DEEYAH - DEEYAH'S DEATH THREATS

DEEYAH'S DEATH THREATS

Norwegian Muslim rapper DEEYAH has been sent death threats by members of her religious community, because they disapprove of her music career.
The warnings have prompted 30-year-old Deeyah to set up a project for Muslim women in music, in a bid to change attitudes.
She tells the New Statesman magazine: "In many Muslim communities, there is virtually no support for young women who want to express themselves as creative artists. It's not one of the professions expected of a woman. Many are actively discouraged from expressing their thoughts and dreams through music. A big part of the problem is the cultural expectations placed upon women. There is the association of music with sexuality and a westernised form of expression."
She says of her project, "The main aim I had in putting together the Sisterhood project was to let young Muslim girls know they are not alone in their struggles to get their music out there".