Legendary Waaberi Band member and Somali queen of soul Seynab Bahsan dies in Mogadishu

Seynab Haji Ali Bahsan, one of the legendary members of the Waaberi Band that ruled the airwaves in post colonial Somalia until the civil war period has died.

Ministry of Information spokesman Ismail Mukhtar confirmed Seynab’s passing in Mogadishu Monday.

The circumstances surrounding her death were not immediately clear though she has been sick for a while.

The music diva was among the few celebrities of her time who did not leave the country following the outbreak of the civil war. She lived in Somalia until her death.

Seynab who was dubbed the queen of soul music secured her place in Somali music history and earned respect in transformative gender role in politics through music.

Waaberi Band rose to become one of the finest music bands in Somalia churning out hits from the early 1960s to the early 1990 when civil war broke out.

The group which featured Seynab’s colleagues such as Maryam Mursal and Halima Khalif Omar ‘Magool’ also composed songs in praise of Siad Barre who exploited art for the furtherance of this regime.

She leaves behind a rich legacy and a history of Somali music through time.