Often sung by a couple, a song is played in the form of a sleight of hand between a man and a woman, one recounting his feelings and his love, even his passion for the other, until the other accepts or rejects this offer.
At first listen, Somali music might be mistaken for the sounds of nearby regions such as Ethiopia, Sudan or the Arabian Peninsula, but it is ultimately recognizable by its own unique tunes and styles.
Modern Djiboutian popular music can be traced back to the late 1940s, Somali songs are usually the product of collaboration between lyricists (midho), songwriters (laxan), and singers (codka or "voice").
[3] "Miniature poetry", invented by a truck driver named Abdi Deeqsi, is well known in Djibouti; these are short poems (balwo), mostly concerning love and passion.
This festival draws performers from all over the country, and live recordings of headliner acts have proved popular with international audiences.
Djiboutian music is now regularly broadcast on the state-run Radio Television of Djibouti, whose in-house band is Groupe RTD.