- Mariam Mursual-

Mursal grew up in Somalia with a Muslim family of four daughters.  Mursal's family is originally from Somaliland and belongs to the Madhibaan clan.

As a teenager, she broke with the traditions and laws of her people for the love of music, she started singing professionally in Mogadishu.  He performed in nightclubs and his style of music, a mixture of blues, soul and Somali and Arabic influences, known as Somali jazz, became popular throughout the country.  
Although he performed mainly solo, he also collaborated with Waaberi, a 300-member music and dance troupe associated with the Somali National Theater.  

Later, after criticizing the then military government of Somalia, he was banned from singing for two years and earned a living driving a cab.

 During the subsequent civil war in her country, Mursal and her five children moved to Djibouti, where she found asylum in the Danish embassy.  

 Mursal continues to live abroad, now residing in the UK.  He has toured Europe with Waaberi and performed with Nina Simone.  His work has been produced by Peter Gabriel's Real World record label.