A source is the start, beginning, or origin of something.

Source may refer to:

Research

Source text, in research (especially in the humanities), a source of information referred to by citation

* Primary source, firsthand written evidence of history made at the time of the event by someone who was present

* Secondary source, written accounts of history based upon the evidence from primary sources

* Tertiary source, compilations based upon primary and secondary sources

Journalism sourcing, a person, publication or other record or document that gives information

* Sources (website), directory of expert contacts and media spokespersons

Source (International Information Support Centre), a digital library providing links to academic resources related to disability, health and international development

Science

Source theory, in information theory, any process that generates successive messages can be considered a source of information

Inflow (hydrology), the source of the water in a lake

Source (hydrology), the original point from which a river or stream flows

Source rocks, rocks that have generated, or are capable of generating hydrocarbons

A point where the divergence of a vector field is positive

Source of a representation in finite group theory

Technology

Communication source

Current source, an electrical or electronic device that delivers or absorbs electric current

Energy sources, substances or processes with high concentrations of energy

Ion source, a device that produces ions for mass spectrometry

a substance or device that emits ionizing radiation (e.g. Alpha particle source, Beta particle source, Gamma ray source, X-ray source, Neutron source) for purposes of irradiation or radiography

Light source, an object emitting light

Source file, a file containing code written in a programming language

Open source, a philosophy of dissemination of intellectual products

Point source, a natural or anthropogenic discharge location producing unwanted materials into the environment

A SCSI endpoint

Sound source, an object emitting sound

Source code for software

Source (game engine), a proprietary game engine developed by Valve Software for ''Half-Life 2''

Source, a terminal in a field-effect transistor

The Source (online service), an online service provider founded in 1979

Voltage source, any device or system that produces an electromotive force between its terminals

source (command), a UNIX command to execute commands from a file

Art and entertainment

The Source, a religion in the ''Planescape'' universe

The Source (sculpture), an electronic moving sculpture at the London Stock Exchange

Literature

Source (comics), a sentient entity who provides advice to the New Gods in the DC Multiverse

''Source (magazine)'', a bi-monthly magazine published by the John Lewis Partnership

''Source (photography magazine)'', a quarterly photography magazine

''The Source (magazine)'', a magazine of hip-hop music and culture

''The Source (novel)'', a 1965 novel by James A. Michener

Wikisource

Film, radio, and television

''The Source'' (1999 film), a 1999 documentary film about the Beat generation

''The Source'' (2002 film), a 2002 science fiction film, also known as ''The Secret Craft'' in the UK and ''The Surge'' for its American DVD release

''The Source'' (2011 film), a 2011 French film

''Highlander: The Source'', the fifth film in the Highlander franchise

The Source (network), a radio network operated in the 1970s and 1980s by NBC

WVUR-FM, "The Source", Valparaiso University's student-run radio station

The Source (Charmed), the common abbreviated title used as an everyday conversational 'use name' of a fictional evil being—more properly: "The Source of All Evil"— in the popular television series ''Charmed''

The Source, a character in the short-lived 1978 US television sitcom ''Quark''

Games

''Counter-Strike: Source'', a complete remake of ''Counter-Strike'' using:

Source (game engine), a game engine developed by Valve Corporation

Music

''The Source'', a series of volumes by Graham Kendrick that are compilations of Christian church music

''The Source (album)'', an album by Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five

''The Source'', an album by Ali Farka Touré

The Source (musician), the production identity of UK electronic music record producer John Truelove

''The Source'', a song by Built to Spill from their 1994 album ''There's Nothing Wrong with Love''

''Source'', an album released by the band The Duskfall in 2003

Law

Sources of international law, the materials and processes out of which the rules and principles regulating the international community are developed

Sources of law, the materials and processes out of which law is developed

Sources of the Orlando Titans beating the Philadelphia Wings 14-8, not 13-8, on January 8th 2010

Organizations

The Source (retailer), a Canadian electronics store

Source (UNSW), a community service provider that used to operate at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia

Source Family (1922–1975), a commune outside of 1970's Hollywood

Source UK Services, provider of exchange-traded products in Europe

Other

Operation Source

See also

Begin (disambiguation)

Start (disambiguation)

Origin (disambiguation)

Mouth (disambiguation)

Sauce (disambiguation)

Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment (SORCE)

cs:Zdroj da:Kilde (flertydig) de:Source eo:Fonto es:fuente fr:Source io:Fonto it:Sorgente ja:ソース no:Kilde nn:Kjelde pl:Źródło (ujednoznacznienie) ru:Источник simple:Source sk:Zdroj sv:Källa uk:Джерело (значення)

name	Jon Hamm
birthname	Jonathan Daniel Hamm
birth date	March 10, 1971
birth place	St. Louis, Missouri United States
alma mater	University of Missouri
occupation	Actor
years active	2000–present
domesticpartner	Jennifer Westfeldt }}

Jonathan Daniel "Jon" Hamm (born March 10, 1971) is an American actor who works primarily in television. For much of the mid-1990s, Hamm lived in Los Angeles as a struggling actor appearing in small parts in multiple television series, including ''Providence'', ''The Division'', ''What About Brian'' and ''Related''. In 2000 he made his feature film debut in Clint Eastwood's space adventure, ''Space Cowboys''. The following year, Hamm appeared in the independent comedy, ''Kissing Jessica Stein'' (2001) in a minor role.

Hamm gained global recognition for playing advertising executive Don Draper in the AMC drama series ''Mad Men'', which premiered in July 2007. Hamm's performance earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Drama Series in 2008. Aside from his work on ''Mad Men'', Hamm appeared in the 2008 science fiction remake, ''The Day the Earth Stood Still'' and claimed his first leading film role in the independent thriller ''Stolen'' (2010). Hamm had a supporting role in the 2010 crime film ''The Town'' and in ''Sucker Punch'' and ''Bridesmaids'' in 2011.

Early life

Hamm was born on March 10, 1971, in St. Louis, Missouri, to Deborah, a secretary, and Daniel Hamm, who ran a decades-old family trucking company that declined due to the growth of container shipping. Hamm's parents divorced when he was two years old, and he lived with his mother in Creve Coeur, Missouri, until she was diagnosed with terminal cancer when he was 10. Hamm moved in with his father, but after a few years his father became ill and died when Hamm was 20. Teachers and friends' parents filled in as parental figures.

}} Hamm attended the private John Burroughs School in Ladue, Missouri, where he was a member of the football, baseball, and swim teams and dated future actress Sarah Clarke. Hamm's first acting role was as Winnie the Pooh in first grade; at 16, he was cast as Judas in ''Godspell'', and enjoyed the experience, though he did not take acting seriously. Following graduation in 1989, Hamm enrolled at the University of Texas, but left during his sophomore year, after his father's death. Hamm returned home to attend the University of Missouri. At Missouri he answered an advertisement from a theater company looking for players in a production of ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'', auditioned, and was cast in the production. Other roles followed, such as Leon Czolgosz in ''Assassins'', Hamm's only musical to date.

After graduating in 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, Hamm returned to his high school to teach eighth-grade acting as a gesture of repayment for the school's support during his adolescent years. One of his students was Ellie Kemper, an actress best known for her role on ''The Office''.

Career

Early work

Hamm has known actor Paul Rudd for many years, and visited Hollywood to see him in 1992. Not wishing to stay in a "normal career", Hamm moved to Los Angeles permanently in 1995 with an automobile and $150. He moved into a house with four other aspiring actors and began working as a waiter while attending auditions.

}} Finding employment as an actor was difficult despite representation by the William Morris Agency because, unlike other actors his age, he could not be cast in youth-oriented productions like ''Dawson's Creek'' due to his older appearance. In 1998, having failed to obtain any acting jobs after three years, he was dropped by William Morris. Hamm continued working as a waiter, and briefly as a set designer for a softcore pornography film. After repeatedly failing to obtain promising roles, he set his 30th birthday as a deadline to succeed in Hollywood, observing that:

In 2000, Hamm obtained the role of romantic firefighter Burt Ridley on NBC's drama series ''Providence''. His one-episode contract grew to 19, and led him to quit waiting tables. Hamm made his feature film debut with one line in Clint Eastwood's space adventure ''Space Cowboys'' (2000); more substantial roles followed in the independent comedy ''Kissing Jessica Stein'' (2001) and the war film ''We Were Soldiers'' (2002), during filming of which he turned 30. His career was further bolstered when he played the recurring role of police inspector Nate Basso on Lifetime's television series ''The Division'' from 2002 to 2004. Other minor roles followed on the television series ''What About Brian'', ''CSI: Miami'', ''Related'', ''Numb3rs'', ''The Unit'', and ''The Sarah Silverman Program''. Hamm's ''Mad Men'' castmate Eric Ladin had said that one of the reasons he looks up to Jon is that while he "made it" later than most actors, Hamm never gave up on acting.

Worldwide recognition

Hamm received his breakthrough role in 2007 when he was cast from more than 80 candidates as the protagonist character Don Draper in AMC's drama series ''Mad Men''. In the series, set in a fictional 1960s advertising agency, he plays a suave advertising executive with an obscure past. Hamm recalled, "I read the script for ''Mad Men'' and I loved it. [...] I never thought they'd cast me—I mean, I thought they'd go with one of the five guys who look like me but are movie stars", and that an actor with a "proven track record" would likely have been chosen if another network had aired the show. He went through numerous auditions, and explained each time to the casting directors what he could bring to the character, if given the part. Alan Taylor and ''Mad Men'' creator Matthew Weiner thought that Hamm was too handsome for the role, but decided that "it was perfect to cast sort of the perfect male in this part"; Weiner also sensed that the actor had not been raised by his parents, similar to Draper's backstory.

Hamm used memories of his father to portray Draper, a well-dressed, influential figure in business and society hiding great inner turmoil and facing changes in the world beyond his control. ''Mad Men'' debuted on July 19, 2007, with almost 1.4 million viewers. It quickly developed a loyal audience, with the show and Hamm receiving strong reviews. Robert Bianco of ''USA Today'' was complimentary of Hamm, noting that his interpretation of Draper was a "starmaking performance". ''The Boston Globe'''s Matthew Gilbert called Hamm a "brilliant lead". For his work, he won a Golden Globe Award in the category of Best Actor in a Television Series Drama in 2008. Also in 2008 he was nominated for both a Screen Actors Guild award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor and an Emmy award for Outstanding Lead Actor. In 2009, Hamm was again nominated for a Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award in the same categories, and received another Emmy nomination for Best Actor. In 2010, Hamm received his third Golden Globe nomination.

Hamm's next film role was in the 2008 science fiction film ''The Day the Earth Stood Still'', a remake of the 1951 film of the same name. Although the film received negative reviews, it was financially successful, earning $230 million worldwide at the box office. Hamm hosted the sixth episode of the 34th season of ''Saturday Night Live'' on October 25, 2008. He played various roles, including Don Draper in two sketches. He returned to host again on January 30 and October 30, 2010. In 2009, Hamm guest starred in three episodes of the NBC situation comedy show ''30 Rock'' as Drew Baird, a doctor who is a neighbor and love interest of Liz Lemon's (Tina Fey). For these performances, he received an Emmy nomination in the category of Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series.

Hamm's film projects post 2009 included the independent mystery thriller ''Stolen'' and his first leading role, in which he plays a man trying to demystify the circumstances surrounding his son's kidnapping. ''The Hollywood Reporter'''s Frank Scheck stated that the feature never came together, and said that Hamm was unable to do much with his "underwritten role". Hamm had a voice cameo in the animated feature ''Shrek Forever After'', released in May 2010, as an ogre leader named Brogan. He appeared as an FBI agent in ''The Town'' with Ben Affleck; after receiving "about 40 scripts that were all set in the 60s, or had me playing advertising guys", Hamm was pleased that the film offered a role "the opposite to Don Draper". The feature received generally favorable reviews, and earned $144 million worldwide. His next acting role was as defense attorney Jake Ehrlich in the independent drama ''Howl'', based on Allen Ginsberg's 1956 poem of the same name. On December 12, 2010, Hamm made a guest appearance as an FBI supervisor on Fox's animated series ''The Simpsons''. Returning to film, he appeared in Zack Snyder's 2011 action-fantasy movie ''Sucker Punch'', as the character High Roller, and the doctor. Hamm has signed on to appear and produce the independent feature ''Friends With Kids'' which centers around a group of friends whose lives are changed as the couples in the group begin to have children.

Personal life

Since 1997, Hamm has been in a long-term relationship with actress and screenwriter Jennifer Westfeldt. They own homes in Los Angeles and the Upper West Side in New York. In an interview discussion about his relationship with Westfeldt, Hamm said: "We may not have a piece of paper that says we're husband and wife, but after 10 years, Jennifer is more than just a girlfriend. What we have is much deeper and we both know that. To me, people [should] get married when they're ready to have kids, which I'm not ruling out." Hamm, along with Westfeldt, has appeared in Gap related campaign advertisements. In April 2009, Hamm and Westfeldt formed their own production company, Points West Pictures.

Although his role as Don Draper requires him to smoke, Hamm gave up smoking when he was 24. He revealed in an interview that while on set he does not smoke actual cigarettes, but herbal cigarettes that do not contain any tobacco or nicotine.

Internationally viewed as a sex symbol, Hamm was named one of ''Salon.com''s Sexiest Man Living in 2007, and was named one of ''People'' magazine's Sexiest Men Alive in 2008. Hamm also won ''GQ''s 'International Man' award in September 2010. In November 2008, ''Entertainment Weekly'' named him one of their Entertainers of the Year. He again was named one of the magazine's Entertainers of the Year in 2010. Hamm is an avid golfer and tennis player. He is a devoted fan of the National Hockey League (NHL) team the St. Louis Blues, even appearing in two television spots advertising for the team. He is also a fan of the Major League Baseball (MLB) team the St. Louis Cardinals.

In March 2010, Hamm was hired by Mercedes-Benz as their new voiceover for their campaign with the S400 Hybrid vehicle. Hamm replaced actor Richard Thomas.

Hamm and Westfeldt are advocates of animal rescue and have adopted their own dog, a mutt named Cora, from the Much Love Animal Shelter in California

Filmography

Feature films

! Year	! Film	! Role	! Notes
2000	''Space Cowboys''	Young Pilot No.2
2001	''Kissing Jessica Stein''	Charles
2002	''We Were Soldiers''	Capt. Matt Dillon
2006	''Ira and Abby''	Ronnie
2007	''The Ten''	Skydiving Guide Chris Knarl
2008		Dr. Michael Granier
2009		Hank Ackerley	Voice OnlyUncredited
		Tom Adkins Sr.
''Shrek Forever After''	Brogan	Voice Only
		Uncredited
	Adam Frawley
	Jake Ehrlich
		High Roller/Doctor
	Ted	Uncredited
2012	''Friends with Kids'		Also Producer

Television

! Year	! Television Show	! Role	! Notes
		Burt Ridley
''The Trouble with Normal''	Jackson
''The Hughleys''	Buzz	Episode: "Lies My Valentine Told Me"
2001	''Early Bird Special''	Red-Headed Cop	Episode: "Pilot"
	''The Division''	Inspector Nate Basso
''Gilmore Girls''	Peyton Sanders	Episode: "Eight O'Clock at the Oasis"
	''CSI: Miami''	Dr. Brent Kessler	Episode: "Three-Way"Episode: "Payback"
	Dr. George Forrester	Episode: "Who's Your Daddy"Episode: "The Lonely Hunter"
''Charmed''	Jack Brody	Episode: "Ordinary Witches"
	''The Unit''	Wilson James
''What About Brian''	Richard Povich
''Numb3rs''	Richard Clast	Episode: "Hardball"
''Related''	Danny	Episode: "Related"
2007	''The Sarah Silverman Program''	Cable Guy	Episode: "Muffin' Man"
2007–present	''Mad Men''	Don Draper	Appears in every episode
2009–2010	''30 Rock''	Dr. Drew Baird	Episode: "Generalissimo"Episode: "St. Valentine's Day"Episode: "The Bubble"Episode: "Anna Howard Shaw Day"Episode: "Emanuelle Goes to Dinosaur Land"Episode: "Live Show"
	''Childrens Hospital''	Derrick Childrens	Episode: "The Sultan's Finger"
''The Simpsons''	FBI Investigator	Episode: "Donnie Fatso"

Music Videos

! Year	! Artist	! Video	! Role	! Notes
	The Lonely Island	"Shy Ronnie 2: Ronnie & Clyde" (ft. Rihanna)	Bank Hostage	cameo
Herman Dune	"Tell Me Something I Don't Know"	Non-specific	lead

Awards and nominations

|- |rowspan="6"|2008 |''Mad Men'' |Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | |- |''Mad Men'' |Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama | |- |''Mad Men'' |Satellite Award for Best Actor - Television Series Drama | |- |''Mad Men'' |Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | |- |''Mad Men'' |Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series | |- |''Mad Men'' |Television Critics Association Individual Achievement in Drama | |- |rowspan="8"|2009 |''Mad Men'' |Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | |- |''30 Rock'' |Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series | |- |''Mad Men'' |Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama | |- |''Mad Men'' |Golden Nymph Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series | |- |''Mad Men'' |Satellite Award for Best Actor - Television Series Drama | |- |''Mad Men'' |Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | |- |''Mad Men'' |Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series | |- |''Mad Men'' |Television Critics Association Individual Achievement in Drama | |- |rowspan="6"|2010 |''Mad Men'' |Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | |- |''30 Rock'' |Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series | |- |''Mad Men'' |Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama | |- |''Mad Men'' |Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | |- |''Mad Men'' |Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series | |- |''Mad Men'' |Television Critics Association Individual Achievement in Drama | |- |rowspan="7"|2011 |''Mad Men'' |Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama | |- |''Mad Men'' |Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | |- ||''Mad Men'' |Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series | |- |''Mad Men'' |Golden Nymph Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series | |- |''Mad Men'' |Critics' Choice Television Award Lead Actor in a Drama Series | |- |''Mad Men'' |Television Critics Association Individual Achievement in Drama | |- |''Mad Men'' |Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | |- |align="center" colspan=5| |}

References

Further reading

Rochlin, Margy. "Those Were the Good Old Days? Hardly". ''The New York Times''. September 30, 2007. Accessed February 12, 2009.

Alston, Joshua. "Bryan Cranston and Jon Hamm: Get 'Bad,' Get 'Mad,' And You'll Get Glad". ''Newsweek''. December 31, 2007. Accessed June 4, 2009.

Hainey, Michael. "The Man In The Gray (Indestructible) Suit". ''GQ''. January 1, 2008. Accessed June 18, 2009.

Wilson, Benji. "Jon Hamm: Why Mad Men was an instant star". ''The Daily Telegraph''. March 14, 2008. Accessed February 12, 2009.

Seltzer, Ian. "Jon Hamm: Suave, Successful, Mad Man". ABC News. July 14, 2008. Accessed April 28, 2009.

Ryan, Maureen. "'Mad Men' Calvacade of Stars, Part 2: Jon Hamm". ''Chicago Tribune''. July 15, 2008. Accessed February 12, 2009.

Guest, Jocelyn. "Jon Hamm of 'Mad Men' on the Future of Don Draper". ''New York Magazine''. July 24, 2008. Accessed February 12, 2009.

Neuman, Clayton. "Q&A; – Jon Hamm". AMC. October 26, 2008. Accessed February 12, 2009.

Wolf, Jeanne. "Jon Hamm's Sudden Fame". ''Parade Magazine''. Accessed April 27, 2009.

Hill, Erin. "Jon Hamm: 'Everyone Deserves a Little Good-Natured Ribbing'". ''Parade Magazine''. March 11, 2010. Accessed March 11, 2010.

Torvalds, Linus. "Pearls before swine..". ''LINUS' BLOG''. February 28, 2011. Accessed May 24, 2011.

External links

Category:1971 births Category:American film actors Category:American television actors Category:Best Drama Actor Golden Globe (television) winners Category:Living people Category:Actors from Missouri Category:People from St. Louis, Missouri Category:University of Missouri alumni Category:Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Screen Actors Guild Award winners

ar:جون هام da:Jon Hamm de:Jon Hamm es:Jon Hamm fr:Jon Hamm it:Jon Hamm he:ג'ון האם ka:ჯონ ჰემი nl:Jon Hamm ja:ジョン・ハム (俳優) no:Jon Hamm pl:Jon Hamm pt:Jon Hamm ru:Хэмм, Джон fi:Jon Hamm sv:Jon Hamm tr:Jon Hamm

name	Sami Yusuf
born	July 1980 (age 31)|1980|7|1)
birth place	Tehran, Iran
instrument	piano, keyboard, violin, tar, santour, tombak, oud, tabla
genre	Spiritique
associated acts	Ian Brown, Sezen Aksu, Conner Reeves
occupation	musician, composer, producer, multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter
years active	2003–present
label	ETM International 2009–Present
signature	SYSig.png
website	SamiYusufOfficial.com
background	solo_singer }}

Sami Yusuf is a British singer-songwriter, composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist musician of Azerbaijani origin . He is also sometimes believed to have Pakistani links in the family, which are an influential reason for him singing in Urdu sometimes.

In 2003 Yusuf released his debut album ''"Al-Mu`allim"'' at the age of 23, selling over two million copies. Following the release of his second album ''"My Ummah"'' in 2005, Yusuf was heralded as "Islam's Biggest Rock Star" by ''Time'' magazine for his success in attracting a relatively young fan base from diverse regions across the world, many of whom were of Muslim backgrounds. Yusuf has sold over 9 million albums. In October 2010, following a five-year hiatus, Yusuf’s third official album ''"Wherever You Are"'' was launched, manifesting his self-coined genre “Spiritique”. Yusuf is involved in humanitarian initiatives, supporting, among others, Islamic Relief and Save the Children.

Early life

An ethnic Azeri born in Tehran, Yusuf was raised in London from the age of three. He initially began composing simple melodies starting at the age of three, and performing on stage for the first time around the age of nine. His “defining moment” musically occurred when his father loaned him a book on the basics of the Tombak [Persian instrument]. Upon returning from a tea break, his father found that the young Yusuf had mastered the book that had taken months for his students to finish. As a teenager he was a devotee of classical music and classical icons like Chopin and Mozart, admitting that he listened to Classic FM radio station for hours in a day. He went on training professionally in several other instruments including the santoor, piano, violin, oud, setar, tar, and daf under the guidance of traditional teachers, as well as professional musicians. While producing and demo-recording for another singer, he became aware of his own singing abilities which were further developed by the encouragement of his family. Divided between pursuing a musical career or studying law at King’s College London, Yusuf opted for music while committed to “doing something dignified and respectable”. Though he claimed to having been always spiritual, he reconnected with his Islamic faith through a “religious awakening” at the age of nineteen. He then set out to share his experience with the other young British Muslims he felt were direly in search of an identity especially post 9/11. Yusuf self-produced and released his debut album “Al-mu’allim” at the age of 23, pioneering an innovative trend other Muslim artist would seek to emulate and promote, termed "Islamic pop".

Professional career

(2003–2004) – Al-Mu'allim

Shortly before traveling to Egypt to study Arabic, Sami Yusuf released his debut album ''Al-Mu`allim'' in July 2003, a primarily percussive album comprising eight tracks. The radiant cube and purple background of the album cover symbolized “the light of the Prophetic message illuminating the darkness of the night”. Its feature song, "Al-Mu’allim", became an instant hit in the Middle East, North Africa, and South-East Asia topping the charts in Egypt and Turkey for twelve consecutive weeks, selling over two million copies worldwide. Believing that music can be a "powerful medium to promote ideas and establish dialogue within society”, he coalesced Eastern percussive instrumentation and Western melodies in “Al-Mu’allim” with a focus on the English and Arabic languages. The last track, “Supplication”, was used in the Golden-Globe award-nominated film, “The Kite Runner”. Though the album was described as a “project to define British Muslim identity” in a post 9-11 period — with explicitly religious themes praising the Prophet Mohammad and Allah in songs like “The Creator” and “Ya Mustafa” — it reached the ears of unexpectedly diverse range of listeners, constituting of various nationalities, ages, and races. Redirecting the current of Muslim music through his songs and professionally-produced music videos (“Al-Mu’allim” and “Supplication”), Yusuf had “unintentionally” cultivated grounds for a fresh genre of music coined "Islamic Pop" by setting a new benchmark in the religious music industry. The journal ''Transnational Broadcasting Studies'' analyzed the main causes of his success by attributing it to Yusuf’s ability to blend “a religious worldview with a mainstream form of entertainment, and in doing so, [communicating] a personable, accessible expression of the Islamic faith that is in harmony with the modern world and incorporated into the mundane activities of daily life”.

(2005–2009) – My Ummah

Yusuf gained worldwide recognition following the release of his second album, ''My Ummah'', in July 2005. This album appeared in both musical and percussive versions and includes fourteen tracks. The album’s thematic elements include empowerment of women in “Free”, raising awareness of the plight of victims of conflict-laden regions like Palestine and Darfur in the respective tracks of “Try Not to Cry” (featuring Outlandish) and “Make A Prayer”; “Muhammad” was dedicated to the victims of the 2004 Beslan school massacre, whereas “We Will Never Submit” protested against acquiescence to oppression. The album, both Eastern and Western in sound, utilized wide-ranging musical instrumentation from classical instruments like piano, violin, flute and drums to ethnic instruments like oud, santour, tar, drums, tombak and more. "My Ummah" was an embodiment of Yusuf’s "utopia for the Muslim World or humanity at large". Considered a breakthrough album , it sold over four million copies globally and was received enthusiastically by a diverse range of listeners, particularly young people, who identified closely with the topics included therein. ''Transnational Broadcasting Studies'' discussed the exposure of Muslim youth to a new dawn of Islamic “art with purpose”, accrediting this opening to Yusuf’s music that had the power "to both preserve core cultural identity and promote spiritual and material progress“. Yusuf's music video featuring the Afghani folklore “Hasbi Rabbi” became a regional hit in Egypt, and was used to launch Vodafone Egypt’s value-added-service (VAS) platform Vodafone Live. The video portrays Yusuf in multiple characters and locations: as a practicing Muslim businessman in London, a teacher playing soccer and tutoring in Taj Mahal, then a professional Volinist jubilantly laughing and chatting with his bandmates in Turkey, and finally as a jovial carpenter in the lively bazaar's of Egypt. Recognized by ''The Independent'' as the "Voice of Islam", Yusuf emphasized that he was not a "preacher", rather a musician with a message who believes in the urgent need for “a wave of people to come along and bridge the gaps, because we have so much in common, so much to learn from each other”. A major addition to his artistic repertoire was Oscar-winning director Marc Forster's proposal to Yusuf to compose a credit-piece for the Golden Globe award-nominated film, ''The Kite Runner''. Due to time constraints on both sides however, the credit piece was never realised but “Supplication”, a track from Yusuf’s debut album, was used to voice one of the film’s climactic scenes. Reluctant to be dubbed as “Islam’s Biggest Rock Star” by ''Time'', Yusuf later explained that he does not "want to be a rock star ... a popstar. ... I just want to make good music, and do what I feel I’m confident in doing ... and that’s music”.

(2005–2009) Dispute with Former Label

In a contractual dispute lasting from 2008 to 2009, Yusuf legally separated from his former record label Awakening. He claimed the "third" album, ''Without You'', released by Awakening in January 2009, was released without his prior “blessings nor consent”. He stated: “I therefore wish to make it perfectly clear that an album any such recordings could only be put on to the market against my wishes and without my approval”. In mid-2009, he signed a five-album contract with the UK-based record label ETM International.

(2009 – present) – Wherever You Are Pre-Release

In July 2009, Yusuf was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters degree in recognition of his “extraordinary contributions to the field of music” by Roehampton University in southwest London. Earlier in the year, he was selected to serve as the first Global Ambassador of HH Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser’s (Qatar's First Lady) intitiative, Silatech, which seeks to engage “the public, private and civil society sectors to promote large-scale job creation, entrepreneurship and access to capital and markets for young people”. Ranked in the “Top 500 Influential Muslims of 2009 (and 2010)”, a publication edited by Georgetown University’s John Esposito and Ibrahim Kahlin, Yusuf was described as an “internationally popular British singer-songwriter whose music has revolutionized the nasheed industry. ... He is also known for his extensive involvement in charity work”. Yusuf released his video single, “You Came To Me,” in four languages (English, Arabic, Turkish, and Persian) in the summer of 2009. ''Rolling Stone'' magazine called the style by which Yusuf sung the track’s lyrics “touching”, listing it as one of the key tracks of the “Wherever You Are” album. SamiYusufOfficial.com announced the release of “Wherever You Are”, Yusuf’s third official album, in March 2010, introducing it as “A renaissance. A Rebirth. A New Beginning”. Meanwhile in the following summer, Yusuf shared his music video “Healing” sung in English and Arabic that was created in cooperation with the KSA-based International Medical Center. It was also listed as another key track by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine. In reference to the song’s underlying philosophy of generosity in lines like “Heal and you will be healed/…Give and you will receive/It’s nature’s order”, Yusuf’s wrote on his blog: “I hope it helps, albeit in some small way, in showing that every single one of us can be a healer”. Amidst the torrential monsoons that wreaked havoc in Pakistan and affected 20 million lives in the summer of 2010, he promptly released a charity single entitled “Hear Your Call”, performed in English and Urdu, to raise funds for the displaced Pakistanis in a joint-effort with the UN-sponsored charity organization Save the Children. The song was featured on a short film by the United Nations Office for Coordination of Human Affairs (OCHA) appealing for renewed donations towards the relief effort. Prompted by the protests and clashes that transpired in Egypt in February 2011, Yusuf released a free track entitled “I’m Your Hope”, dedicating it to the “Shabaab” or youth. The lyrics are in English and Arabic. Sami Yusuf has expressed keen interest on initiating his own “record company to help artists and talents that are not supported” in the near future.

(2009–Present) Wherever You Are: “New Chapter” and“Spiritique”

Performing live in the Maida Vale Studios, Yusuf explained that “It's 2009, I have different challenges, I've got different issues and I will not sing religious-themed music just for the sake of business – it's got to be what I feel”. After a five-yearlong hiatus, Yusuf released his third, official studio album named ''Wherever You Are'' in October 2010, welcoming what he termed a “New Chapter” in his professional career and music. ''"Spiritique"'' is Yusuf’s self-coined musical and philosophical classification of his music. Spiritique, according to Yusuf, is a blend of both the “oriental and occidental” sounds, underpinned by spirituality that “will utilize music as a facilitator for spiritual appreciation, regardless of race and religion”. Yusuf considers it his new sound and “something [he] wants to stand for from now”. With the exceptions of songs like “No Word is Worthy”, “You Came To Me” and "Salaam" (though the latter is more of a 'humanitarian ode' than religiously themed) the 12 track-set album purposely draws less upon religious content leaving room for interpretation for listeners of all backgrounds. Yusuf maintains, however, that it follows the “same principles and ingredients [of] honesty, [and] sincerity”. Introducing the album in its official trailer as a “mini diary of events” that occurred from 2007 to 2010, Yusuf emphasized that the content is essentially a reflection of his worldview: “This third album is about who I am and the reality of the day and age we are living in. It talks about the hypocrisy. ... it’s quite dark”. Songs like “Give the Young A Chance”, featuring lyrics by Ian Brown, incorporate heavy usage of metaphors, likening the youth to “jewels” and allusions to “gardens where birds will sing lullabies” and “sweet scents fill the air”. British singer-songwriter Conner Reeves and Turkish singer Sezen Aksu also collaborated with Yusuf in the track “Without You”. “In Every Tear, He Is There” song, another track collaboration with Conner Reeves, concludes with an African choir singing “In Every Tear/ That is where/He is There” repeatedly in Zulu. “Fragile World”, Yusuf’s admittedly own favorite track, is reflective of the “dark” experiences he underwent throughout the years. Though predominantly performed in English, several tracks include verses in Arabic, Malaysian, Persian and Urdu. It has been given 3.5 stars out of 4 by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine, and commended as a “beautifully produced album”. Sami Yusuf has visited Turkey, UAE, and Qatar to promote “Wherever You Are” and is due to travel to Egypt, Singapore, Malaysia, and Jordan in the near future, plus an upcoming European tour scheduled for spring 2011. The video for "In Every Tear He Is There" has been released and that for "Make Me Strong" is due for release in 2011.

Notable Tours/Concert Performances

Yusuf’s tours and concert performances throughout the past eight years have been extensive. His more notable tours include sold-out concerts in the Royal Albert Hall and Royal Concert Hall in the UK in 2006, in addition to a comprehensive Germany tour in 2007. He performed to crowds of thousands in Bosnia, Canada, France, Belgium, Finland, Austria, Greece, and the Netherlands (which he considers one of his favorite concerts). He toured the United States in 2006 and 2007, singing at venues in Los Angeles, Detroit, Dallas, Chicago, and New Jersey in venues like the LA Shrine Auditorium. In the Middle East and Asian regions, he performed to tens of thousands in Egypt’s Cairo and Alexandria, Qatar, Kuwait, UAE, Algeria, Bahrain, Syria, Jordan, Tajikistan, and Saudi Arabia. He received a record crowd of 250,000 in Istanbul, Turkey earning the name “Islam’s Biggest Rock Star” in ''Time'' magazine. In an early concert in Azerbaijan, Yusuf experienced what he likened to a “hero’s welcome” in his ancestral homeland. Over 50,000 people attend his shows in the Casa Music Festival in Casablanca, Morocco in 2007, exceeding by double the venue’s space limit. In the highly publicized concert at Wembley Arena [dubbed the press as the “Muslim Live Aid”], which served as a milestone event where approximately two million pounds were raised for the relief effort in Darfur, Sudan. It was warmly received by a thank-you video message by the British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown. Performing in The Velodrome in Capetown, Durban, and Johannesburg in his 2008 South Africa Tour, Yusuf accompanied the Agape Children Orphanage’s choir, singing along with their feature song “We Are Together” – the title of a multi-award winning HBO film on the Agape Children’s Orphanage. After performing in the Moroccan Fez Wold Sacred Music Festival in 2009, he agreed to do a free concert for the locals that drew in approximately a hundred thousand attendees, with one day’s notice. Packing venues again in Faruma Arena, Denmark, Grugahalle in Germany, and De Doelen in Netherlands, Yusuf introduced his forthcoming album, “Wherever You Are”. Sami Yusuf has visited Turkey, UAE, and Qatar to promote “Wherever You Are” and is due to travel to Egypt, Singapore, Malaysia, and Jordan in the near future. An upcoming European tour is scheduled for spring 2011.

Acclaim/Recognition

“Islam’s Biggest Rock Star” – Time Magazine (2006) “Biggest Star in the Middle East” – Guardian (2006) “King of Islamic Pop” – Al-Jazeera (2007) IOL Star of 2009 (2009) 500 Most Influential Muslims in 2009 (2009) BBC’s 30 More Famous Britons (2009) First Global Ambassador of Silatech (2009 – Present) Doctor of Letters Award – Roehampton University (2009) 500 Most Influential Muslims in 2010 (2010)

Collaborations

Outlandish – Try Not to Cry, I’ve Seen (2005)

Erkan Mutlu – Wherever You Are (2010)

Sezen Aksu – Wherever You Are (2010)

Ian Brown – Wherever You Are (2010)

Conner Reeves – Wherever You Are (2010)

Charity Work/Humanitarian Initiatives

Charity Event for Disabled Children – Cairo, Egypt (2005) Evening of Inspiration – Islamic Relief/UK Tour (2006) Evening of Inspiration – Islamic Relief/US Tour (2006) Evening of Inspiration – Islamic Relief/US Tour (2007) Wembley Arena – UK (2007) Agape Children’s Orphanage concert – South Africa (2008) Telethon Fundraiser for Gaza (2009) Gaza Rally – Istanbul, Turkey (2009) First global ambassador of Silatech (2009) “Hear Your Call” – Save the Children, Pakistan (2010) “I’m Your Hope” (2011)

“In Every Tear, He Is There” – Haiti, South Africa (2011)

Discography

''Al-Mu`allim'' (2003) – 3 Million ''My Ummah'' (2005) – 4 Million

''Wherever You Are'' (2010) – N/A

Soundtracks (Singles)

"Supplication" – Adapted in “The Kite Runner” (2007)

"A Thousand Times" (2007)

"Palestine Forever" (2009)

"Anything For You" (2009)

"You Came to Me" (2009)

"Healing" (2010)

"Hear Your Call" (2010)

"I’m Your Hope" (2011)

"In Every Tear, He Is There" (2011)

"The Source" (2011)

Music Videos

Al-Mu’allim – Dir. Hani Osama

Supplication – Dir. Hani Osama

Hasbi Rabbi – Dir. Hani Osama

Mother – Dir. Hani Osama

Asma Allah – Dir. Hani Osama

Healing – Dir. Jacob Viit Kusk

You Came to Me – Dir. Jacob Viit Kusk

In Every Tear He Is There – Dir. Jacob Viit Kusk

Hear Your Call (Official) – Created by Daniyal Noorani

I’m Your Hope (Official) – Directed and edited by Kareem Shaaban

References

External links

Sami Yusuf's Official Website

Category:1980 births Category:Living people Category:British singer-songwriters Category:English Muslims Category:People associated with the Royal Academy of Music Category:Iranian singer-songwriters

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