Born in Manchester, England, and brought up in Kuwait, Reem Kelani is known as a Palestinian singer, musician and a regular broadcaster working for BBC Radio 4, introducing the music of migrant communities to the mass audience in the UK.

 

Having spent many years touring and working with musicians from the countries she visited, Kelani has focused her efforts in the UK on working with non-Arab musicians and introducing more of them to Arabic and Palestinian music.

 

Reem’s music works as well with an Arab audience through her observance of the conventions of classical Arabic singing, the precision of her language and the authenticity of her research, as with non-Arabs through the quality of the music, the structuring of the band around a Jazz rhythm section, the carefully researched sleeve notes and translations.

 

Reem's decision to sing traditional songs or songs based on the poetry of well-known Palestinian poets is a simple and yet powerful affirmation of the existence of a Palestinian cultural identity.