Recent conflicts and rural to urban migration that reduced the population of the region and changes in ways of life have caused a sharp decrease in the number of performers, resulting in the loss of many archaic styles and genres of solo singing.

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Gaelic folk singer Julie Fowlis says she used to be "terrified" of singing solo in public.

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She rose to stardom quickly, singing solo and mostly in Hebrew or English, packing concert halls and performing for Israeli officials and foreign delegates.

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It was remembered that, as a minister, he once allowed a woman singer to perform in public (even though it was to a female audience only, the Islamic Republic bans any woman singing solo).

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Winblad remembers Gates disappearing on a dark beach after his group had been given the word sea, and then slowly emerging from the mist singing a high-pitched solo of Puff, the Magic Dragon.

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Jackson began his professional work at age 5, singing with his brothers, before shooting to superstardom as a solo singer.

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