more about it here.

This song is not a traditional soul song but soul with Arab influences. It is also a love song to the Sahara desert, life, love and peace. No more words 🙂 please enjoy:

And as always: please follow the link underneath if the video does not play here.

Please find the lyrics to the song here on TranslateLyrics.

Love Is In Da Blog 2020 prompt for day 3

Tomorrow’s prompt is

Find a love song about pets or for your pet. 

Paula suggested this prompt, so please head over to her blog “Light Motifs II” and check out her books, photos and poetry. Thanks, Paula, for this sweet idea.

Now dear readers

go, find music

and have lots of fun!!!!