Misplaced Pages

Latest revision as of 20:33, 24 December 2024

Sami Yusuf
Yusuf in 2011
Background information
Born	(1980-07-21) 21 July 1980 (age 44) Tehran, Iran
Genres	World music
Occupations	Musician singer composer songwriter humanitarian
Years active	2003–present
Labels	ETM Sony Warner Andante Fairwood (publisher) Awakening Records
Website	Official website

Sami Yusuf (born 21 July 1980) is a British singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and composer of Azerbaijani descent. He gained international attention with the release of his debut album, Al-Muʽallim, in 2003. As of 2020, he has released eight studio albums, five live albums and one compilation album. His studio albums were mostly released by Andante Records, with the first two being released by Awakening Records. He has sold over 34 million albums as of 2016.

Besides English, Yusuf has performed in Arabic, Kurdish, Azerbaijani, Persian, Turkish, Punjabi, and Urdu, sometimes in the same work, as was the case with his hit Hasbi Rabbi. His work is marked by blending different musical styles and genres, including elements from Sufi, folk, and Rock music. He used his multilingual and multi-instrumentalist style to address social, spiritual, and humanitarian issues. In recognition of his philanthropy, in 2014, Yusuf was appointed United Nations Global Ambassador for the World Food Programme.

Early life

Sami Yusuf was born on 21 July 1980 in Tehran to Azerbaijani parents. His grandparents are from Baku, Azerbaijan, from which they left for Iran when it was captured by the Bolsheviks following World War I. Yusuf and his parents later arrived in Ealing, West London, in the early 1980s, after the Islamic Revolution in Iran. From an early age, Yusuf showed great interest in music. He was influenced by the wide range of musical genres available to him in Ealing, immersing himself especially in Western classical music and Middle Eastern music. He learned the piano and violin as well as traditional instruments including the oud, setar, and tonbak. At the age of 16, Yusuf experienced a spiritual revival that made him become a "more committed Muslim". In 2003, although considering pursuing a career in law, he produced and released his first album. It quickly became an international success and launched Yusuf's professional music career. Yusuf studied music as a composition student at the prestigious Royal Academy, as well as at Salford University in north-west England.

Music career

2003–2009

In 2003, Yusuf released his debut album, Al-Muʽallim, an album that he produced, wrote, and performed. Its feature song, Al-Mu'allim, became a hit in the Middle East, North Africa, and South-East Asia, topping the charts in Egypt and Turkey for twelve consecutive weeks, selling millions of copies worldwide and reaching a diverse audience. The last track of the album, Supplication, was used in the Golden-Globe award-nominated film, The Kite Runner.

Yusuf garnered increased worldwide recognition following the release of his second album, My Ummah, in 2005. The album, using both Eastern and Western sounds, utilised wide-ranging musical instrumentation. Considered a breakthrough album, it sold over four million copies globally and was well received, particularly by young people, who identified closely with the themes of Yusuf's lyrics.

Yusuf left Awakening Records following a controversy over Without You, an album that he claimed was released without his knowledge or consent.

2010–2016

Wherever You Are, Yusuf's third official album, was released in March 2010. Rolling Stone called the album "beautifully produced". With its release, Yusuf welcomed what he termed a "new chapter" in his professional career and music.

Yusuf's fourth album, Salaam, was released in December 2012. Within four months of its launch it achieved platinum status in Southeast Asia and was the best-selling album in the Middle East and North Africa. The album includes the song "Hear Your Call," composed by Yusuf to call attention to the situation of people who are affected by natural disasters.

The Centre was released in 2014 and is a collection of 13 songs in which Yusuf hopes his listeners will find inspiration to seek their individual spiritual centres. It is a new sound that has multicultural influences, employing traditional as well as contemporary Middle Eastern, North African, and European poetry, instrumentation, and melodies.

Yusuf's sixth album, Songs of the Way, was released in January 2015. All lyrics are by the noted philosopher Seyyed Hossein Nasr and are from his books of poetry, Poems of the Way and The Pilgrimage of Life. Except for two tracks in Persian and Arabic, the songs are in English.

Barakah, Yusuf's seventh album, was released in February 2016 by Andante Records. It is the result of extensive research into the traditional music and poetry contained in the album. Yusuf said it is his musical response to the increasing chaos and noise of today's world, and his wish is that these music and lyrics offer a window onto an inner oasis of peace and harmony. The song "Mast Qalandar" from Barakah reached #1 on World Music charts on iTunes and BBC Music.

According to Yusuf, the new album aims "to respond to the growing extremism in our world with a call for a return to harmony and balance."

Following its release, Yusuf performed in the Dubai Opera in 2016 and released it as a live album.

2017–present

In 2017, Yusuf performed in New Delhi, India. 4 songs from the performance were released in 2019.

In 2018, Yusuf released his new EP, SAMi, as a side project that grew out of his desire to explore his British musical roots. The song collection, with its accessible sounds and direct lyricism, finds Yusuf's exploring the western sounds emanating from his childhood growing up in London.

SAMi has sold well and topped a number of iTunes charts since its release, and Yusuf says he is grateful and somewhat surprised that he wasn't criticised for the commercial nature of the project.

Yusuf performed in Baku, Azerbaijan, in 2019 (A Timeless Presence) with nine new songs exploring Azerbaijani culture and all instruments except for the piano being Azerbaijani.

In November 2020, Yusuf gave an online concert from his studio at home. He performed his singles "Al Faqir" and "The 99 Names", released in May 2018 and May 2020 respectively.

In late 2021, Yusuf performed at Expo 2020.

Yusuf has said that he plans to release a new album by the name of Ecstasy. While originally planned for 2019, the project was delayed to 2022.

Notable tours and concert performances

Playing in Farum Arena, Denmark, Grugahalle in Germany, and De Doelen in the Netherlands, Yusuf introduced his forthcoming album, Wherever You Are. He performed in Azerbaijan for the first time in 2006, for the second time in 2015 (14–15 March), and 22 March 2017 in Heydar Aliyev Palace in Baku, 250,000 people attended his performance in Taksim Square in Istanbul to see Yusuf perform in 2013. Yusuf has played across four continents, packing venues such as Wembley Arena in London, Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles and The Velodrome in Cape Town, South Africa. He sings in English, Arabic, Turkish, Persian, Azerbaijani, Malay and Urdu and is backed by a range of both classical and ethnic instruments. Yusuf also performed in Washington, D.C.

Yusuf performed in Dubai for the first time in December 2016. He premiered the song "Glorification", inspired by the poetry of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

Humanitarian work

Since early in his professional career, Yusuf has participated in humanitarian initiatives by performing benefit concerts, releasing charity singles, and acting on behalf of organisations to relieve suffering and poverty. In response to the 2010 Pakistan floods that wreaked havoc in the country and affected 20 million lives in the summer of 2010, he promptly released a charity single entitled "Hear Your Call", performed in English and Urdu, to raise funds for the displaced Pakistanis in a joint-effort with the UN-sponsored charity organisation Save the Children.

In 2014, he was appointed "UN Global Ambassador" for the World Food Programme.

Personal life

Sami spoke of his background as "diverse" and cited this as evidence for his "tendency to bring people together". He is a Sunni Muslim.

Sami Yusuf married in c. 2005. His wife is of German origin and had converted to Islam before she met Yusuf.

Honors and awards

In 2009, Yusuf was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters in recognition of his "extraordinary contributions to the field of music" by Roehampton University, London. Silatech appointed him as their first Global Ambassador in the same year, later joining Ahmad Al Shugairi in the same position.

Widely regarded as the highest profile Muslim musician in the UK, Yusuf has appeared each year since 2010 on the list of the "World's 500 Most Influential Muslims".

In 2014, the United Nations appointed him Global Ambassador Against Hunger, and in 2015 the UN appointed him as an "Elite Ambassador" for the UN World Interfaith Harmony Week.

In 2016, Yusuf received a Recognition Award for his contributions to promoting the message of peace and tolerance as part of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum World Peace Initiative.

In 2019, Yusuf received an honorary diploma from the First Vice-President of Azerbaijan for his contributions to promote Azerbaijani music and culture.

In the media

• "Islam's Biggest Rock Star" – Time magazine (2006)
• "Biggest Star in the Middle East" – The Guardian (2006)
• "King of Islamic Pop" – Al Jazeera (2007)
• IOL Star of 2009 (2009)
• BBC's 30 More Famous Britons (2009)

Discography

Studio albums

Live albums

Compilation albums

Singles

References

1. Edemariam, Aida (5 November 2007). "Aida Edemariam talks to singer Sami Yusuf". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 13 April 2019. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
2. "Tanweer Festival: Bodour Al Qasimi Hosts Global Talents In Mleiha Desert Celebration Of Art And Music". OneArabia. 23 November 2024. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
3. Khaleel, Zenifer (28 November 2024). "Sami Yusuf, Dhafer Youssef: Sharjah's Tanweer Festival brings the big acts to Mleiha Desert". Khaleej Times. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
4. "Bodour Al Qasimi welcomes star-studded lineup for Tanweer Festival". Emirates News Agency. 23 November 2024. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
5. "Fairwood Music – Roster". Fairwoodmusic.com. Archived from the original on 14 April 2019. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
6. "Singer Sami urges Pakistan relief". BBC News. 2 September 2010. Archived from the original on 27 October 2017. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
7. ^ "Acclaimed devotional-music singer Sami Yusuf on his latest album Barakah". 16 August 2016. Archived from the original on 14 April 2019. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
8. "Discography Archive". Sami Yusuf Official. Archived from the original on 26 August 2024. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
9. "Sami Yusuf | Album Discography". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 26 August 2024. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
10. "With UAE concert, Sami Yusuf does his bit for Syria". 17 December 2016. Archived from the original on 24 August 2017. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
11. ^ Edemariam, Aida (5 November 2007). "Aida Edemariam talks to singer Sami Yusuf". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 13 April 2019. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
12. "Singer Sami Yusuf Joins WFP As Global Ambassador Against Hunger". Archived from the original on 30 October 2017. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
13. "UN News – Singer Sami Yusuf joins roster of UN Global Ambassadors Against Hunger". UN News Service Section. 26 August 2014. Archived from the original on 15 October 2017. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
14. "Sami Yusuf joins WFP as anti-hunger amb". theiranproject.com. 27 August 2014. Archived from the original on 14 April 2019. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
15. ^ Edemariam, Aida (5 November 2007). "Aida Edemariam talks to singer Sami Yusuf". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 13 April 2019. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
16. "Сами Юсуф: "Азербайджан – моя историческая Родина"". Day.Az. 22 November 2006. Archived from the original on 25 February 2018.
17. ^ Brown, Jonathan (3 October 2007). "Holy rock star: The voice of Islam". Independent.co.uk. Archived from the original on 14 April 2019. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
18. ^ "Holy rock star: The voice of Islam". Independent.co.uk. 3 October 2007. Archived from the original on 14 April 2019. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
19. "An ambassador for peace: Sami Yusuf". Anadolu Agency. Archived from the original on 8 October 2017. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
20. ^ "Light in a dark world: Sami Yusuf". Thenational.ae. 17 December 2010. Archived from the original on 15 October 2017. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
21. ^ "Singer Sami Yusuf And WFP Join In Support For Drought-Stricken Horn Of Africa". Archived from the original on 15 October 2017. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
22. "Al Mu'allim – Sami Yusuf Official". samiyusufofficial.com. Archived from the original on 15 October 2017. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
23. "Star Yusuf hopes music helps Muslim image". Reuters. 18 August 2007. Archived from the original on 10 October 2017. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
24. ^ David Tusing (5 February 2015). "Sami Yusuf's blessed life". Archived from the original on 22 July 2017. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
25. "My Ummah". Amazon.com. 18 March 2008. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
26. "Sami Yusuf to hit the National Stadium Saturday". 27 September 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
27. "Mawazine presents Sami Yusuf and Nawal Al Zoghbi". Festival Mawazine. Archived from the original on 15 October 2017. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
28. "Boycott the Fake Album "Without You"". Sami Yusuf Official. 11 February 2009. Archived from the original on 6 December 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
29. "Sami Yusuf to perform in the Washington DC area". 30 August 2014. Archived from the original on 15 October 2017. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
30. Samia Badih (9 November 2010). "Sami Yusuf releases new album in Dubai". Archived from the original on 15 October 2017. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
31. David Tusing (5 March 2013). "Sami Yusuf launches new album 'Salaam'". Archived from the original on 6 October 2017. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
32. "Sami Yusuf hopes to draw in the ME big bucks with 'Peace'". 2 December 2012. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
33. "Sami Yusuf". Facebook.com. Archived from the original on 26 February 2022. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
34. ^ "Singer Sami Yusuf promotes new album 'Salaam' in İstanbul". Archived from the original on 3 June 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
35. "Singer Sami urges Pakistan relief". BBC News. 2 September 2010. Archived from the original on 14 April 2019. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
36. "UK singers support flood relief campaign – The Express Tribune". 4 September 2010. Archived from the original on 15 October 2017. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
37. ^ "Sami Yusuf records single for victims of Pakistan floods – News – Music Week". Musicweek.com. Archived from the original on 15 October 2017. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
38. "Gems of thousand years – Yusuf to unveil 'Barakah' – ARAB TIMES – KUWAIT NEWS". 5 December 2016. Archived from the original on 15 October 2017. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
39. "World-renowned Sami Yusuf newest album released". 5 January 2015. Archived from the original on 7 September 2017. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
40. "Gems of thousand years – Yusuf to unveil 'Barakah' – ARAB TIMES – KUWAIT NEWS". 5 December 2016. Archived from the original on 15 October 2017. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
41. ""Barakah" by Sami Yusuf on iTunes". itunes.apple.com. February 2016. Archived from the original on 20 August 2017. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
42. "Sami Yusuf to launch new album in Dubai". 4 August 2016. Archived from the original on 26 August 2024. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
43. David Tusing (20 April 2016). "Sami Yusuf teams up with Rahat Fateh Ali Khan". Archived from the original on 13 October 2017. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
44. "Rahat Fateh Ali Khan would love to collaborate with this artist – The Express Tribune". 22 July 2016. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
45. "'Mast Qalandar' #2 on the official BBC Asian Music charts! - Sami Yusuf Official". Sami Yusuf Official. 2 May 2016. Archived from the original on 15 October 2017. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
46. "'Mast Qalandar' reigns at #1 on iTunes!". Sami Yusuf Official. 11 May 2016.
47. "Sounds – Mixes". BBC. Archived from the original on 2 November 2017. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
48. "Sami Yusuf: 'Barakah' is my response to atrocities carried out in the name of Islam". 11 August 2016. Archived from the original on 15 October 2017. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
49. "Sami Yusuf takes musical ride home with new EP". gulfnews.com. 16 December 2018. Archived from the original on 14 April 2019. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
50. "Exclusive: singer Sami Yusuf announces new album for this year". The National. 14 January 2019. Archived from the original on 26 August 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
51. "Sami Yusuf: 'If one has a strong spiritual discipline, it lessens the burden'". The National. 15 January 2019. Archived from the original on 15 May 2019. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
52. All tours and concert details listed in the SYO Timeline Archived 27 June 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Samiyusufofficial.com. Retrieved on 30 July 2011.
53. "Sami Yusuf to perform in Oman". Gulfnews.com. 29 July 2013. Archived from the original on 17 August 2013. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
54. Sami Yusuf Tour and concert List Archived 3 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Samiyusufofficial.com/tour. Retrieved on 26 September 2014.
55. Sami Yusuf in DC. Archived 6 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine Samiyusufofficial.com. Retrieved on 26 September 2014.
56. "Sami Yusuf to perform in Dubai for first time". GulfNews. 26 October 2016. Archived from the original on 10 November 2016. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
57. BBC: Singer Sami Yusuf Donating Music Profits to Pakistan Archived 17 July 2018 at the Wayback Machine. 2 September 2010
58. Muslim Rock Star Helps Flood Victims Archived 30 December 2010 at the Wayback Machine. CNN video. 9 September 2010
59. "Private sector". 1.wfp.org. Archived from the original on 7 December 2018. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
60. Hasan Ali, Salma (6 February 2015). "Centered: The Music and Passion of Sami Yusuf". The Islamic Monthly. Archived from the original on 14 April 2019. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
61. ^ "International sensation Sami Yusuf". The Stream. 23 December 2011. Event occurs at 13:50, 14:15, and 15:15. Aljazeera English. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. You know, that's it. That's what I love. I love to bring people together. I'm an Iranian-born ethnic Azeri who grew up in England, married a German lady, and embraced Sunni Islam. That's a really interesting combination. . . . I'm not interested in politics, generally. I don't like politics, including Islamic politics.
62. "Sami Yusuf: A sacred trust". The National (Abu Dhabi). Archived from the original on 20 April 2021. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
63. "Honorary Degrees". University of Roehampton. Archived from the original on 15 October 2017. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
64. "Sami Yusuf – Doctor of Letters Graduation Ceremony". Vimeo. Archived from the original on 18 October 2016. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
65. "Silatech | Yong People.. Enterprise.. Employment." Silatech. Archived from the original on 12 October 2010.
66. "40 Out of 500 Influential Muslims in the World Are American". 26 June 2013. Archived from the original on 15 October 2017. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
67. "Yusuf, Sami – The Muslim 500". themuslim500.com. Archived from the original on 10 November 2017. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
68. "Singer Sami Yusuf Joins WFP As Global Ambassador Against Hunger". Archived from the original on 30 October 2017. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
69. "Singer @SamiYusuf joins @WFP as a Global Ambassador -- against #hunger". Twitter.com. 26 August 2014. Archived from the original on 9 July 2020. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
70. Noorhan Barakat (23 February 2016). "Four Poets of Peace honoured in Dubai". Archived from the original on 7 July 2017. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
71. "Azerbaijan's First VP presents honorary President of Azerbaijan diploma to famous singer, composer Sami Yusuf (PHOTO)". Trend.Az. 2 October 2019. Archived from the original on 19 October 2019. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
72. "First VP Mehriban Aliyeva presents Sami Yusuf honorary diploma [PHOTO]". AzerNews.az. 2 October 2019. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
73. "First VP Mehriban Aliyeva presents honorary President of Azerbaijan diploma to famous singer Sami Yusuf". news.az. Archived from the original on 19 October 2019. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
74. ONA.az. "Mehriban Aliyeva presented Sami Yusuf honorary diploma of President of Azerbaijan". ONA (in Azerbaijani). Archived from the original on 19 October 2019. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
75. "First Vice-president Mehriban Aliyeva presents an Honorary Diploma of the Azerbaijani President to renowned singer and composer Sami Yusuf". mehriban-aliyeva.az. Archived from the original on 19 October 2019. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
76. The biggest star in the Middle East is a Brit Archived 14 April 2019 at the Wayback Machine. The Guardian. 27 April 2006
77. Riz Khan (2 October 2007). "Sami Yusuf: King of Islamic Pop". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 19 February 2017. Retrieved 18 February 2017.
78. Riz Khan – Sami Yusuf: King of Islamic Pop – 1 Oct 07. YouTube
79. IOL Archived 11 August 2010 at the Wayback Machine. Islamonline.net (20 January 2010). Retrieved on 2011-07-30.
80. 30 more famous Britons you've probably never heard of Archived 8 August 2022 at the Wayback Machine. BBC. 10 August 2009

External links

• Sami Yusuf's Official Website
• Sami Yusuf on Facebook
• Sami Yusuf on Instagram

• 1980 births
• Living people
• Alumni of the Royal Academy of Music
• Alumni of the University of Salford
• Musicians from the London Borough of Ealing
• People from Ealing
• Musicians from Tehran
• Singers from Tehran
• British male singers
• Urdu-language singers
• English Sunni Muslims
• Iranian Sunni Muslims
• Rotana Records artists
• Awakening Music artists
• Arabic-language singers of Iran
• Arabic-language singers from the United Kingdom
• Persian-language singers of Iran
• Turkish-language singers of Iran
• Persian-language singers from the United Kingdom
• Turkish-language singers from the United Kingdom
• 21st-century male singers
• World Food Programme people
• Performers of Islamic music
• Iranian emigrants to England
• 21st-century British singers
• Azerbaijani-language singers of Iran
• Azerbaijani-language singers of the United Kingdom
• Universal Music Group artists
• British male singer-songwriters
• English people of Iranian descent
• 21st-century British male singers
• Ambassadors of supra-national bodies
• English people of Azerbaijani descent
• Iranian people of Azerbaijani descent
• Iranian emigrants to the United Kingdom
• Converts to Sunni Islam from Shia Islam
• Singers from the London Borough of Ealing