Kadim al sahir

His album "Yom Wa Sana" was released in July and it includes 14 songs.

Reda name

Rida Al Abdulla was born in Iraq in His work bridges Arabic classical music maqam with popular styles of his region and beyond. The poetry he adapts and lyrics he composes address themes of human relationships and sociopolitical ideas. Rida was born in Kirkuk. Rida participated in school plays and concerts, and began writing his own songs.

His parents encouraged him by buying him instruments including an oud, a principle instrument of Arabic composers. At a time when singers were being pressured to sing for the regime or not at all, Rida kept a low profile but continued singing, composing and practicing at home. Rida came of age during the Iran-Iraq war. At eighteen, he enrolled into the House of Art and Music Conservatory of Iraq in Baghdad where he studied music for the next six years.

Rida graduated at the top of his class as a composer and performer on the oud. Rida continued his musical studies at the Academy of Arts, Music and Theatre. He began recording his music, although Iraq's music industry was in disarray at the time. During the invasion of Kuwait and the ensuing Gulf War, Rida composed songs that encouraged citizens to put down weapons and take up instruments.

Rida's musical career was paused in when he graduated and was drafted into the Iraqi Army to serve the obligatory eighteen months. The Army refused to discharge him at the end of his service. When his parents were detained and tortured by the authorities, Rida had to support ten brothers and sisters.