Kazim as-Sahir

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Kazim as-Sahir

Kazim as-Sahir (also Kazem Al Sahir ; Arabic كاظم الساهر, DMG Kāẓim as-Sāhir ; * September 12, 1957 in Mosul ) is an Iraqi singer , poet and composer . He was known as the "Caeser of Arabic Music", " Elvis of the Middle East ", " Robbie Williams of the Middle East", "Iraq's Diplomatic Ambassador to the World" and "Iraq's Ambassador for Peace".

As-Sahir has proven to be one of the most successful Arab singers with over 30 million albums sold. His work ranges from romantic ballads to political works.

Life

Childhood and youth

Kazim spent a large part of his life in Baghdad with his family . There he became interested in music from an early age. Except for his mother, he received no support from his family, who expected him to do a decent job, such as a doctor or lawyer. As-Sahir accompanied his brother to several concerts in Baghdad. There he learned that “you have to respect yourself and your music in order to achieve success”. At the age of 10 he started writing his own music. After selling his bicycle, as-Sahir bought his first instrument - a guitar - at the age of 12.

In 1978 he studied pedagogy and was hired as a teacher at a school in Mosul . At the age of 21 he was accepted as a student at the Institute of Music in Baghdad. There he studied for 6 years and was strongly influenced by the music of the Egyptian composer Mohammed Abdel Wahab .

Professional career

1980 to 1999

Its first official video was released on an Iraqi television station whose director was Sahir's friend. The song Ladghat Hayya (" Snakebite ") was broadcast on Iraqi television in 1987, a year before the end of the First Gulf War . Because of the sensitivity at the time, the song was a source of controversy. Iraqi authorities threatened to ban the song if al-Sahir did not change the text. His refusal and the resulting ban contributed to the song's popularity. Soon he was giving concerts in the Persian Gulf and working with Kuwaiti labels.

A year later, his song Abart Al Shat ("I crossed the river") became a hit. As-Sahir avoided the traditional music of that time. 1989 Sahir went on his first US tour. He became known in the Arab world through his next hit, La Ya Sadiki (“No, My Friend”), which lasted about an hour.

During the Second Gulf War in 1991, as-Sahir moved to Jordan with his family . There he held some of his most successful concerts in Jerash and produced two albums with the Samer Baghadi studio in Amman . Then as-Sahir moved to Lebanon , where he signed a contract with the Syrian poet Nizar Qabbani . Since then he has written more than 30 songs for Sahir. As-Sahir sang some of Qabbani’s poems in return.

Soon Kazim as-Sahir became the most famous musician in the Middle East. In 1998 he had ten albums released and was hailed as an artist, not a pop star. Sahir received a UNICEF award when he performed his song Tathakkar ("Remember You") in front of the US Congress and the UN . The following year he sang a tribute to the then Pope John Paul II with an Italian orchestra.

2000 until today

In 2000 Sahir's album El Hob El Moustahil ("The Impossible Love") came out. It was the first album that was officially released in the USA . Then Sahir took part in the Mondo Melodia tour , which crossed the whole of the USA.

Due to the Iraq war , Sahir worked with Lenny Kravitz in 2003 . Through the organization Rock the Vote they released an anti-war song under the name We Want Peace . Shortly thereafter, Sahir released a new song called Entahat Al Harb ("The War Is Over"), which he sang with Sarah Brightman . In 2004 he continued his international work and worked with various singers, including producers KC Porter , Dawn Elder , and Quincy Jones .

In 2004 he was the first Arab singer to take part in Unity , the official album of the 2004 Summer Olympics.

Charity

Over the past 15 years, Kazim has participated in many charity concerts. The most important thing was his participation in the Royal Albert Hall concert. In 1997 he sang Tathakkar ("Remember You"). On May 23, 2004 he gave a concert for the children of the Middle East, the proceeds of which went to the Melkonian Foundation . This organization helps over 50,000 children in the Middle East. He held another concert on March 14, 2006, the proceeds of which also went to the Melkonian Foundation.

He took part in many concerts in Lebanon , Jordan , Tunisia , Iraq, Egypt and Algeria , for the benefit of children with cancer.

Awards

See also

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Veteran Ferrer scoops music award | BBC News
  2. ↑ On Lisa Rein's Radar
  3. ↑ Kadim (Kazem) Al Sahir | StayTunedTV.com
  4. ↑ Iraqi artist Kazem El Saher, one of the best-selling Arab singers of all time, to perform on Prince of Poets Arabianbusiness.com (Tuesday, August 5, 2008)
  5. ↑ a b Banning Eyre: Interview with Kathem El Saher, New York 2003 ( Memento from May 28, 2010 in the Internet Archive )
  6. ↑ The Worlds Top Ten | BBC World Service
  7. ^ "Kazem (Kadim) Al Sahir (Iraq)" , BBC Radio 3
personal data
SURNAME Sahir, Kazim as-
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Sahir, Kazem Al
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Iraqi singer, poet and composer
DATE OF BIRTH September 12, 1957
PLACE OF BIRTH Mosul , Iraq