Assala Nasri

Assala Mostafa Hatem Nasri (Arabic: أصالة مصطفى حاتم نصري‎ aka Asala, Asalah and Assalah; born 15 May 1969) is a Syrian musical artist.

Early life and career

Asalah was born in Damascus, Syria to a middle class couple. Mostafa Nasri, Asalah's father, was a revered Syrian composer and singer. Asalah began her musical career by performing patriotic, religious, and children's songs when she was four years old. She sang the theme song "Qessas Al Sho'oub" (Arabic: قصص الشعوب), of the cartoon show, Hekayat Alamiyah (Arabic: حكايات عالمية). In 1986, Mostafa Nasri died after suffering from internal bleeding caused by a car accident. Aged 17 she helped care for her siblings, Reem, Amani, Ayman and Ayham with her mother.

Asalah's commercial musical career debuted in 1991 with Law Ta'rafou (Arabic: لو تعرفو). The album had 4 songs in the oriental operatic tarab style. The album was an instant hit with heartbreaking songs like Ya Sabra Yana and Samehtak Ketir. She quickly cemented her presence in a growing industry brimming with new, young talent like Najwa Karam, Saber Rebai, Angham, and Abdelmajeed Abdullah.

Personal life

Asalah has four children two from her first marriage to Ayman Al Dahabi and The other two are twins from Tarek AlAryaan . She currently has custody of both their children, Sham and Khaled. She is now married to famous Palestinian-American director Tarek Al Aryaan. She was pregnant with Tarek's child in early 2007 but suffered a miscarriage halfway through the pregnancy. Asalah is a Sunni Muslim. She was granted Bahraini citizenship by Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa a few days after she gave a spectacular performance in the operetta Love and Loyalty in celebration of Bahrain’s Independence Day. Asalah holds three citizenship; Syrian (Mother Nationaltity) Bahraini (Second Nationality) .

Discography

Albums

• Ya Sabra Yana (I Am Waiting) (1991)
• Asala Performs Umm Kulthum (1992)
• O'zorni (Forgive Me) (1992)
• Ghayar Awi (Great Jealousy) (1993)
• Taw'am Al Rouh (My Soul's Twin) (1994)
• Ighdab (Anger) (1994)
• Wala Tessadda' (Don't Believe It) (1995)
• Rahal (He Left) (1996)
• Erja' Laha (Return to Her) (1996)
• Al Mushtaka (The Complainer) (1997)
• Albi Biyertahlak (My Heart is at Ease with You) (1998)
• Ya Magnoun (O Madman) (1999)
• Moshtaqah (I'm Missing You) (2001)
• Ya Akhi Es'al (Ask About Me) (2002)
• Yamin Allah/Haqiqat Waqe'i (I Swear/My Reality) (2001)
• Ad El Horouf (As much as the number of letters) (2003)
• Awgat (Times) (2004)
• Aadi (Ordinary) (2005)
• Hayati (My Life) (2006)
• Sawaha Galbi (My Heart Has Done It) (2007), debuted at number 1, stayed for 4 weeks at number 1 beating Amr Diab's new album on Rotana's PEPSI Top 5 Albums
• Nos Halah (Half Situation) (2008), debuted at #1 of Rotana's Top 5 albums on both Egypt and Lebanon, stayed in the charts the following week. In its third week it peaked back at number 1 at Egypt Top 5 albums charts. In the following weeks it peaked at number 2 on the Khaleeji, the making it the first album to be in the top 2 of all charts.
• Qanoon Kaifik (Law of your fancy) (2010)

Singles

• Law Ta'rafou (If You Know) from "Law Ta'rafou"
• Ighdab (Get Angry) from "Ighdab"
• Al Mushtaka (The Complainer) from "Al Mushtaka"
• Alf Leila We Leila (One Thousand and One Nights) from "Al Mushtaka"
• Ya Magnoun (O Madman) from "Ya Magnoun"
• Ma Oultelish (Why Didn't You Tell Me?) from "Ya Magnoun"
• Moushta'a (I'm Missing You) from "Moushta'a"
• E'tef Habibi (Have Mercy My Love) from "Moushta'a"
• Mab'ash Ana (I Haven't Lived Up to My Name if I Don't) from "Moushta'a"
• Leih El Ghorour (Why the Arrogance?) from "Ya Akhi Es'al"
• Yamin Allah (I Swear) from "Yamin Allah/Waqe'i"
• Misheit Senin (I Walked for Years) from "Ad El Horouf"
• Tassawar (Imagine) from "Ad El Horouf"
• A'taz Bek (I Am Proud of You) from "Ad El Horouf"
• Gemarhom Kellohom (You Are the Moon Among Them) from "Awgat"
• Meta Ashoufek (When Will I See You?) from "Awgat"
• Fein Habibi (Where is My Love?) from "Aadi"
• Khalik Shiwaya (Stay) from "Aadi"
• Asfa (I'm Sorry) from "Aadi"
• Aktar (More) from "Hayati"
• Khaliha 'Ala Allah (Leave It In God's Hands) [Ramadan Single]
• Jarhi Fel Hawa (My Injury in Love)
• Allah Ya Omri Aleik (You're Amazing)
• Arod Leih (Why Reply?) from "Hayati"
• Bein Eideik (In Your Hands) from "Hayati"
• Alamtni (You Taught Me) from "Hayati"
• Hayati (My Life) from "Hayati"
• Egrab Gerrib (Get Closer) from "Sawaha Galbi"
• Sawaha Galbi (My Heart Did It) from "Sawaha Galbi"
• La Tekhaf (Don't Be Afraid) from "Sawaha Galbi" (shot as a music video in 2009)
• Wala Dary (Doesn't Care), debuted on at #12 on Rotana's PEPSI Top 20 Charts; reached #2 the following week and maintained its spot for the following at #2
• Sum wa 'Asal (Poison and Honey) 2009 Single
• Ah law hal korsy Bye7ki (I wish the chair (power) can talk) 2011 - this song is dedicated for the Syrian revolution against Bashar al-Assad. Asala composed this song, it's her first experience in composing.

External links

• Asalah Nasri Official Website
• Forum