Hamza Namira

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Hamza Namira
حمزة نمرة
Namira performing at a concert in 2010
Namira performing at a concert in 2010
Background information
Birth nameHamza Namira
Born1980 (age 43–44)[1][2]
Diriyah, Saudi Arabia[3][1]
OriginEgypt
Genres
  • Egyptian music
  • pop
  • Revolution music
Occupation(s)
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • Oud
Years active1999–present
Labels
  • Awakening
  • Namira Productions
Websitehamzanamira.net

Hamza Namira (

studio album.[4]

Hamza's work is mostly marked by a recurring sociopolitical theme, diverting from

chart for almost a month.[7]

Career

Beginnings

Namira started to develop an interest in music when he was 17 years old, when he set about learning the guitar, keyboard, and ‘oud. He also vested interests in several musical styles: Middle Eastern,

Latin music. From 1999 until 2004, Namira played in a band headed by the Alexandrian artist Nabil Bakly. Although a relatively unknown musician, Namira later said that Bakly was his main musical influence. He then went on to form his own group. Namira composed his first songs and managed to get a few like-minded friends together to establish the band "Nomaira".[6] In the meantime, he studied commerce at the Alexandria University and graduated in 2003.[8]

In light of Namira's debut album, which had a main

college students,[6] one commentator described him as the "new Sayed Darwish", a cover of whose song, Shedd El Hizam, was released in the album.[9]

Breakthrough success

Namira's second album, Insan [Human] was released in July 2011.

Arab spring, which he declared was a main factor in his popularity. According to him, he wants to express the real issues of his generation that mainstream works don't cover due to concerns of musical market needs and pressure from production companies.[11]

When British Prime Minister David Cameron visited Egypt on 21 February 2011 (only ten days after President Hosni Mubarak left office), Namira was one of a select group of people invited to meet with him and to participate in a one-hour discussion about the future of Egypt.[7]

Namira's fixation on sociopolitical issues continued along the timeline of the Egyptian part of the Arab Spring. In January 2014, he released a single, Wa Ollak Eh, in which he emphasized on rejecting violence, hatred, and the general polarized environment following the

Rabia massacre.[12]

Remix series

In 2016, Namira launched his own weekly TV series Remix (

.

With a running time of around 20–30 minutes, each episode would examine the historical origin and evolution of a work of

Arabic: يا ولد عمي, lit.'O, cousin').[14] At the end of each episode, Hamza would publicly perform a remix of the work, usually outside its place of origin or popularity. A number of songs were performed in London, which is both the headquarter of Al Araby and Hamza's place of residence.[13] Works of Remix were mostly collaborative, featuring Lowkey, Babylone, Isam Bachiri, Hamid Al Shaeri
, among others.

Discography

Albums

Studio albums

[15][16][17]
Year Title Label Track list
2008 Ehlam Maaya (Dream With Me)
Awakening Records
  1. Morgiha – A Swing
  2. Ehlam Ma'aya – Dream With Me
  3. Konna Wehna Soghar – When We Were Young
  4. Fattah Shababeek 'Eeeneik – Spread out Your Eyes
  5. Shedd El Hizam – Tighten Up Your Belt
  6. Ya Tair – O' Bird
  7. Wana Fi Tareeqy – While On My Way
  8. Al Taghreeba – Alienation
  9. Ya Rabb – O' Lord
  10. Ehlam Ma'aya (Acoustic Version) – Dream With Me
2011 Insan (A Human)
Awakening Records
  1. Insan – A Human
  2. El-Midan – The Square
  3. Hansa – I'll Forget
  4. Taghreeba II – Alienation 2
  5. Ya Muhawwin – O' Consoler
  6. Ewidooni – Promise Me
  7. Ibn El-Watan – Compatriot
  8. Balady Ya Balady – Homeland, O' Homeland
  9. Ya Hanah! – Lucky him!
  10. Doori – Roll on
  11. Haser Hesarak – Besiege Your Siege
  12. Ala Bab Allah – By Allah's Door
  13. Wushoosh – Faces
  14. Sout – A Voice
  15. Hila Hila Ya Matar – Come Down O' Rain!
  16. Esmy Masr – My Name's Egypt
2014 Esmaani (Listen Up)
Awakening Records
  1. Esmaani – Listen Up!
  2. Sabah El-Kheer – Good Morning
  3. Ya Lala
  4. Ay Kalam – Empty Words
  5. Dalmet kda leeh – Why The Darkness?
  6. El-Atr – The Train
  7. Tesmahy- Would You?
  8. Ya Sidi – My Master
  9. La Tabki – Don't Cry
  10. Kollo Beya'addi – It All Pass
  11. Ya Mazloum – O' Oppressed One
  12. Ma'Assalama – Farewell (Alienation 3)
2018 Hateer Min Tany (I'll Fly Again) Namira
  1. Dari Ya Alby – Dissemble, My Heart
  2. Sheekayyo
  3. Hateer Min Tany – I'll fly again
  4. Wala Sohba Ahla – Not a Better Company
  5. Bos Bos – Look, Look!
  6. Zahra
  7. El Wad El Abeet – The Naive Boy
  8. Dari Ya Alby (acoustic)
  9. Madadd – Help!
  10. Shuwayyet Habayeb – Some Dears
2020 Mawlood Sanat 80 (Born in the Year 80) Namira
  1. Mawlood Sanat 80 – Born in the Year 80
  2. El Waqaa El Akheera – The Last Fall
  3. Esta'eezo – Seek refuge
  4. El Saa'a 6 Sabahan – 6 in the Morning
  5. Faady Shuwayya – A Bit Idle
  6. Mesh Mohem – Doesn't Matter
  7. Yaaba – Buddy
  8. Ahkeelak Khofy – Tell You About My Fear
  9. Ma'lesh – Sorry
  10. El Essa W Elli Kaan – The Story and How it Went
  11. Ghenwa Leek Min Alby – A Song From The Heart To You
  12. Feeh Naas – There's People

Remix

[18][19][20]
Season (Year) Release Date Track English Translation Collaborator(s) Fused genre Original Work
Season 1 (2016) 15 April Inas Inas (4:56) Tell him, Tell him Reminisce Reggae Band Reggae
Amazighi
folklore)
21 April Wa Sari Sara El Leil/Wein a Ramallah (5:46/1:20) Oh, the Night Went By/Where? To Ramallah Tarek an Nasser [ar] and Rum band Arabic pop Jordanian/Palestinian folklore/Salwa Al-Aas [ar]
28 April Ya Zareef Al Tool (5:05) O' Statuesque 47Soul Shamstep
Palestinian folklore (Dabke
)
5 May Ya Oud Al Rouman (3:41) O' Trunk of Pomegranate Baraka
African music
Fata Najran [ar] (Saudi folklore)
12 May Ya Nes Jaratli Gharaeeb (5:50) Wonders Befell Me, O' People! Zap Tharwat [ar], Omar Sammur, and Ben Eaton
hip-hop music
Hamdi Benani (Tunisian/Algerian Ma'luf)
19 May Mal Almagadir (4:29) What's With the Goings? Nour Project smooth jazz Ahmed Munib [ar]; Katkot Elamir [arz] (Nubian folklore; Egyptian Shaabi)
26 May Manich Mena (4:25) I Don't Belong Here AlQoura
funk music
Algerian/Moroccan folklore; Reggada
2 June
Raggle Taggle Gypsy
(4:23)
Farewell O' Salama Wraggle Taggle Band
Irish music
Sayed Darwish (Egyptian Zajal)
7 July Wain Ayamak Wain (2:44) Long Since Your Time Hamid Al Shaeri electro music (Libyan folklore)
14 July Ya Bahr El Toufan (4:13) O' Floody Sea Valkania
Balkan Music
Algerian Chaabi
)
21 July Jaljal Alayya Al Romman [ar] (4:47) Pomegranate Enshadows Me Ian Burdge, Chris Worsey, and Simon Hale Classical music Iraqi folklore
28 July Yawman Toatebna (4:05) We Once Gave Reproof Ramon Ruiz and Manuel de la Niña Flamenco Port-Saidi folklore (Simsimiyya)
Season 2 (2018) 28 September Khlili (3:45) My Beloved Génération Taragalte Tuareg music Lemchaheb [fr; ar] (Berber music)
5 October Yamma Mwel El Hawa (3:04) What's with the Longing, Mother? Frankly Jazz
Jazz music
Palestinian folklore
12 October Dar Ya Dar (4:17) Home, Oh Home Eftekasat
World fusion
Wadih El Safi(Lebanon)
26 October Siniya (3:23) Dining Table
Autostrad
Alternative rock Nass El Ghiwane (Moroccan chaabi & folklore)
2 November Ya Tair Ya Tayer (3:28) O' Soaring Bird Balkanatics Balkan music Ismail Khidr [ar]; Jamil AlAas [ar] (Jordanian folklore)
9 November Gmar El Ghorba (4:11) Moon of Alienation Artmasta Reggaeton Walid Tounsi (Tunisian chaabi)
16 November Ayoub wu Na'saa (4:56) Ayoub and Na'saa Aytac Dogan [tr] World music Khadra Mohamed Khidr [ar] (Egyptian folklore)
23 November Ya Yomma Fe Dag 'Aa Babna (3:44) The Door's Knocking, Mother Smith & Sons Bluegrass music Abu Arab [simple; ar] (Palestinian folklore)
30 November Tunisian
Hadrah (Al Burdah
) (3:34)
The Mantle Emre Moğulkoç Sufi music
Sufi Nasheed
7 December Ya Zare'e El Bazringosh (3:31) O' Cultivator of Bazringosh Declan Zapala Classical music Iraqi folklore
14 December 'Aytat L'ammala (3:35) The Prefectural Lament Habib Belk Gnawa music Moroccan Aita
21 December Nazani (3:03) Graceful Dante Ferrara Classical music Նազանի by
Armenian folklore
)
29 December Erdi 'Alina Ya Lmeema (3:43) Be Pleased With Us, Mother 8-Ball band Indie rock Salah Farzit (Tunisian chaabi)

Extended plays

Year Title Track list
2015 El Mesaharaty (Suhur waker)
  1. Zeina
  2. Zahma – Jam
  3. Ghorba – Alienation
  4. Kora – Football
  5. Helal – Crescent
  6. Manish Darwish – I'm no Dervish
  7. Wasfa – Recipe
  8. Iblees – Lucifer
  9. Nabina – Our Prophet
  10. Taraweeh – Tarawih
  11. El Omm – Mother
  12. Napoleon
  13. Khatma – A Complete Recitation
  14. Intizar – Waiting
  15. Istighfar
  16. Akher 10 Ayam – The Last 10 Days
  17. Daqqet Tabla – Beat of Drums
  18. Leilet AlQadr – Qadr Night
  19. Akher Leila – The Last Night

Singles

Year Release Date Title
2009 22 December Asforein – Two Birds
2011 21 October Lessa El'adl Gheyab – Justice Still Lacking (live)
2012 26 July Betheb Haga – You Love Something (Soundtrack of Sehr El Dunia [ar] by Mustafa Hosny [ar])
2012 1 August Kun 'Awna – Be of Help (Soundtrack of Khawatir [ar] by Ahmad Al Shugairi)
2013 14 June Soundtrack of Bekhtesar (In short) TV show by Moataz Abdelfatah [ar]
2014 21 January Wa Ollak Eh – What to Tell You
2019 8 February Hekayet Tefl – A kid's story
2020 15 October Ft. in Emlaq (Giant) with Hassan El Shafei

Videography

Year Title
2008
  • Dream with Me (Ehlam Ma'aya)
2009
  • Two Birds (Asforeen)
2010
  • O Israel (Ya Israeel)
  • I'm the Egyptian (Ana El-Masri)
2011
  • Human (Insan)
  • Hila Hila ya Matar (Come Down O' Rain)
  • Mawaweel
2013
  • The Square (El-Midan, in
    Arabic
    الميدان)
2014
  • What to Tell You (Wa Ollak Eih, in
    Arabic
    وقلّك إيه)
2018
  • Dary ya Alby
2019
  • Hekayet Tefl (meaning a kid's story, in
    Arabic
    حكاية طفل)
2020
  • Mawlood sanat 80 (in
    Arabic
    مولود سنة 80)
2020
  • Esta3izo (in
    Arabic
    استعيذوا)

Political views

Hamza has openly opposed the

In November 2014, Namira's songs were banned from Egyptian state radio for "criticising the authorities".

Egyptian constitution, and that he doesn't identify as an activist, nor a politician.[11]

In an interview with

Egyptian Military in the Sinai insurgency and expressed condolences for Ahmed Mansi, an Egyptian colonel killed during a terrorist attack.[23]

He finally returned to settle and resume concerts in Egypt in September 2022 after spending years in exile.[24]

Philanthropy

Namira joined a two-day UK tour organized by

Human Appeal International to fundraise for medical equipment and provide training for more than 10,000 medical practitioners in Egypt.[25][26] He performed in Vienna, Austria in October 2014 in an event organized by Humanic Relief.[27]

In 2019, Namira released Hekayet Tefl in collaboration with

refugees of the Syrian Civil War in Jordan.[21] The campaign raised around £E90,000.[28]

References

  1. ^
    Alarabiya.net
    . Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  2. ^ Abdelrazek, Alaa (21 December 2020). "تصدر موقع يوتيوب بمصر.. حمزة نمرة صوت الثورة يعود بـ"مولود سنة 80"" [Topping Youtube Egypt .. Hamza Namira, Voice of the Revolution, Returns with "Born in the Year 80"]. Al Jazeera.
  3. ^ @HamzaNamira (6 March 2022). "Though I was born in Diriyah (not Abha, as Wikipedia says with lots of the usual inaccuracies), I lived for a long while and went to school in Riyadh. This was the house I lived at" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  4. ^ أيمن [Ayman], كرمة [Karma]. ""فلكزيون" مع حمزة نمرة: برضه مكملين [Follkzion with Hamza Namira: we are still going on]". Masr al-Arabiya. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  5. ^ "Egyptian singer Hamza Namira to make London debut". Arab News. 22 December 2016. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  6. ^ a b c Foley, Sean (10 April 2012). "The Artist of the Revolution: Hamza Namira, the Arab Spring, and the Dream of a Free Egypt". Middle East Institute. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  7. ^
    Vulture
    . Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  8. ^ @HamzaNamira (16 March 2019). "أنا خريج تجارة إنجليزي جامعة اسكندرية دفعة ٢٠٠٣ واشتغلت فترة في إدارة المشروعات.. كانت أيام صعبة" (Tweet) (in Arabic) – via Twitter.
  9. ^ "Hamza Namira's "Dream With Me" restores Sayed Darwish". Al-Mustaqbal. 4 July 2009. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  10. ^ Abou Arab, Bassem (1 August 2011). "Hamza Namira: Insan". Cairo360. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  11. ^ a b c "Exclusive interview with Hamza Namira: 'I'm not a politician or activist'". The New Arab. 9 February 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  12. ^ "البرادعي يغني على تويتر "امتى نفوق؟" ويرفض "الحرث بالبحر" [ElBaradei Sings "When shall we wake up?" on Twitter and Rejects Pounding Sand]. CNN Arabic (in Arabic). 23 January 2014. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  13. ^ a b c Lavent, Tine (10 November 2016). "Hamza Namira is Back". Egyptian Streets.
  14. Al Araby
    .
  15. ^ "Hamza Namira". Apple Music. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  16. ^ "Hamza Namira". Deezer. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  17. ^ "Discography". Hamza Namira. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  18. ^ ريميكس مع حمزة نمرة - تلفزيون العربي | الحلقات الكاملة [Remix with Hamza Namira - Al Araby TV | Full Episodes] (Television production) (in Arabic). Al Araby.
  19. ^ ريمكس مع حمزة نمرة | الموسم الثاني | الحلقات كاملة [Remix with Hamza Namira | Season 2 | Full Episodes] (Television production) (in Arabic). Al Araby.
  20. ^ ريمكس مع حمزة نمرة | الموسم 3 | الحلقات كاملة [Remix with Hamza Namira | Season 3 | Full Episodes] (Television production) (in Arabic). Al Araby.
  21. ^ a b "حمزة نمرة يهدي اللاجئين السوريين أحلام "حكاية طفل"" [Hamza Namira Dedicates the Dreams of "A Kid's Story" to Syrian Refugees]. Arab48. 22 February 2019.
  22. ^ "Egypt radio bans popular singer Hamza Namira for 'critical' songs". BBC News. 19 November 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  23. ^ "حمزة نمرة يحرق قلوب الإخوان.. الجماعة تهاجم المطرب بعد حواره مع تليفزيون اليوم السابع" [Hamza Namira Burns Muslim Brotherhood's Ears ... The Society Attacks the Singer after his Interview with Youm7 TV]. youm7 (in Arabic). 23 December 2020. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  24. ^ Kijamii. "Hamza Namira Is Back In The Music Scene And Holds A Concert This Weekend | NileFM | EGYPT'S#1 FOR HIT MUSIC". nilefm.com. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  25. Ahram Online
    . Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  26. Ahram Online
    . 10 January 2013. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  27. ^ "Opferfest-Veranstaltung". Archived from the original on 13 October 2014. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
  28. Facebook Ads
    . 7 February 2019.

External links