Sami Yusuf

Sami Yusuf

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Sami Yusuf

Sami Yusuf performing in Scotland, 2006
Background information
Born July 1980 (age 29)
Origin baku, Azerbayjan
Genres Islamic Pop, Nasheed
Occupations Singer-songwriter, Musician, Composer
Instruments Vocals, Piano, Violin, Percussion
Years active 2003-present
Labels Awakening Records2002-2008 ETM International 2009-present
Associated acts Outlandish, Mesut Kurtis
Website SamiYusufOfficial.com

Sami Yusuf (born July 1980) is a British Muslim singer-songwriter. Yusuf's music is comprised mostly of songs relating to Islam and being a Muslim in today's world.[2] He also deals with many social and humanitarian issues in his music. Presently, he is fast becoming a very popular figure in the Islamic world, having made videos for several of his tracks;[3] according to The Guardian, he "is perhaps the most famous British Muslim in the world". In 2006, Time Magazine called him "Islam's biggest rock star"

Biography

Sami Yusuf is a British composer, singer and accomplished musician. He was born in July 1980 into a musical family of Azeri origin, learning to play several instruments at a very young age and demonstrating a keen interest in singing and composing. He studied music at several institutions and with renowned composers and musicians, including composers from the Royal Academy of Music in London, one of the world most prestigious music institutions. In addition to his education in Western harmonics and composition, Sami has a solid understanding of the Middle Eastern modes (or Maqams), and is thoroughly acquainted and familiar with both Eastern and Western musical traditions.

Since 2003, Sami’s debut album 'al-Mu'allim' and his second album 'My Ummah' have sold over five million copies worldwide (with a third album nearing completion). His YouTube videos have been played over 10 million times and his websites have been accessed by his many millions of ardent supporters. His concerts have attracted huge audiences across the Middle East, Europe and the United States, including a staggering 250,000 attendance in Istanbul. Sami has been featured by Time Magazine and has appeared on the covers of dozens of other mainstream publications around the world.

Sami is devoutly spiritual and often uses his art and music as a means of promoting the messages of love, mercy, peace and tolerance, whilst encouraging the youth to be proud of their identity.
[edit] Career

Sami has been featured by Time Magazine as "Islam's biggest rock star" and has appeared on the covers of dozens of other mainstream publications around the world[citation needed]. Sami is devoutly spiritual and often uses his art and music as a means of promoting the messages of love, mercy, peace and tolerance, whilst encouraging the youth to be proud of their identity.[citation needed] Sami Yusuf’s songs have revolutionalized the nasheed industry and have given birth to a new genre of modern Islamic music.[6] His latest song You Came To Me has been released as an immense hit all over the world. It has had more than 550,000 views on Youtube.
[edit] 2003-2009: First albums with awakening

Sami's first album Al-Mu'allim was self-produced and released in July 2003 and attained huge success. His second album, My Ummah, which was released in 2005, comes in two versions, a musical version and one with just percussion. He creates many of his songs in different languages mainly in English, Arabic, Persian, Turkish and Urdu. He has held concerts all around the world, and is albums were mainly popular among young Muslims, in particular Turkey, where his concert gathered up to 250,000 people, at Istanbul in 2007.
[edit] Disputed third album and departure from awakening

A third album, Without You, was planned for release during mid-2008 but was delayed due to a contractual dispute. An album by that name was then launched by Awakening Records in January 2009. Sami Yusuf subsequently stated on his official website that this album was released without his knowledge or consent, and is a compilation of demos and sketches with a quality inferior to his normally high standards. He has called for fans to boycott it.[ However as of April 2009 Awakening Records continues to feature the album prominently on the Sami Yusuf part of its website, saying that the album is "a complete and high quality album" consisting of "11 professionally recorded tracks". Awakening says it has already made "substantial" payments to Yusuf for his third album, which has been advertised on its website since May 2008.[9] Yusuf had previously released two albums with Awakening, and signed for a total of five. Asked whether Awakening had paid him in full in July 2009, Yusuf indicated they had not.
[edit] 2009 - present: ETM International

Following the dispute with awakening Sami moved to the ETM International record company.[citation needed]
[edit] Charity work

Sami is known for his charity work, which he takes out of his own time to help the needy all around the world. In October 2007, Sami travelled to Sudan and visited a Sudanese orphanage as part of support mission to raise awareness for sick children and AIDS victims in the region. Sami urged prayers for peace, recovery and donations through the Muslims to contact their local charities. This was after performing at Wembley Stadium where all profits went to Islamic Relief to help the crisis in Darfur. During his South Africa tour in October 2008, Sami took the time to visit and help cheer up the children at the The Agape Children’s Orphanage. He travelled to Turkey in January 2009, where he was invited by HE Emine Erdoğan, wife of the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, to attend a rally in support of peace in Gaza.[1 In February of that year, Yusuf took part in a Telethon to raise money for the victims of Gaza. The telethon took place in Doha, Qatar on 31 January 2009 in conjunction with The Al Fakhoora Campaign to raise money for the bereaved and destitute of Gaza. Till date over $100 million has been raised.