Sami yusuf biography muslim religion
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In January 2015, Sami Yusuf's sixth official album "Songs of the Way" is slated to be released.
An ethnic Azerbaijani[1][2] born in Tehran, Iran, Yusuf was raised in London from the age of three.[7] In one of his interviews Sami Yusuf said: Azerbaijan – my historical Motherland.
Sami learned to play several musical instruments including the piano, violin, tar, tombak, santour, daf, tabla and oud, to count a few, at a very young age. The fast-selling album achieved a worldwide success with Platinum sales in South East Asia; the album went Gold in less than 24 hours of its release.
The highly anticipated album, Salaam, was among the best-selling albums in the Middle East and North Africa.
The album not only sold well over 7 million copies but also earned him a massive following in the Middle East, North African nations and South-East Asia.
Charmed by his good looks and manners so heart warming, the young amongst his fans would emulate what they saw in Sami – a leader. Despite the newness in sound, the message of the album is perennial.
His Live8 concert in Wembley Arena raised millions of pounds for the victims of the conflict-laden region of Darfur – an effort recognised and praised by the British government. In June 2013 it was announced through the media that Sami Yusuf had signed an exclusive worldwide publishing deal with independent music publishers Fairwood Music (UK) Ltd.
From Southeast-Asia to North-America, Salaam witnessed an astounding reception in Malaysia, Qatar, Turkey, Canada and London not to mention the successful shows and performances across the world. Manifested both musically and philosophically in his third album, Wherever You Are selling well over 4 million copies, Spiritique is a product of Sami’s identity.
My parents are Azerbaijanis, and grandparents were originally fromBaku.[8] His[9][10] father loaned him a book on the basics of the Tombak [Persian instrument] which Yusuf studied.[11] As a teenager he was a devotee of classical music and classical icons like Chopin and Mozart, admitting that he listened to Classic FM radio station for hours in a day.[12] He went on training professionally in several other instruments including the santoor, piano, violin, oud, setar, tar, and daf under the guidance of traditional teachers, as well as professional musicians.[citation needed] While producing and demo-recording for another singer, he became aware of his own singing abilities which were further developed by the encouragement of his family.
His shows are grand and highly personalized. To stop, release the enter key.
Sami Yusuf is a British singer-songwriter, composer, producer and an accomplished musician. Perhaps the first of its kind, ‘The Centre‘ is bound to capture the hearts of those seeking the timeless truths and values of unity, compassion and faithfulness in a more beautiful language.
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FROM WIKIPEDIA
Sami Yusuf (Persian: ﺳﺎﻣﯽ ﯾﻮﺳﻒ, Azerbaijani: Sami Yusif; born 29 July 1980) is a British singer-songwriter, composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist musician of Azerbaijani descent.[1][2][3]
In 2003 Yusuf released his first album "Al-Mu`allim" at the age of 23.[4] He released his second album "My Ummah" in 2005.[5]In October 2010, Yusuf’s third official album "Wherever You Are" was launched.
His success was soon acknowledged by the University of Roehampton in south-west London, as a result of which, Sami became the first and the youngest Muslim recipient of the honorary Doctor of Letters award in recognition of his extraordinary contribution to music. In attainment of this prestigious award, he not only stands alongside Mark Twain, J.K Rowling and Robert Frost but is also one of the only three musicians in the world to be ever honored thus.
His music not only filled the airwaves of London and LA but also penetrated effectively in the conservative Arabian Peninsula.
The album includes the song ‘Hear Your Call,’ composed by Yusuf, especially for people affected by natural calamities.
‘The Centre’ was released in 2014 and is a collection of 13 songs. The journal Transnational Broadcasting Studies analyzed the main causes of his success by attributing it to Yusuf’s ability to blend "a religious worldview with a mainstream form of entertainment, and in doing so, [communicating] a personable, accessible expression of the Islamic faith that is in harmony with the modern world and incorporated into the mundane activities of daily life.
He has been relentless in assuming his responsibilities as the first global ambassador of Silatech – a Qatar-based initiative promoting entrepreneurial skills and open access to capital and markets for large-scale job creation in the MENA region. With downloads of over a billion, Sami Yusuf has released nine studio albums to date, has over 45 million albums sold, and has 20 million followers across his social media platforms.
An ambitious undertaking it may be to some. Yusuf released his debut album Al-Muʽallim in 2003. Sami calls his genre of music "Spiritique"."Salaam" is his fourth album, that was released in 22 December 2012. Composed, arranged, produced and almost entirely self-performed by Sami, his new songs are rousing, the melodies catchy and deeply moving and all captivate with the inherent power of spirituality.
Tied together by a journey of spiritual discovery, they are rich in multicultural influences, having drawn from traditional as well as contemporary Middle Eastern, North African, and European poetry, instrumentation, and melodies.
The song ‘Mast Qalandar’ from Barakah remained #1 on World Music charts on iTunes and BBC Music.
Personal Life
Sami Yusuf’s spouse is Mariam Yusuf.
Achievements
- Youngest recipient of the Honorary Doctor of Letters Award for “invaluable contribution to the field of music”.
- 34 million albums sold to date – eight studio albums released.
- One of Britain’s biggest exports of the past decade.
- Performs to sold-out venues throughout Europe, the Middle East, North America, and North Africa.
For him, his position as an artist is a sacred trust, a trust best honored in serving humanity.