Siti binti Saad

Who was Siti binti Saad?

Siti binti Saad was a pioneering artist in the taraab genre of east African music. In an era in which male singers predominated, she was a pioneer as a woman singer in the genre. In contrast to previous singers who sang in Arabic, she sang in Swahili. She sang in cities of the coast of Kenya, Tanganyika and Zanzibar.

The peak of her career was from 1928 to her death in 1950, during which she recorded over 150 gramophone records in India.

Subsequent to her death, more women singers appeared in formerly all-male singing clubs.