Ulayya (fl. 800s)

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Ulayya (fl. 800s)

Arabian singer who became a leader of the Persian romantic music movement. Flourished in the 800s; daughter of Maknuna (a slave singer) and Caliph al-Mahdi (r. 775–785); half-sister of Harun al-Rashid, Ibrahim ibn al-Mahdi, and Abassa ; stepdaughter of Khaizaran .

Ulayya was the daughter of Maknuna , a slave songstress, and Caliph al-Mahdi (r. 775–785); he had paid 100,000 dirhem to obtain Maknuna, a fortune even for a caliph. Like her mother, Ulayya was a talented musician. Her half-brother, Ibrahim ibn al-Mahdi, became the leader of the Persian romantic music movement which sought to replace the classical conservative school led by Ishaq al-Mausuli. It was only natural then that Ulayya would share Ibrahim's interest in the Persian school, as did their half-brother Caliph Harun al-Rashid.

Ulayya was encouraged to perform with court musicians and wrote many songs which were sung by Oraib , the preeminent songstress of the Persian school. Talented and beautiful like her mother, Ulayya spent a great deal of her time studying, writing, and praying, as she was quite religious. She preferred others to perform her work and did not live the exotic life of most Arabian songstresses. Ulayya used a fillet set with jewels to cover a blemish on her forehead. It became known as the fillet à la Ulayya, and was soon adopted by Muslims as the fashion of the day.

John Haag , Athens, Georgia