American classical singer Jennifr Grout, an icon in the Arab world, attracted great attention when she fluently recited the Muslim Holy book, the Quran, in a video that has gone viral on social media.
Grout, 28, had previously stunned the Arab world in 2013 by singing Arabic songs on MBC channel’s “Arabs Got Talent” despite not knowing the language.
She has once again shook social media after sharing a video of herself ardently reciting verses from the Holy Quran following her fluent covers.
“When I first became interested in Arabic music, my teacher told me to start listening to the Quran as an exercise in order to begin getting attuned to all the nuances of Arabic singing; the two have many things in common like their melodious qualities, ornamentations, vocal technique, maqam modulations, and language of course. Many of the great Tarab singers had their roots in Quran recitation.” the 29-year-old singer said in her Instagram post.
“Today in the spirit of jumu3a (Friday) I’m sharing a recitation of Ayat-u-l Kursi as per the style of the great Mohammed Siddiq Al Menshawi,” she continued.
“Quran recitation is an art in itself, and can be appreciated by anyone and everyone, Muslims and non Muslims alike, (though it carries another special layer of meaning for the former),” she added.
Grout, who converted to Islam in 2013 and then married a Moroccan man, continues to serve as a bridge between the U.S. and Middle East through her deep love of music.
