Sharaf al-Kaedi

“I am Sharaf al-Kaedi. I was born in Hajja governorate, the Yemeni Republic. I am 32-years-old, and I have been singing for more than 20 years. I started when I was young. 

I was first influenced by Sanaa’s kind of art. I used to listen to the music of Abu Nassar, al-Anisi, God rest his soul, and al-Harithi. I was then influenced by songs of Abu Bakr Salim, and those chanted during celebrations of Yemen’s unity, and they have affected me a lot. I was then influenced by the music of Hussein Abu Bakr al-Mihdar, the Adani style, and the Lahji style. Now I am influenced by all kinds of Yemeni music in particular, in addition to Arab and international music in general.  

Branding music as religiously forbidden in Yemen … I believe that singing is not haram or forbidden as they chant songs in all celebrations of various occasions in the country, in happiness and sadness.

The haram debate used to emerge once an artist grabs his musical instrument. They would say it is a shame to play a music instrument as it is considered a disgrace. In the past, my tribe opposed us a great deal, but now they stopped saying singing is forbidden or shameful. They have accepted it as it is.

I have suffered a lot with this issue. They used to think it was a shame for a man or any human being to play any music instrument; whether it is a flute, oud or any other instrument. 

I wish Yemen to enjoy ever-lasting peace and to get out of the conflicts it gets involved in. 

I wish to convey my message to the whole world, to make the Yemeni song reach the entire world and to deliver the beautiful and peaceful message of art.” 

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