Zaley (sometimes zalay) is a musical genre of the Zarma and Songhay people of Niger. Most famous during the 1940s and 1950s, it is a genre dominated by female performers, who take as the subject of their songs the virtues of men whose qualities they appreciated.[1] The word itself comes from the Zarma language, and denotes a blend of musical instruments with female voices;[2] it has also come to mean "amorous seeking".[1] Some writers have described the genre's significance as being similar to that of romanticism in nineteenth-century European culture.[2]
Notable singers of zaley have included Haoua Issa, sometimes called "Haoua Zaley", and Bouli Kakasi.[1]
