Maryem Tollar (born 1968 in Cairo, Egypt) is a Toronto-based singer who primarily sings Arabic songs.[1] She played with her own band called Mernie!.
Born in Cairo, Maryem went to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada with her parents when she was one year old in 1969. Four years later, her father began working in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, so her family moved back to the Middle East and stayed there until she graduated from The American University in Cairo. Throughout those times, Maryem always had a taste for music and sang in every school production. Her parents were originally against the idea of Maryem becoming a singer, but after university, Maryem started pursuing her dream. She first performed with Toronto-based Arab band Hot D.A.M. and later sang in Arabic for her brother's compositions. Later, she went to Syria and Egypt to further her studies and gained recognition from the Canada Council. She began receiving calls to perform with different groups as well as for recording sessions for commercials and films. Eventually, Maryem started a music group called "Mernie!" with her husband, Ernie Tollar. The band is a 10 piece ensemble while she and her husband compose all of the music and everyone in the band come from different cultural backgrounds. Together, they have made one CD so far, entitled Flowers of Forgiveness.[citation needed]
In 2007, director Liz Marshall made a Bravo!FACT funded a video for the Arabic lament "Mawal Saba".[citation needed]
Maryem sang "Mayya Mayya" song for the 2007 Bollywood film, Guru, composed by A. R. Rahman.[citation needed] Tollar is the artist behind the ending credits theme song used in the Canadian sitcom, Little Mosque on the Prairie, a rendition of the popular Islamic praise song Tala‘al Badru ‘Alayna (the press kit on her website misidentifies[citation needed] the show as "Little Mosque on the Prairies").[2]
Tollar was a candidate for the Green Party in the riding of Toronto—Danforth in the 2021 federal election.
^Jazz Times – Volume 38 Page 184 2008 "Egyptian-Canadian singer Maryem Tollar's Enya-like chants help "Europa" maintain its dual optimistic and haunting qualities."
^"Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 2 October 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
MaryemTollar (born 1968 in Cairo, Egypt) is a Toronto-based singer who primarily sings Arabic songs. She played with her own band called Mernie!. Born...
film) A. R. Rahman, Caroline, Noel James A. R. Rahman Mayya Mayya (song) Guru (2007 film) Chinmayi Sripaada, MaryemTollar, Keerthi Sagathia A. R. Rahman...
and Palestinian nationality Mai Selim, Jordanian singer and actress MaryemTollar, Egyptian singer who primarily sings Arabic songs Massari, Lebanese...
composed music for film, theatre and dance. Yvette's sister-in-law is Maryem Hassan Tollar, a Juno and Dora Award-winning World Music vocalist who sang the...
Brandon Firla Neil Crone Aliza Vellani Ending theme Music and singing by MaryemTollar Country of origin Canada Original language English No. of seasons 6...
Guru "Aaruyire" A. R. Rahman, Murtuza Khan, Quadir Khan "Mayya Mayya" MaryemTollar, Keerthi Sagathia Mirugam "Oru Aattukutty Azhagaale Sabesh–Murali Solo...
(1997) by The Prodigy. "Mala" contains a sample of "Mayya" (2006) by MaryemTollar, Chinmayi and Keerthi Sagathia. "Mala (Teatro Mix)" contains a sample...
Lazar, Lenka Lichtenberg, Demetrios Petsalakis, Debashis Sinha, and MaryemTollar. The event culminated in a performance at the St. Lawrence Centre for...
Alliance Française. Collaboration highlights include vocalist/musician MaryemTollar, tabla and Ghazal maestro Cassius Khan, and esteemed musicians in South...
the Early Egyptian Qanun, George Dimitri Sawa Cairo to Toronto, Maryem & Ernie Tollar Contrabanda, Lubo and Kaba Horo Shivaboom, Eccodek Winner: "Dangerous"...
the Early Egyptian Qanun — George Dimitri Sawa Cairo to Toronto — Maryem & Ernie Tollar Contrabanda — Lubo and Kaba Horo Shivaboom — Eccodek 2010 Dominic...
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