Who is Your Muslim Mariah? Voting for the Best Muslim Singers on NPR!

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Who is Your Muslim Mariah? Voting for the Best Muslim Singers on NPR!

by Aisha Gawad

11/25/09 - 1:38 PM

By Aisha Gawad
November 25, 2009

If I could have any talent, it would be the ability to sing. I don’t mean a little tra-la-laing in the shower, but to really sing. I’ talkin’ Mariah, baby. Sadly, my singing is not so much Mariah as it is dying cat. That said, I do appreciate a good singer when I hear one.

So does National Public Radio (NPR) apparently, because they are gearing up to launch a year-long exploration of 50 great voices in recorded history - the voices that may not necessarily be the best in terms of technique and range, but best in terms of ability to transcend time and transport the listener. I went to the website to check it out, and was impressed by how international the list is - it even includes several Muslims.

NPR is asking people to log on to its website and vote for your five favorite singers out of a list of about 100. Then, the site will announce the singers that made it into the top 50, the ones who will be celebrated when the series officially starts in January.

These singers are great because they became icons of their countries - global representatives of a nation, an era, and in some cases, a faith.

The Muslims included in NPR’s list are:

Nusrat Fateh Ali of Pakistan
Youssou N’Dour of Senegal
Mohammed Reza Shajarian of Iran
Umm Kulthoum of Egypt
Alim Qasimov of Azerbaijan
Khaled of Algeria
Busta Rhymes (yes, really)

When NPR announces the final 50 in January, I really hope some of these Muslims make it. So yalla Muslims, log on and vote! It’s time to represent. Here are the five singers that make it onto my list:

1. Umm Kulthoum (I’m Egyptian - it’s like voting for my grandmother)
2. Khaled (he has a song called “Aisha,” without which strangers would never break into song the first time they meet me)
3. Busta Rhymes (because he wrote “Arab Money,” my theme song.)
4. Fairuz (not Muslim, but Lebanese and fabulous)
5. The Notorious B.I.G. (not Muslim, but it’s Biggie, so who cares?)

I may never be the Muslim Mariah, but at least I will do my part to see that Muslim artists are celebrated. And I will continue to belt “Obsessed” in the shower in my dying cat voice. Sorry, everyone.

View the nominated singers and vote here: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114013402&ps=cprs

Photo: FADEL/AFP/Getty Images

Keywords: Nusrat Fateh Ali, Youssou N'Dour, Mohammed Reza Shajarian, Umm Kulthoum, Alim Qasimov, Khaled, Busta Rhymes, NPR 50 greatest voices list

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By Aisha Gawad November 25, 2009 If I could have any talent, it would be the ability to sing. I don’t mean a little tra-la-laing in the shower, but to really sing. I’ talkin’ Mariah, baby. Sadly, my singing is not so much Mariah as it is dying cat. That said, I do appreciate a good singer when I hear one. So does National Public Radio (NPR) apparently, because they are gearing up to launch a year-long exploration of 50 great voices in recorded history - the voices that may not necessarily be the best in terms of technique and range, but best in terms of ability to transcend time and transport the listener. I went to the website to check it out, and was impressed by how international the list is - it even includes several Muslims. NPR is asking people to log on to its website and vote for your five favorite singers out of a list of about 100. Then, the site will announce the singers that made it into the top 50, the ones who will be celebrated when the series officially starts in January. These singers are great because they became icons of their countries - global representatives of a nation, an era, and in some cases, a faith. The Muslims included in NPR’s list are: Nusrat Fateh Ali of Pakistan Youssou N’Dour of Senegal Mohammed Reza Shajarian of Iran Umm Kulthoum of Egypt Alim Qasimov of Azerbaijan Khaled of Algeria Busta Rhymes (yes, really) When NPR announces the final 50 in January, I really hope some of these Muslims make it. So yalla Muslims, log on and vote! It’s time to represent. Here are the five singers that make it onto my list: 1. Umm Kulthoum (I’m Egyptian - it’s like voting for my grandmother) 2. Khaled (he has a song called “Aisha,” without which strangers would never break into song the first time they meet me) 3. Busta Rhymes (because he wrote “Arab Money,” my theme song.) 4. Fairuz (not Muslim, but Lebanese and fabulous) 5. The Notorious B.I.G. (not Muslim, but it’s Biggie, so who cares?) I may never be the Muslim Mariah, but at least I will do my part to see that Muslim artists are celebrated. And I will continue to belt “Obsessed” in the shower in my dying cat voice. Sorry, everyone. View the nominated singers and vote here: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114013402&ps=cprs Photo: FADEL/AFP/Getty Images http://www.elanthemag.com/index.php/site/blog_detail/who_is_your_muslim_mariah_voting_for_the_best_muslim_singers_on_npr-nid6688/