# Maryam Mursal (Maryan Mursal)

> Maryam Mursal (born 1950): Somali jazz singer from Mogadishu who rebuilt her career in exile with Real World Records.

Source page: https://calankii.com/en/people/maryam-mursal/
Last checked: 2026-11-12
Publisher: Calankii (https://calankii.com)

## Who is she?

Maryam Mursal is a Somali composer and singer, born on 1 January 1950 ([Wikipedia, Maryam Mursal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryam_Mursal)). Real World Records describes her as one of Somalia's biggest stars ([Real World Records, Maryam Mursal](https://realworldrecords.com/artists/maryam-mursal/)). Music in Africa names her among the country's greatest women singers ([Music in Africa, "Somali music through the ages"](https://www.musicinafrica.net/node/25169)).

## Early life and first songs

Her family came from [Borama](/en/regions/awdal/) ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryam_Mursal)). As a teenager she began singing professionally in Mogadishu (same source). Real World dates her start to 1966 ([Real World Records](https://realworldrecords.com/artists/maryam-mursal/)). Few women performed in public then, so this broke with custom ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryam_Mursal)).

## Somali jazz

Her music mixed Somali and Arabic sounds with blues and soul. It became known as Somali jazz and was popular across the country ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryam_Mursal)). She also sang with Waaberi, the large troupe of the [Somali National Theatre](/en/society/national-theatre-of-somalia/) (same source). See [Somali music](/en/society/somali-music/).

## Two years without singing

Her song "Ulimada" criticised the military government. She was banned from performing for about two years ([Real World Records](https://realworldrecords.com/artists/maryam-mursal/)). In that time she earned her living driving a taxi ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryam_Mursal)).

## The journey

When civil war spread, she left with her five children. The journey across the Horn of Africa took seven months ([Real World Records](https://realworldrecords.com/artists/maryam-mursal/)). In Djibouti the Danish embassy gave the family asylum (same source). See [Somalis in Denmark](/en/diaspora/denmark/) and [Somalis in Djibouti](/en/diaspora/djibouti/).

## A second career in exile

In Denmark she met again the arranger Søren Kjær Jensen, who had recorded her years before ([Real World Records](https://realworldrecords.com/artists/maryam-mursal/)). Real World released *New Dawn* in 1997, made with members of Waaberi (same source). *The Journey* followed in 1998, with Peter Gabriel on backing vocals (same source). She sang at WOMAD in 1997. She has appeared with Nina Simone ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryam_Mursal)).

## In her words

"I am a refugee but I am also a singer," she said ([Real World Records](https://realworldrecords.com/artists/maryam-mursal/)).

## In short

A singer who was among the first Somali women on the professional stage and later recorded abroad.

---
I want to help with this: email hello@calankii.com. Fix this page: email hello@calankii.com with the page link and your source.