Karl Wolf

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 followed by Finally Free on July 10, 2012. Through his company, Lone Wolf Management, Karl Wolf also manages a number of new artists with his long time manager Pascal Malkoun. In 2015, he announced a new collaboration under the name BAE (Be All Equal) with Show Stephens, Brenda Mullen and producer MasterTrak. Karl signed a new solo contract in Canada with Cordova Bay Records out of B.C. as well as two new worldwide deals in Los Angeles, one for a publishing contract with BMG and another Digital "Youtube" deal with Collective Digital Studios.

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 the UAE. 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 16, Wolf immigrated to Canada in 1995, residing in Montreal, Quebec.^[2] 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]

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 Billboard Canadian Hot 100.

Nightlife, his third album was released on 17 November 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.

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).

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.

Collaborations

Karl Wolf has collaborated with a number of artists, mainly from Canada. Choclair was featured in one of his earliest hits titled "Desensitize" and Canadian rapper Culture is featured in his biggest hit "Africa", whereas Rime and Kaz Money are featured in "Yalla Habibi". Sway was featured in "Hurting" and Kardinal Offishall was featured in "Ghetto Love". His single "Fuck Shit Up / Mash It Up" produced by Greg Stainer & Dany Neville featured Three 6 Mafia, Timbaland and B K Brasco in "Magic Hotel" and Fatman Scoop in "Let's Get Rowdy".

In 2015, he announced a collaboration under the name BAE (Be All Equal) that includes Karl Wolf and hip-hop artist Show Stephens and singer-songwriter Brenda Mullen. Co-produced by Wiolf and DJ producer MasterTrak, the act is signed to Armin Van Buuren's Armada Music label. The formation's first single is "I'm Lonely".^[9] Karl Wolf and BAE were included as one of the opening acts for renowned singer Akon's 2015 Canada-wide tour which also included acts like Peter Jackson and Afrocen3

Also in 2015, Karl Wolf co-wrote with Omar Pasley (OMI), Jenson Vaughan and Matthew Humphrey OMI's international single "Hula Hoop", a follow-up to OMI's hit "Cheerleader".

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"^[10] and "Africa"^[11]
• 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
• Karl Wolf has also collaborated and performed in concerts with Akon, Ne-Yo, T-Pain and many more artists and as a special guest also. He co-wrote with Jenson Vaughan, Frank Bülles, Matthew Humphrey and Omar Pasley (OMI) the latter's international hit "Hula Hoop".

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)
• 2013: "Go Your Own Way" (feat. Reema Major)

Featured artist

Awards and nominations

References

External links

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