Aar Maanta
Aar Maanta moved from his native Somalia to the United Kingdom in the late 1980s due to the civil war there. As a lone child in a new country, he turned to music for comfort, absorbing many genres including pop, rock, hip hop, R&B and house.
Aar Maanta started studying music at school and then later at university. However, because of family pressure and disapproval due to his Muslim faith, he was discouraged from following a career path in music. Instead completing a degree in Science, eventually returning to music, Aar Maanta set up his own recording studio ‘Horn 2 Grove’ where he now produces an eclectic mix of styles blended with traditional Somali music.
Aar Maanta has worked with various artists including the critically acclaimed Polish jazz guitarist Maciek Pysz and the legendary Somali musician Ahmed ‘Hudeydi’ Ismail Hussein who is a master oud/lute player and one of Somalia’s greatest composers.
Frustrated by what he terms the “lack of modern original Somali music”, Aar Maanta produced his own record with original songs. In 2009, his debut album Hiddo & Dhaqan was released, featuring songs such as “Deeqa”, and “Dhadhami”, songs that are political but disguised as love songs.
The new generation Somali immigrants in the UK identify with the music of Aar Maanta, because he addresses issues resonating within the Somali community. All his work is inspired by the struggle of Somali people and the beauty of Somali culture.
Aar Maanta’s first notable performance was in July 2006 at Rise: London United, the UK’s largest anti-racist and multi-cultural festival. There, he played alongside Graham Coxon, The Buzzcocks, The Wailers, and other prominent acts. Over 80,000 young people and families attended this event, bringing together London residents from many different ethnic communities.
