Karl Wolf

Karl Wolf
Singing in Radio 1 party, Dubai 2007
Background information
Birth name	Carl Abou Samah
Also known as	KW
Born	(1979-04-18) April 18, 1979 Beirut, Lebanon
Origin	Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Genres	Pop, R&B, soul, fusion
Occupations	Singer, songwriter, record producer, musician
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, piano
Years active	2001 – present
Labels	LW Records LW Entertainment EMI (2001–2010) Universal Republic (2010) Universal Music Canada (2011 - Present)
Associated acts	Sky
Website	www.karlwolf.com

Carl Abou Samah (Arabic: كارل أبو سمح‎; born April 18, 1979)^[1] better known by his stage name Karl Wolf is a Lebanese-born Canadian musician based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He has been a singer, songwriter and producer since 2001, releasing his first solo album Face Behind the Face on MapleNationwide/Universal in January 2006, followed by a second album Bite the Bullet in November 2007. His third album Nightlife was released on November 17, 2009. After 9 years with EMI Music, in March 2010 he signed a new recording contract in the United States with Universal Republic followed by a worldwide deal with Universal Music Canada in 2011. EMI Japan and EMI Middle East who still had exclusive license to Karl Wolf's upcoming album released Finally Free, his fourth album on July 10, 2012. Through his company, Lone Wolf Management, Karl Wolf also manages a number of new artists.

Early years

Wolf was born as Carl Abou Samah in Beirut, Lebanon. He moved on with his family to Dubai, UAE when he was three-years-old due to the civil war in Lebanon. He studied in UAE's International School of Choueifat. In an interview with Shave Magazine, Karl explained that in Arabic, his family name (Abou Samah) means 'father of forgiveness'.^[2] His stage name 'wolf' comes from a nickname he received on his high school basketball team because he was the smallest and quickest in his team. He also says his mother and father drove him to a career in music. Wolf's mother was a piano teacher and his father played guitar, drums and the traditional Middle Eastern oud.

At 17, Wolf immigrated to Canada in 1995, residing in Montreal, Quebec. He began his career "behind the scenes," and has been writing co-producing since 2001. Initially he was a backup singer for some hits by the Quebec band Dubmatique. The 2001 hit album from Gabrielle Destroismaisons generated two singles co-written by him that reached #1 on the BDS Francophone Charts, and the record earned him a Félix Award at the L'ADISQ Awards for "Best Mix and Sound of the Year".

Wolf's work with Gabrielle brought him to the attention of Antoine Sicotte, of the top-selling Canadian pop band Sky, where he was recruited as a singer-songwriter becoming Sky's new lead singer in 2002.^[3] Wolf co-wrote and co-produced the third Sky album, Picture Perfect (on Sextant/EMI), with strong airplay across Canada. Sicotte and Wolf cooperated on the hugely successful Star Académie reality TV show in Quebec. The subsequent album was the biggest-selling album in Canada in 2003, notching a phenomenal sales in Canadian terms and earning Karl Wolf a SOCAN Award for Most Popular Song. A Star Académie II sequel in 2004 was another big success, the album going double-platinum.

Solo years (since 2005)

Karl Wolf performing in Montreal in June 2011

In 2005 Wolf ventured into a solo career. He released his debut solo album Face Behind the Face"^[4] in January 2006. Since its release, the album broke in the Canadian Top 100 sales chart and spawned three singles, "Butterflies"^[5] and "Desensitize",^[6] with the latter track (featuring hip hop star Choclair) reaching the BDS Top 40 charts and "Referee".

Wolf followed with a second studio album Bite the Bullet in November 2007. The first single release from the album was "Africa",^[7] a remake of the worldwide hit Africa by Toto. The Karl Wolf remake features Canadian artist Culture. In early March 2009, with the release of the single on iTunes for digital downloads, it surged up from #32 to #2^[8] on the issue of March 14, 2009 based on huge amounts of downloads over the previous week. It peaked at #1 on the iTunes charts and It also stayed at #2 for four further week on the chart of March 21 and 28 and April 4 and 11, 2009. Prior to iTunes download, it had topped at #20 in the same chart. This is so far Karl Wolf's most successful single to date. The song also topped the MuchMusic Top 30 Countdown charts and has also found success in Japan, peaking at #20 on the Japan Hot 100 chart. His follow up single this year titled "Carrera" climbed to peak at #39 on the Bilboard Canadian Hot 100.

Wolf announced on Sunday June 21, 2009 at the MuchMusic Video Awards, that he was recording a new album due to be out by the end of this year (2009) or by early 2010. The album Nightlife, his third album was released on 17 November 2009. He has had two singles emanating from the album, "Yalla Habibi" and "Hurting".

In February 2010, he signed a record deal with Universal Republic Records for United States distribution. After great success in Canada, "Africa" will become the first single released in the United States through the Universal Republic record deal.

Karl Wolf's new album called Finally Free was released in 2012. He is currently engaging on a pan-Canadian and international tour to promote the album with Universal Music.

Karl Wolf's working on a new album called Stereotype and on February 4, 2014 is releasing the first single off this album featuring Timbaland & Bk Brasco called "Magic Hotel".

Lone Wolf Management / LW Entertainment / LW Records

In addition to his solo career, Wolf has established "LW Entertainment" and his own record label "LW Records" and recording studio (with LW standing for Lone Wolf). These are the producing wing of Karl Wolf's operations. Before becoming a solo artist, Karl Wolf had his break as a songwriter / producer and at 22, won "Best Mix and Sound of the Year" at L'ADISQ.

Karl Wolf has also produced for Quebec singers Mitsou, Emily, Jérôme-Philippe (aka Disoul) also becoming for a time, part of the latter's band Dubmatique.

Lone Wolf Management

In 2012, Karl Wolf announced that he was managing four new artists, alongside his manager Pascal Malkoun, through his company Lone Wolf Management which is his artist management division. The signed artists are:

• Craig Smart
• Cassandra Debison
• DJ RomeoAM (Karl Wolf's official DJ)

Collaborations

Karl Wolf has collaborated with a number of artists, mainly from Canada:

• He was featured in Quebec rapper and VJ Malik Shaheed's song "Get Down / Respire"
• His song "Hollow Girl" features Quebec artist Striger
• His song "Desensitize" features Canadian rapper Choclair
• He is featured in Choclair's song and music video of "Weekend" from Choclair's Flagship album
• He released with Eve a bilingual (English / French version) of his single "Butterflies" (Co-written by Jordan Kaahn)
• He was featured in Taio Cruz recording "Crazy Girl"
• His song "Like This" features Sandman
• His song "Africa" features Canadian rapper Culture
• His special track "Triple R" features international rap artist Snoop Dogg
• His single "Yalla Habibi" features Rime and Kaz Money
• He is featured in Jacob Guay's bilingual French/English single "Si Jeune" (Written by Jordan Kaahn and produced by Karl Wolf)
• The Jenna single "What Happened to Us" features Karl Wolf
• His single "Hurting" features Sway
• The Jay Sean single "Yalla Asia" dedicated to 2011 AFC Asian Cup held in Qatar features Karl Wolf and Radhika Vekaria
• His single "Ghetto Love" features Kardinal Offishall
• He released a bilingual (English / French version) of his single "Ghetto Love" (co-written by Jordan Kaahn)
• He was featured in "All Wrong", a hit single of Marc Mysterio that also features Dhany in addition to Wolf
• His single "Fuck Shit Up / Mash It Up" produced by Greg Stainer & Dany Neville features Three 6 Mafia
• He is featured in "Kol Hayati" (meaning All my life in Arabic), a track in Diana Haddad new album Bent Osol
• He is featured in "Awel Mara Atgara" (meaning the first time I dare), a track by Sandy
• He is featured in "Fire" by David Obegi
• His song "Magic Hotel" features American super-producer/rapper Timbaland

In popular culture

• Karl Wolf was a featured artist on the Arabic version of Star Academy broadcast on Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation (LBC). In the fifth season of the show, he was seen mentoring the contestants. Some joined him for renditions of his hits, including "Butterfly"^[9] and "Africa"^[10]
• In 2011, the organizers of 2011 AFC Asian Cup held in Qatar chose Jay Sean and Karl Wolf to perform the official song of the soccer championship. The song "Yalla Asia" credits Jay Sean and Karl Wolf featuring Radhika Vekaria. The music video for the song^[11] was widely used during the championship.
• In 2011, he organized a Close Up Arabia campaign for recruiting participants in a music video project of his.^[12] and the resulting music video

Discography

Studio albums

Singles

Others

• 2007: "Hollow Girl" (feat. Striger)
• 2007: "Butterflies" (with Eve)
• 2008: "Like This" (feat. Sandman)
• 2009: "Maniac Maniac" (feat. Culture)
• 2009: "You Forgot About Me" (feat. Imposs)
• 2009: "No Way Nobody" (feat. Loon)
• 2011: "Tell Me" (feat. Nirvana Savoury)

Featured artist

Awards and nominations

References

External links

• Karl Wolf Official site
• Karl Wolf MySpace Page
• Karl Wolf Fan Page on Facebook