Oum El Ghaït Benessahraoui, better known as Oum, was born on April 18, 1978, in Casablanca. She joined a gospel choir where she played her first solos at fourteen with a voice that impressed listeners. When she was 17 years old, her first song helped to successfully secure her first appearance on television. Her powerful and expressive voice impresses listeners and takes them on a journey to the deserts of Morocco. Oum is a Moroccan singer-songwriter and she is considered an ambassador of Moroccan culture. She mixes hassani, jazz, gospel, soul, afrobeat, and Sufi music influences in her songs.