Maryam Mursal

The life story of Somalia-born and Denmark-based vocalist Maryam Mursal would be unbelievable were it not true. One of the first professional female vocalists of Muslim faith, Mursal was a star in her homeland while still in her teens. Having developed the unique blend of Islamic and African influences that she calls "Somali Jazz" in the nightclubs, Mursal was a top recording artist by the mid-'80s. With the release of her single, "Ulimada (The Professor)," in 1986, however, her whole world changed. As she explained during a 1998 interview, "the lyrics were a subtle criticism ...