- Title: Saudi singer wows crowds at Amman music festival
- Date: 1st August 2017
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) AUDIENCE MEMBER, FARAH SALMAN, SAYING: "The voice of Abdulrahman is very unique and it is really beautiful as is his choice of singing in the Arabic classical language and very old poems. I hope that all singers start doing this thing because it is really beautiful. His poems are very unique and these poets are very old and it is not right to forget it because our language is really beautiful."
- Embargoed: 15th August 2017 12:13
- Keywords: Saudi musician Abdulrahman Mohammed Jordan's Al Balad music festival Amman concert Saudi Arabian musician
- Location: AMMAN, JORDAN
- City: AMMAN, JORDAN
- Country: Jordan
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment,Music
- Reuters ID: LVA0036SBRTCL
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Saudi Arabian musician Abdulrahman Mohammed took a Jordanian audience on a journey of classical Arabic poems when he performed a two-hour show on Monday night (July 31).
Performing at the Al Balad music festival at Amman's Roman Theatre, Mohammed's set was part of a schedule of 11 performances, aiming to bring together musicians from around the region.
Mohammed's music style combines a variety of jazz, alternative and progressive rock, folk, acoustic, flamenco, light Turkish and Indian music styles, according to festival organisers.
But his choice to sing ancient poetry in classical Arabic particularly wowed audience member Farah Salman.
"The voice of Abdulrahman is very unique and it is really beautiful as is his choice of singing in the Arabic classical language and very old poems. I hope that all singers start doing this thing because it is really beautiful. His poems are very unique and these poets are very old and it is not right to forget it because our language is really beautiful," the 20-year-old said.
Another audience member, Maram Haddad, said the festival helped bring communities together at a time of regional instability.
"I really liked that the festival is bringing cultures closer and breaking borders between nations. Now we are facing problems and difficult issues, and music brings everybody closer and helps people get closer to each other in one way or another," she said.
The singer uses historical poetry and classical lyrics in his music and fuses these with a modern and experimental musical style.
Mohammed documents his unique performances and new releases on social media, gathering a following of over 600,000 people on YouTube.
The eight-day festival, now in its fifth edition, ends on Wednesday (August 2). - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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