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Sami Yusuf Official Telegram Channel.
Here is the Centre that is the Centre of all wheres,
Now is the moment at the heart of all times
Shu yer borliq markazi, borliqning markazidir
Bu lahzalar barcha zamonlar qalbidadir
The Uzbek version of ‘The Centre’ performed in a stunning setting in fabled Samarkand.
Composed, Orchestrated and Performed by Sami Yusuf
Listen/Watch: https://sy.lnk.to/TheCentre-Live
#samiyusuf
Brainstorming with Atif Aslam and Sami Yusuf 💛
See you all on 7th November at Etihad Arena.
Oh my fate and reason for my confusion
Who could relieve my sufferings
In love and torment
Except the King of Heaven
Vocal section by Nabyla Maan
From the album: Alma: When Paths Meet
Arrangement & Additional Composition: Sami Yusuf
Arabic lyrics: Traditional
Listen/Watch: https://sy.lnk.to/La-Llave
#samiyusuf #worldmusictraditions
Performing "La Llave" live at the Fes Festival was a truly moving experience for me. This piece is a celebration of shared heritage—a meeting point of languages, rhythms, and traditions.
We reimagined this centuries-old Andalusian folk song with new Spanish lyrics echoing its original Arabic verses, creating something that feels both ancient and new. I’m deeply grateful to the incredible artists who brought it to life with me—Israel Moro, Nabyla Maan, Ismail Boujia, and our brilliant ensemble.
In this live performance, world music traditions become a shared experience—an unrepeatable moment of connection that is intimate, alive, and deeply human.
With Love,
SY
La Llave – now on YouTube: https://sy.lnk.to/La-Llave
From the album Alma: When Paths Meet
#samiyusuf #worldmusictraditions
Beyond the Stars was more than a concert—it was a meeting point of cultures, performed live at the stunning Al Wasl Dome in Dubai 2021.
These original compositions bring together the rich textures of global musical traditions—from the expressive tones of the Chinese erhu to the vibrant rhythms of qawwali and the intricate melodies of Andalusia. Each piece is a reflection of connection, creativity, and the universal language of music.
I’m grateful to have shared this unforgettable moment with master musicians and an audience from around the world.
With Love,
SY
Listen/Watch: https://sy.lnk.to/BeyondtheStarsAlbum-Live
#samiyusuf #worldmusictraditions #worldmusic
The Wine of Love was composed for my performance at the Al Wasl Dome, Dubai 2021.
Set to beautiful Urdu poetry by Munna Shaokath Ali, the lyrics explore reflection, longing, and the search for connection:
“When I look at you, let me see myself in you…
May the longing for you never fade from my heart.”
This moment was deeply meaningful for me, and I hope for those who experienced it.
With love,
SY
Listen/Watch: https://sy.lnk.to/TheWineOfLove
#samiyusuf #worldmusictraditions #humanmusic #qawali
23 Ağustos’ta İstanbul Yenikapı’da sahne alacağım ve ECSTASY albümümden yeni eserleri ilk kez sizlerle paylaşacak olmaktan büyük mutluluk duyuyorum.
Bana az önce bildirildi ki biletlerin büyük çoğunluğu şimdiden satılmış—gösterdiğiniz sevgi ve destek için hepinize yürekten teşekkür ederim. Satışlar hâlâ devam ediyor ve bu unutulmaz geceyi sizlerle paylaşmak için sabırsızlanıyorum.
Bilet almak için: https://sy.lnk.to/Live-in-Istanbul
Sevgiyle,
SY
___
I’m so happy to be performing in Istanbul on 23 August at Yenikapı, where I’ll be premiering new pieces from ECSTASY.
I’ve just been informed that most of the tickets have already been sold—thank you all so much for your love and support. Sales are still ongoing, and I’m truly looking forward to sharing this unforgettable evening with you.
To book your ticket: https://sy.lnk.to/Live-in-Istanbul
With love,
SY
#samiyusuf #türkiye #ecstasyalbum
رق معنى الهوى
Passion had a subtle meaning
في النفوس و الأشباح
In souls and in shadows
و ظهر و احتوى
And it appeared and was contained
في الصدور و الأرواح
In hearts and spirits
يا خِليَّ الجوى
O air of burning desire
لو ذُقتٓ من الراح
If you had a taste of wine
يا له من مُدام
Oh from him constantly
من سٓكٓر به غنَّى
He who has become drunk
has gained in richness
Vocal section performed by Nabyla Maan
Composed by Sami Yusuf
Arabic words by Abu al-Hasan al-Shushtari
Listen/Watch: https://sy.lnk.to/TheFireWithin-Live
#samiyusuf #thefirewithin #worldmusictraditions #humanmusic
O Heart that sacrificed itself for love,
Forget the sadness that your lover’s passing beauty brought,
For she is not inclined to loyalty,
Go, find your place in that love that never changes.
Kelgil, ey qurbon ko‘ngul,
ul qoshi yo mehrin unut,
Chun vafodin tortilur,
sen ham borib bir go‘sha tut.
Composed by Sami Yusuf
Uzbek words: Alisher Navoi
Vocal section by Ilyos Arabov
Performed at the Philharmonie de Paris
Listen/Watch: https://sy.lnk.to/LamourVivant
#worldmusictraditions #classicalcrossover #humanmusic
The journey of the body falls on dry land,
But the journey of the spirit sets foot in the heart of the sea.
سیر جسم خشک بر خشکی فتاد
سیر جان پا در دل دریا نهاد
I am the lover of a beautiful one, O saints,
For her sake, I get stoned by strangers.
Bir güzelin aşığıyam erenler,
Onun içün taşa tutar el beni.
Beauty has quenched the thirst of the lovers,
When it was revealed to them.
جمَالٌ سَقـَى الْأَحْبَابَ
لَمَّا لَهُمْ بَدَا
Composed by Sami Yusuf
Arabic words by Abī Sa'd al-Yafi'ī
Persian words by Rumi
Turkish words by Pir Sultan Abdal
Performed at the Philharmonie de Paris
VOCAL SOLOISTS:
Eléonore Fourniau
Nabyla Maan
Listen/Watch: https://sy.lnk.to/The-Journey
#samiyusuf #worldmusictraditions #thejourney #worldmusic
We understood and understood all in the intoxication
of our ecstasy,
We walked on, our bliss like a garment trailing behind us, intoxicated and exuberant,
We drank from the cup of love, we were sacrificed to love, and our blood was made licit.
Composed and arranged by Sami Yusuf
Arabic words by Suhrawardi
Performed at the Philharmonie de Paris
Listen/watch: https://sy.lnk.to/RiverOfParadise
#samiyusuf #classicalmusic #worldmusictraditions #traditionalmusic #humanmusic #instrumental
O you through whom my life has become sweet
And of whom I brag over all creation,
You are my suns, the core of my essence,
And your faces are the direction of prostration.
يا من بهِم قد طابَت حياتي
وتِهتُ فخراً على الوجود
أنتُم شموسي وعينُ ذاتي
ووجهُكُم قبلةَ السجودِ
Vocal section by Nabyla Maan
Arabic words by Abu Madyan al-Ghawth
Composed and arranged by Sami Yusuf
Listen/Watch: https://sy.lnk.to/UnCorazonBailando
#samiyusuf #samiyusuf #uncorazónbailando #worldmusictraditions #humanmusic
En soledad vivía,
y en soledad la guía su querido,
en soledad de amor herido.
In solitude she lived,
And in solitude her Beloved guided her,
In the solitude of wounded love.
‘Un Corazón Bailando’ is from the live album ALMA, recorded at the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music.
Words by San Juan de la Cruz
Composed by Sami Yusuf
Listen/Watch: https://sy.lnk.to/UnCorazonBailando
#samiyusuf #uncorazónbailando #worldmusictraditions #humanmusic
Cuanto más alto,
Cuanto más alto se sube,
hay tanto menos se entendía,
que es la tenebrosa nube,
que la noche esclarecía.
que es la tenebrosa luna,
que la noche esclarecía.
The higher,
The higher one rises,
The less one knew;
That is the dark cloud,
That illuminated the night,
That is the dark moon,
That illuminated the night.
Vocal section by Israel Moro.
Composed and arranged by Sami Yusuf
Spanish words by Teresa de Ávila, San Juan de la Cruz
Listen/Watch: https://sy.lnk.to/UnCorazonBailando
#samiyusuf #uncorazónbailando #worldmusictraditions #humanmusic
‘Un Corazón Bailando’ is a conversation between musical worlds — flamenco, mugham, and Arabic traditions — each with its own voice, yet all flowing from the same source: the human heart — el corazón.
Watch the new video now, featuring the zurna of Magsad Azizov.
Listen/Watch: https://sy.lnk.to/UnCorazonBailando
#samiyusuf #uncorazónbailando #worldmusictraditions #humanmusic
‘Nasimi’ performed live at the stunning Al Wasl Dome in Dubai 2021.
Composed by Sami Yusuf
Listen/Watch: https://sy.lnk.to/Nasimi-ExpoVersion-Live
#samiyusuf #nasimi
No hay nadie que se apiade
There is no one to show mercy
Excepto el Rey del cielo
Except the King of Heaven
De mi tortura y de mi anhelo
Of my torment and of my longing
Vocal section by Israel Moro
From the album: Alma: When Paths Meet
Arrangement & Additional Composition: Sami Yusuf
Spanish lyrics: Katherine O’Brien
Listen/Watch: https://sy.lnk.to/La-Llave
#samiyusuf #worldmusictraditions
I beheld the crescent moon
and the luminous face of the Beloved.
And in that moment of vision, they became
two crescents in my sight.
And I could no longer tell which of them had slain me
Was it the crescent of the night sky
or the crescent of human form shining with Divine light?
Vocal section by Ismail Boujia
From the album: Alma: When Paths Meet
Arrangement & Additional Composition: Sami Yusuf
Arabic lyrics: Al Khobz Arzi
Listen/Watch: https://sy.lnk.to/La-Llave
#samiyusuf #worldmusictraditions
Ilahana—performed live at the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music (2019).
Listen/Watch: https://sy.lnk.to/Ilahana-Live
#samiyusuf #eidmubarak
‘Nasimi’ is one of the compositions closest to my heart. The ecstatic poetry of the 14th-century Sufi master Nasimi is celebrated here through the vibrant sound of Shur mugham, the beautiful and living musical legacy of the poet’s homeland.
This performance was recorded live at the Opening Ceremony of the 43rd UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Baku — a moment of deep meaning and pride.
With love,
SY
Karitas brings together global traditions—from Fuzuli to Hildegard, Andalusia to the East—uniting hearts through sound.
Composed by Sami Yusuf
Azerbaijani words by Muhammad Fuzuli
Book your tickets for the upcoming concert in Istanbul: https://sy.lnk.to/Live-in-Istanbul
Listen/Watch: https://sy.lnk.to/Karitas
#samiyusuf #karitas #worldmusictraditions #classicalcrossover
It is with deep gratitude that I share this moment: ‘L’Amour Vivant’ has reached over 4 million views on YouTube.
In an era of AI-generated and mass-produced music, the love shown to this 20-minute classical-crossover piece—rooted in World Music Traditions—is humbling.
This work is more than a composition. It’s a journey through Baroque textures, Arabic baladi, Central Asian depth, Persian modes, the Malian kora, and Chinese erhu—a tribute to the soul of traditional music.
As formulaic pop floods our culture, I’ve embraced the tag #HumanMusic—not in protest, but in praise of what is real, inspired, and felt.
My heartfelt thanks to The Sami Yusuf Ensemble, The Scoring Orchestra of Paris, The Métaboles, and all the soloists who brought this piece to life. And to you, the listener—thank you for receiving it.
Watch here: https://sy.lnk.to/LamourVivant
With love,
Sami Yusuf
#samiyusuf #lamourvivant
Do you not see the caged bird, O youth?
When it remembers its homelands it longs
for those abodes of contentment.
أما تنظر الطير المُقَفّصَ يافتى
إذا ذكر الأوطان حنَّ إلَى المَغْنَى
Vocal section by Ismail Boujia
Arabic words by Abu al-Hasan al-Shushtari
Composed and arranged by Sami Yusuf
Listen/Watch: https://sy.lnk.to/UnCorazonBailando
#samiyusuf #uncorazónbailando #worldmusictraditions
Her love is hidden
contained in the depths
O you who have fallen in love
give yourself up to it,
حُبُّهَا مَكنُونْ
في الحَشَى مَخزُون
أَيُّهَا المَفْتُونْ
هِمْ بهَا ذُلا
Composed by Sami Yusuf
Arabic words by Abu al-Hasan al-Shushtari
Performed at the Philharmonie de Paris
Listen/Watch: https://sy.lnk.to/The-Journey
#samiyusuf #worldmusictraditions #thejourney #worldmusic
Layla has robbed me
of my sanity
I said, O Layla
Have mercy on the one killed by love
سَلَبَتْ ليْلَى
مِنِّيَ العَقْلَا
قُلْتُ ياَليْلَى
إرْحَمِي الْقَتْلَى
Composed by Sami Yusuf
Arabic words by Abu al-Hasan al-Shushtari
Performed at the Philharmonie de Paris
Listen/watch: https://sy.lnk.to/The-Journey
#samiyusuf #worldmusictraditions #traditionalmusic #worldmusic
Excerpt from ‘Un Corazón Bailando’ from the album ‘ALMA’ composed by Sami Yusuf.
Recorded at the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music.
Listen/Watch: https://sy.lnk.to/UnCorazonBailando
#samiyusuf #uncorazónbailando #worldmusictraditions #humanmusic
‘Un Corazón Bailando’ is from the live album ALMA, recorded at the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music.
Composed by Sami Yusuf
Listen/Watch: https://sy.lnk.to/UnCorazonBailando
#samiyusuf #uncorazónbailando #worldmusictraditions #humanmusic
The Dance of the Heart Begins in Fes.
Composed by Sami Yusuf
Listen/Watch: https://sy.lnk.to/UnCorazonBailando
#samiyusuf #uncorazónbailando #worldmusictraditions #humanmusic
Hasta hoy, estaba perplejo,
Ah, perplejo,
Errando por los rincones de la existencia,
Lanzado en océanos de contemplación,
Entre olas de pensamiento,
Olas de pensamiento.
Until today I was bewildered,
Ah, bewildered,
Wandering through the corners of existence,
Cast into oceans of contemplation,
Amongst waves of thought,
Waves of thought.
كُنْتُ قبلَ اليَومِ حائِر
آه حائِر
فِي زَوَايَا الْكَونِ دَائِرْ
فِي بِحَارِ الفكْرِ مُلْقَى
بين أمواجِ الْخَوَاطِر
أمواجِ الْخَوَاطِر
Listen/Watch: https://sy.lnk.to/UnCorazonBailando
#samiyusuf #uncorazónbailando #worldmusictraditions #humanmusic
Now as I’m sharing the video of ‘Un Corazón Bailando’ from my Alma: When Paths Meet album, I want to also share some thoughts about what this piece represents to me. At the surface level, disparate musical genres – flamenco, Azerbaijani mugham, Arabic modal systems – each take the stage, then cede it to another sonoral world. Also at this external level, we hear Spanish mystical poetry juxtaposed with lines from the treasury of Arabic verse.
But as many of you will understand, beyond the outer beauty that each genre brings to the piece, there is a depth of meaning in their interplay. I have not brought mugham and flamenco music, nor Spanish and Arabic poetry together just for the sake of innovation. These represent long and elaborate traditions, and in their connection here we see not a fusion but a call and response echoing across lands and time. We hear the authentic voice of each tradition in its purity.
It is my intention in ‘Un Corazón Bailando’ to give listeners a glimpse into the fullness of each of these traditions as they are actively influenced by the colours of other musical worlds. And it is my intention to portray them in their essence with all their beautiful differences of expression, not as foreign or as strangers to one another, but as flowing from a single source: the human heart, el corazón.
Enjoy! SY
Recorded Live at the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music
Fes, Morocco
Featured Soloists:
Nabyla Maan, vocals
Israel Moro, vocals
Ismail Boujia, vocals
Antoine Morinière, guitar
José Manuel León, guitar
Tarik Hilal, guitar
Maqsad Azizov, balaban
Listen/Watch: https://sy.lnk.to/UnCorazonBailando
#samiyusuf #samiyusuf #uncorazónbailando #worldmusictraditions #humanmusic