Mohammed Assaf
Mohammed Assaf | |
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محمد عساف | |
Born | Mohammad Jaber Abdul Rahman Assaf محمد جبر عبدالرحمن عساف 1 September 1989 Misrata, Libya |
Nationality | Palestinian |
Occupation |
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Years active | 2008–present |
Known for | Winner of the Arab Idol |
Spouse |
Reem Ouda (m. 2020) |
Musical career | |
Genres | |
Instrument(s) |
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Labels |
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Website | mohammedassaf442.com[dead link] |
Mohammad Jaber Abdul Rahman Assaf (
Life
Assaf was born in
Two of Assaf's siblings have also been involved in performing live music. Their mother stated that Assaf began singing at the age of five and "had a voice of someone who was much, much older."
Arab Idol
Mohammad Assaf travelled from Gaza Strip to Egypt to audition for Arab Idol. It took him two days to reach Egypt by car due to complications on the border. At the beginning, he had to convince the Egyptian security at the border crossing, where he was stuck for two days, to leave Gaza. Once he reached the hotel where the auditions were taking place, the doors were closed in which they did not accept anymore auditions so he jumped over the wall. After he jumped over the wall, he couldn't get a number to audition; he sat hopelessly in the hall where other contestants were waiting for their turn. He started singing to the contestants,[8] and a Palestinian contestant, Ramadan Abu Nahel,[9] who was waiting to audition heard him and gave him his number saying, "I know I won't reach the finals but you will."[8]
He was given the nickname Asaroukh ("The Rocket") by Lebanese singer and Arab Idol judge
Performances in Arab Idol
- Performances during the auditions
- Casting (Cairo): "Safini Mara" by Abdel Halim Hafez
- Casting Beirut (Group audition) : "Ana Elli Alayki Mishtaq" by Joseph Sakr
- Casting Beirut:" Ala Babi Waef Amarin" by Melhem Barakat
- Performances during the primes
- Top 27: Ya Sghiri – Melhem Zein
- 1st Prime: Aala Hisb Oudad – Abdel Halim Hafez
- 2nd Prime: Ya Reit – Ragheb Alama
- 3rd Prime: Gatalouni Oyoun Essoud – Wadih El Safi
- 4th Prime: El Zina Labsat Khalkhalaha – Samir Yazbek
- 5th Prime: Aanabi – Karem Mahmoud
- 6th Prime: Wa Baad Kentom – Mohammed Abdu
- 7th Prime: Sawt El Heda – Assi El Helani
- 8th Prime: Kol Da Kan Leih – Saber Rebaï
- Final: Ya Ain Ala Saber – Wadih El Safi and Lena Allah – Mohammed Abdu and "Aali El Kuffiyeh" – Mohammed Assaf*
International attention
Assaf has gained widespread popularity throughout the
The buzz Assaf created has reached the
Post his widely expected win, Al Jazeera English interviewed him in Doha, Qatar, during his tour,[19] and dedicated an entire episode of the programme Inside Story detailing Assaf's journey through Arab Idol. He was described as "the wedding singer from Gaza who was brought up in a refugee camp, to become an international star and a Palestinian hero."[20]
In May 2023, his 2015 Track 'Ana Dammi Falastini' (My Blood is Palestinian), was removed from Streaming Platforms
Political impact
While Assaf has normally avoided politics on the show, he has stated "I can't differentiate between my art and my patriotic attitude." Assaf condemned the ongoing Israeli occupation of West Bank and the poor living conditions in the Gaza Strip. He also stated that
He is highly popular in the Palestinian territories, where the
Some Palestinian politicians have showed their support for the singer who has been creating a sense of unity among Palestinians, regardless of differing political beliefs. Salam Fayyad, former Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority, called on all Palestinians to support Assaf.[26] Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had also called for Palestinians everywhere, including the diaspora, to vote for Assaf.[17]
Although prior to his participation in Arab Idol, Assaf stated he had been briefly detained by the security forces of the conservative Hamas party and paramilitary group—which maintains de facto control over Gaza—on over 20 different occasions in an effort to dissuade him from singing,[7] the group has not suppressed Palestinian support for Assaf or viewership of the show.[25] Signalling a shift in attitude, a Gaza-based Hamas MP, Yahya Mousa, lauded Assaf and referred to him the "ambassador for Palestinian art."[27]
Film The Idol
After Arab Idol
Assaf has enjoyed pan-Arab and Arab diaspora popularity internationality engaging in sold-out tours. He released a number of music videos and in 2014, was invited to sing during
Personal life
Assaf married the 28-year-old Reem Ouda in an intimate wedding on August 8, 2020. Only family and handful of friends attended. Ouda is a Palestinian-Danish woman who lived with her family in Saudi Arabia for a few years, before moving to Denmark after her father died.[33][34]
Discography
Albums
- 2014: Assaf (in Arabicعساف)
- 2017: Ma Wahshnak (in Arabicما وحشناك)
- 2021: Qesas min Flistin (Arabicقصص من فلسطين)
Singles and music videos
- 2014: "Ya Halali Ya Mali" (in Arabicيا حلالي يا مالي)
- 2015: "Aywa Ha Ghanni" (in Arabicايوه هغني)
- 2015: "Dammi Falastini" (in Arabicدامي فلسطين)
- 2016: "Seyouf El Ezz" (in Arabicسيوف العز)
- 2017: "Baddek Enayah" (feat. Arabicبدّك عناية)
- 2017: "Rani" (with Faudel)
- 2018: "Roll with It" (with Massari)
- 2019: "Kermalak Enta"
- 2020: "Shhalhalawa"
- 2020: "Dalaa Dalouna"
- 2020: "Salam Allah"
- 2020: "Filastin 'int alruwh"
- 2020: "Al Hayat"
- 2021: "Mraytak"
- 2021: "Al Hara"
- 2021: "Bahrek Gaza" (in Arabicبحرك غزة)
- 2021: "Salute to Al Quds"
- 2021: "Ya Banat Bladna" (in Arabicيا بنات بلدنا)
- 2023: "Ben Jeddah"
References
- ^ a b "عائلة مشترك Arab Idol محمد عساف:فوزه فخر لفلسطين | مجلة سيدتي". www.sayidaty.net.
- ^ A Palestinian hero is born: Mohammed Assaf crowned ‘Arab Idol’. alarabiya.net. 23 June 2013
- ^ Palestinian public hails local hero of Arab Idol Archived 3 November 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Ma'an News Agency. 2 June 2013.
- ISBN 0-521-00967-7
- ^ Hass, Amira. A Palestinian hero is born: Gaza's Mohammed Assaf wins Arab Idol. Haaretz. 23 June 2013.
- ^ a b c d Naylor, Hugh. Mohammed Assaf's star soars as the voice of Gaza in Arab Idol. The National. 13 May 2013.
- ^ a b c d e Sherwood, Harriet. Gaza refugee tipped to win Arab Idol. The Guardian. 26 May 2013.
- ^ a b c Zayid, Maysoon. The Next Arab Idol: Palestine's Boy Wonder and Stereotype Buster. The Daily Beast. 22 May 2013.
- ^ a b Harris, Emily.'Arab Idol' Win Unites Palestinians In Jubilant Celebration. NPR. 22 June 2013.
- ^ Kuttab, Daoud. Mohammed Assaf Carries Palestinian Hopes. Al-Monitor. 26 May 2013.
- ^ a b c Gaza singer Mohammed Assaf wins Arab Idol contest. BBC News. 22 June 2013.
- ^ Hundreds of thousands watch Assaf perform Archived 13 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Ma'an News Agency. 22 June 2013.
- ^ Abu Alouf, Rushdi and Abukhater, Maher. Palestinian from Gaza camp wins 'Arab Idol'. Los Angeles Times. 22 June 2013.
- ^ Gaza singer gives Palestinians a reason to smile. Newstimes. Photo by Nasser Ishtayeh.
- ^ UPDATE: Mohammed Assaf IS Arab Idol Archived 11 July 2013 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ "المايسترو يعقوب الأطرش من فلسطين إلى العالم".
- ^ a b Knell, Yolande. Palestinians back Mohammed Assaf to win Arab Idol final. BBC News. 22 June 2013.
- ^ Sherwood, Harriet (21 June 2013) Arab Idol favourite Mohammed Assaf carries hopes of Palestinians into final | World news. theguardian.com. Retrieved on 10 December 2013.
- ^ Safdar, Anealla (13 August 2013). "Arab Idol winner: 'No-one will politicise me'". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
- ^ Inside Story – The wedding singer from Gaza. YouTube (24 June 2013). Retrieved on 10 December 2013.
- ^ https://www.facebook.com/middleeasteye. "Removal of Palestinian song from streaming platforms stirs debate". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
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- ^ "Why was Palestinian pride song removed from Spotify?". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
- ^ Saeed, Saeed (23 May 2023). "Why was Mohammed Assaf's song Dammi Falastini removed from Spotify?". The National. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
- ^ "'Dammi Falastini' song back on Spotify". thepeninsulaqatar.com. 23 May 2023. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
- ^ a b c Booth, William. Singer from Gaza wants to be ‘Arab Idol’. 27 May 2013.
- YNET. 12 May 2013.
- ^ Barzak, Ibrahim. Gaza singer gives Palestinians a reason to smile. Associated Press. 22 June 2013.
- ^ "The Idol". TIFF. 28 July 2015. Archived from the original on 1 August 2015. Retrieved 28 July 2015.
- ^ "Hany Abu-Assad's 'The Idol' Sees Strong Sales Ahead of Toronto Premiere". Variety. 25 August 2015. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
- ^ "Toronto to open with 'Demolition'; world premieres for 'Trumbo', 'The Program'". ScreenDaily. 28 July 2015. Retrieved 28 July 2015.
- ^ "Hany Abu-Assad's 'The Idol' Sees Strong Sales Ahead of Toronto Premiere". Variety. 25 August 2015. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
- ^ Tartaglione, Nancy (28 September 2016). "Oscars: Palestine Enters Hany Abu-Assad's 'The Idol' In Foreign Language Race". Deadline. Retrieved 28 September 2016.
- ^ "Palestinian singer Mohammed Assaf ties the knot in intimate wedding". Arab News. 10 August 2020. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
- ^ Saeed, Saeed (10 August 2020). "Palestinian singer Mohammed Assaf marries Reem Ouda in secret wedding". The National. Retrieved 16 August 2023.