Saudi composer Abdullah Al-Karni dies in Cairo after falling into coma

CAIRO, Egypt — Saudi composer and singer Abdullah Al-Karni has died in Cairo after suffering health problems, his family announced on social media. A relative said on X that he passed away on 7/1/1448 according to the Hijri calendar. Al-Karni rose to public attention after winning the third season of a well-known singing competition in 2007, earning him the title "Star of the Gulf." He went on to release a number of works, including the song "Gayebe semenîn sene," and later shifted his focus to composing and academic research. In later years, he worked on several operettas built around national and traditional themes. His death drew reaction in artistic circles in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries.