Siti binti Saad (1880–1950) was a pioneering artist in the taraab genre of east African music. In an era in which male singers predominated, she was a pioneer as a woman singer in the genre. In contrast to previous singers who sang in Arabic, she sang in Swahili. She sang in cities of the coast of Kenya, Tanganyika and Zanzibar. [1]
The peak of her career was from 1928 to her death in 1950, during which she recorded over 150 78 long playing recordings in India. [2]
Subsequent to her death, more women singers appeared in formerly all-male singing clubs. [3]