Some artists feel “global” because their music travels easily. Others become global almost by accident – because what they do is so functional, so physically persuasive, that it survives translation.
Omar Souleyman belongs to the second category. He is not a Syrian singer who “crossed over” into international fame. He is a wedding singer who amplified the core mechanics of dabke – Levantine line-dance music – and, in the process, became one of Syria’s most recognisable musical exports.
From local weddings and community events in Syria’s north-east to appearances at Glastonbury in 2011, the Nobel Peace Prize concert in 2013 and Balenciaga’s after-party during Paris Fashion Week in 2022, his journey has been singular and phenomenal.
That is why the new Gorillaz single Damascus, released last week and credited to Damon Albarn alongside Souleyman and Yasiin Bey, lands as more than a headline-grabbing collaboration. It is a track that places Souleyman’s voice – its urgency and repetition – at the centre of the composition.
Souleyman spoke
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