Voice is a musical genre that emerged in Qatar and the Gulf region, flourishing specifically in the mid-19th century. Sources indicate that the history of the art of voice is related to the vocal music prevalent during the Abbasid era. The art of voice is a male vocal performance, traditionally performed by a solo singer accompanied by individual musicians, such as a violinist and a qanun player. The performance of voice follows specific rhythms called “Arabic voice” with six beats, “Shami voice” with four beats, and previously, there was also the “closing” or “khatm” with three beats. In the past, these rhythms were performed on a small drum called “Al-Mirwas,” which is held in one hand while being struck with the other.

Additionally, the performance of voice is accompanied by a special dance called “Al-Zafan,” requiring two dancers: one known as “Zafan” and the other as “Rais.” A specific type of clapping called “Al-Sharbaqa,” meaning “intertwined,” is performed by the audience to the rhythms of both the Arabic and Shami voices. The lyrics used in the art of voice are typically in classical Arabic poetry or “Hameeni” poetry, which is similar to the “Muwashah” but follows specific meters used by ancient Yemeni poets and their local dialects.