Jennifer grout

{{Short description|American singer known for performing Arabic music}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Jennifer Grout
| birth_place = [[Boston]], Massachusetts, United States
| occupation = Singer, musician
| genre = [[Arabic music]]. [[classical music]]
| instrument = Vocals, [[oud]], violin, piano
| years_active = 2010s–present
}}

”’Jennifer Grout”’ (later adopted the stage name ”’Oum Kamar)”’ is an American singer and musician known for performing classical [[Arabic music]] and playing the [[oud]]. She gained international attention in 2013 after appearing on the third season of the television competition ”[[Arabs Got Talent]]”, where she reached the final despite speaking little Arabic.<ref name=”Guardian”>{{cite news
|last=Kingsley
|first=Patrick
|title=All-American singer wows Arabs Got Talent with Umm Kulthum cover
|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2013/nov/25/american-jennifer-grout-arabs-got-talent-umm-kulthum
|work=The Guardian
|date=25 November 2013
|access-date=18 September 2026
}}</ref><ref name=”ABC”>{{cite news
|last=Gittleson
|first=Ben
|title=American Woman Wows ‘Arabs Got Talent,’ Moves into Finals
|url=https://abcnews.com/International/american-woman-wows-arabs-talent-moves-finals/story?id=21005503
|work=ABC News
|date=25 November 2013
|access-date=18 September 2026
}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Crouse |first=Lindsay |date=2013-12-03 |title=Surprising New Face in Arabic Music |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/04/arts/music/jennifer-grout-sings-umm-kulthum-hits-on-arabs-got-talent.html |access-date=2026-09-18 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Jamjoom |first=Mohammed |date=2013-12-07 |title=American singer on ‘Arabs Got Talent’ falls just short {{!}} CNN |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2013/12/07/world/meast/american-arabs-got-talent |access-date=2026-09-18 |work=CNN |language=en}}</ref>

Her performances of songs associated with prominent Arab singers such as [[Umm Kulthum]] and [[Asmahan]] received widespread media attention in the Middle East and the United States.<ref name=”CBS”>{{cite news
|title=A new voice in Arabic music — by way of Boston
|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/a-new-voice-in-arabic-music-by-way-of-boston/
|work=CBS News
|date=7 December 2013
|access-date=18 September 2026
}}</ref>

Grout later adopted the stage name ”’Oum Kamar”’ as part of a new artistic direction. Under this name, she began developing music that moved beyond the traditional Arabic and North African repertoire for which she had initially become known. Burlington City Arts has described Oum Kamar as “formerly known as Jennifer Grout” and noted her background in Western classical, Arabic and North African musical traditions.<ref name=”BCA”>{{cite web |title=Summer Concert Series: Oum Kamar |url=https://www.burlingtoncityarts.org/event/summer-concert-series-oum-kamar |access-date=18 September 2026 |publisher=Burlington City Arts}}</ref>

Based in [[Vermont]], she has continued performing and releasing music as Oum Kamar, combining elements of her earlier musical background with contemporary songwriting.<ref name=”BCA” />

Under the Oum Kamar name, she has released recordings including ”Silly Girl”, “Think About Me”, “Girl in Art Store” and “My Boyfriend’s a Photographer”.<ref name=”AppleOumKamar”>{{cite web |title=Oum Kamar |url=https://music.apple.com/us/artist/oum-kamar/1770897756 |access-date=18 September 2026 |website=Apple Music}}</ref>

== Early life and education ==

Grout was born and raised in the Boston area of Massachusetts in the United States.<ref name=”Guardian” /> She grew up in a musical environment and studied classical music from a young age. She sang in choirs and learned to play the violin and piano.<ref name=”ABC” />

She later studied music at [[McGill University]] in Montreal, Canada. During her undergraduate studies, she developed an interest in Arabic music after encountering the music of Lebanese singer [[Fairuz]].<ref name=”ABC” /><ref name=”NPR”>{{cite news
|title=Meet The ‘Arabs Got Talent’ Star Who Doesn’t Speak Arabic
|url=https://www.nprillinois.org/arts-life/2013-11-26/meet-the-arabs-got-talent-star-who-doesnt-speak-arabic
|work=NPR
|date=26 November 2013
|access-date=18 September 2026
}}</ref>

Grout began studying the oud and teaching herself Arabic songs while still at university. She graduated from McGill’s music program before travelling to the Middle East and North Africa.<ref name=”NPR” />

== Career ==

=== Arabic music ===

Grout became interested in Arabic music around 2010 after listening to recordings of Fairuz. She subsequently discovered other prominent Arab singers and began studying the vocal techniques used in classical Arabic music.<ref name=”ABC” /><ref>{{Cite web |last=gulftoday |date=2019-12-16 |title=VIDEO: American singer Jennifer Grout recites Quranic verses flawlessly |url=https://www.gulftoday.ae/Culture/2019/12/16/American-singer-Jennifer-Grout-recites-Quranic-verses-flawlessly |access-date=2026-09-18 |website=gulftoday |language=en}}</ref>

After completing university, she moved to Morocco, where she continued studying Arabic music and the oud.<ref name=”LAT”>{{cite news
|last=Blake
|first=Meredith
|title=American woman becomes finalist on ‘Arabs Got Talent’
|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/showtracker/la-et-st-american-woman-finalist-on-arabs-got-talent-20131129-story.html
|work=Los Angeles Times
|date=29 November 2013
|access-date=18 September 2026
}}</ref>

While living in Morocco, Grout also became interested in Moroccan and [[Berber music|Amazigh musical traditions]].<ref name=”Medias24″>{{cite news
|last=Amiar
|first=Jamal
|title=Jennifer Grout, la Marrakchie qui fait sensation sur le plateau d’Arabs Got Talent
|url=https://medias24.com/2013/12/12/jennifer-grout-la-marrakchie-qui-fait-sensation-sur-le-plateau-darabs-got-talent/
|work=Médias24
|date=12 December 2013
|access-date=18 September 2026
|language=fr
}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Watch Video: Jennifer Grout recites Ayatul Kursi |url=https://ummid.com/news/2020/january/24.01.2020/watch-video-jennifer-grout-recites-ayatul-kursi-from-quran.html |access-date=2026-09-18 |website=ummid news |language=en}}</ref>

=== Arabs Got Talent ===

In 2013, Grout auditioned for the third season of ”Arabs Got Talent”, a pan-Arab television talent competition broadcast by [[MBC Group]]. At her audition she performed ”Baeed Annak”, a song associated with Egyptian singer [[Umm Kulthum]], while accompanying herself on the oud.<ref name=”Guardian” />

Her performance attracted attention because she was an American with little knowledge of spoken Arabic but was able to perform technically demanding classical Arabic songs.<ref name=”Guardian” /><ref name=”CBS” />

During the competition she also performed music associated with Syrian-Egyptian singer [[Asmahan]]. She advanced through the competition and reached the season finale.<ref name=”Guardian” />

Her participation received coverage from international media including ”The Guardian”, ABC News, CBS News, the ”Los Angeles Times” and NPR.<ref name=”Guardian” /><ref name=”ABC” /><ref name=”CBS” /><ref name=”LAT” /><ref name=”NPR” />

The Syrian dance troupe Sima ultimately won the season.<ref name=”ArabNews”>{{cite news
|title=American without Arab roots almost wins ‘Arabs Got Talent’
|url=https://www.arabnews.com/news/489446
|work=Arab News
|date=8 December 2013
|access-date=18 September 2026
}}</ref>

The ”Christian Science Monitor” reported that Grout placed second in the competition.<ref name=”CSM”>{{cite news
|last=Collard
|first=Rebecca
|title=American singer of Arab tunes has talent – but not enough
|url=https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2013/1208/American-singer-of-Arab-tunes-has-talent-but-not-enough
|work=The Christian Science Monitor
|date=8 December 2013
|access-date=18 September 2026
}}</ref>

=== Later work ===

Following ”Arabs Got Talent”, Grout continued performing Arabic and North African music. Her repertoire expanded to include Moroccan and Amazigh musical traditions.<ref name=”Medias24″ />

She has performed songs associated with artists including Umm Kulthum, Fairuz and Asmahan and has continued to receive attention in Arabic-language media for her interpretations of traditional Arabic music.<ref name=”Hespress”>{{cite news
|title=جينيفر غراوت .. نجمة أمريكية تصدح طربا بلسان عربي فصيح
|url=https://www.hespress.com/%D8%AC%D9%8A%D9%86%D9%8A%D9%81%D8%B1-%D8%BA%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%88%D8%AA-%D9%86%D8%AC%D9%85%D8%A9-%D8%A3%D9%85%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%83%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%AA%D8%B5%D8%AF%D8%AD-%D8%B7%D8%B1%D8%A8%D8%A7-496192.html
|work=Hespress
|date=16 May 2019
|access-date=18 September 2026
|language=ar
}}</ref>

== Musical style ==

Grout received classical musical training before becoming interested in Arabic music. Her performances combine her Western classical background with classical Arabic vocal traditions.<ref name=”ABC” />

She plays the oud and has performed works from the classical Arabic repertoire. Umm Kulthum has been among the singers most closely associated with Grout’s performances.<ref name=”Guardian” /><ref name=”ArabNews” />

Her work in Morocco also exposed her to Amazigh music and other North African musical traditions.<ref name=”Medias24″ />

== Personal life ==

Grout converted to [[Islam]] after her appearance on ”Arabs Got Talent”. In an interview with ”Gulf News”, she confirmed that she had converted, while clarifying that a video circulating online that purported to show her conversion was not authentic.

=== Marriage and religion ===
Grout married a Moroccan musician after moving to [[Morocco]]. She converted to [[Islam]] in 2013 and has said that her experiences with Moroccan culture influenced her decision.<ref name=”GulfNews2″>{{cite news |title=Jennifer Grout says she’s converted to Islam |url=https://gulfnews.com/lifestyle/jennifer-grout-says-shes-converted-to-islam-1.1279489 |access-date=18 September 2026 |work=Gulf News}}</ref>

== References ==

{{Reflist}}

== External links ==

[https://smgrout.wixsite.com/jennifergrout Jen]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American women singers]]
[[Category:American women musicians]]
[[Category:American Muslims]]
[[Category:Converts to Islam]]
[[Category:McGill University School of Music alumni]]
[[Category:Oud players]]
[[Category:Performers of Arabic music]]
[[Category:Singers from Massachusetts]]
[https://smgrout.wixsite.com/jennifergrout nifer Grout biography]

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