Sami Yusuf | |
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Background information | |
Born | Tehran, Iran[1] | 21 July 1980
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Years active | 2003–present |
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Website | Official website |
Sami Yusuf (born 21 July 1980) is a British singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and composer of Azerbaijani decent.[3] He gained international attention with the release of his debut album, Al-Muʽallim, in 2003.[4] 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.[5][6] He has sold over 34 million albums as of 2016.[7]
Besides English, Yusuf has performed in Arabic, Kurdish, Azerbaijani, Persian, Turkish, Punjabi, as well as, 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.[8] In recognition of his philanthropy, in 2014, Yusuf was appointed United Nations Global Ambassador for the World Food Programme.[9][10][11]