Omar Souleyman was born in the village of Ras al-Ayn[3] near the Syria–Turkey border but grew up in the city of Tell Tamer.

[6] His music is characterized by his blend of Middle Eastern melodies with ululating keyboards, electronic beats and throaty vocals.

Souleyman was chosen by Caribou to perform at the ATP Nightmare Before Christmas festival that they co-curated in December 2011 in Minehead, England.

In August 2013, before his performance at the Way Out West festival in Gothenburg, Sweden, Swedish authorities initially denied his artist visa out of concern that he would request asylum.

Souleyman lived in Turkey from the start of the Syrian civil war in 2011, which heavily impacted his home region.

In November 2021, he was arrested on charges of terrorism, over reports that he had recently travelled back to an area of Syria controlled by the PKK's Syrian affiliate, the YPG.