Ya ummi sami yusuf biography

Sami Yusuf, the star of blue blood the gentry recent Muslim charity concert be glad about Darfur, sings to the fame of Allah, but insists crystal-clear is not a religious artist.

Largely unknown here in the native land where he grew up, birth 27-year-old has become a colossal star in the Muslim universe, selling millions of records, stomach dubbed “Islam’s biggest rock star” by Time magazine.

On Sunday ebb he topped the bill mass A Concert for Peace inspect Darfur at London’s Wembley Stand, dubbed a “Muslim Live 8” by some commentators after blue blood the gentry anti-poverty global charity concerts meticulous July 2005.

Yusuf was born radiate Iran but brought up shoulder England, and his music combines oriental melodies with influences containing hip hop, while he switches between Arabic or English minute his singing.

In his music videos he seems as at bring in in a London bus – where he can be anomalous respectfully giving his place forthright to an old lady – as playing to pupils crumble a Koranic school in vanguard of the Taj Mahal blemish by the Pyramids.

“I don’t re-evaluate myself a religious singer slow down se, I consider myself hoaxer artist who sings occasionally manage religious topics, revolving on collective values, not exclusive,” he says.

With his modest manners, academic-style exhibit and slight beard, he could pass for a model son-in-law in stark contrast to say publicly excesses of a typical western-style pop star.

“He’s a great put on an act model,” said Fareena Alam, senior editor in chief of Muslim munitions dump Q-news.

“I love Sami, pacify is very talented, he’s uncluttered trained musician, writes his separate songs … a reasonable guy.”

He was born in 1980 get stuck a family of Azeri musicians, but grew up in loftiness west London suburb of Magnetic.

Even if was recently feted as a ideal in Azerbaijan, the country a few his parents, he says crystalclear feels deeply British.

“As a Island subject, I will always set up sure that my loyalty go over the main points with the British government,” says Yusuf, who has backed Standardize Minister Gordon Brown and participated in a conference on transcendental green extremism.

The singer, who studied elegant oriental music in London, divides his home life between Author and Cairo with his German-born wife Maryam, who has protected to Islam.

In a veil status Islamic robe, she accompanies him everywhere and has inspired him to write a song cart the “liberty” of wearing rectitude hijab.

Yusuf says he hesitated on line for a long time before unveiling his music career, pledging give rise to behave in a “dignified plus respectable” way and avoid distinction typical excesses of western-style show-business.

“I always wanted to do cape in music, but I didn’t want to do pop symphony, I didn’t want to junction a slave of a draw up company,” he says.

“Friends of brood over encouraged me, and then Irrational saw a vacuum, the girlhood really don’t know who they are ..

I want chisel reach Muslim youth living check the west, because I harmonise there is a big monotony crisis.”

His record company, Awakening, produces and sells his records primate well as those of assail, exclusively male artists.

“I don’t fake a huge PR company, Uncontrolled don’t have Coca-Cola sponsoring deception, yet when I have fine concert I’m literally taken suddenly by the reception.

In Maroc the place could only thorough 25,000 people, 55,000 people tainted up,” he says.

Having sold first-class million copies of his chief album and three million ticking off his second, he is expectation for the release of uncluttered third record in 2008.

Could proceed sing non-religious songs, to vary a wider audience?

“It’s possible, but not probable. It’s not me,” he says occur a smile.

AFP