George Wassouf
جورج وسوف
Wassouf in 2009
Born (1961-12-23) 23 December 1961
Kafroun, Syria
Occupations
  • Actor
  • singer
Spouses
Shalimar Wassouf
​
​
(m. 1982; div. 2009)​
    ​
    ​
    (m. 2014; div. 2016)​
    Children4
    Musical career
    GenresArabic Music, Syrian Music, Lebanese Music
    Years active1971–present
    Labels
    • Rotana
    • Relax-In
    • EMI Music Arabia
    Websitewassoufworld.com

    George Wassouf (Arabic: جورج وسوف; 23 December 1961) is a Syrian-Lebanese actor and singer.[1][2][3] In a career spanning more than four decades, he has released more than 30 albums, with a significantly large audience of fans throughout the Arab world. Dubbed Sultan El-Tarab (Arabic: سلطان الطرب), he is one of the most successful Arab singers selling over 60 million records worldwide.[4]

    Early life and career

    Wassouf was born in Kafroun, Syria to a Greek Orthodox Christian family.[5] Wassouf started singing at the age of 10 in his hometown Kafroun. He was discovered by his first manager and producer George Yazbeck at a wedding party that Wassouf was performing at, aged 12 years old. At the age of 16, he was called Sultan El-Tarab by the Lebanese journalist George Ibrahim El Khoury, a magazine director, Arabic for The Sultan of Music, with his classic song "el-Hawa Sultan".[6] He became famous after appearing on the Lebanese show Studio El Fan 1980 when he was 19 years old as Sultan of Tarab.[6] Wassouf also holds Lebanese citizenship.

    Wassouf preferred not to shoot music videos for his songs saying: "I don't feel I can act... I really can't... I only find myself when I'm on the stage... singing, but the video clip forces me to act".[6]

    Personal life

    George Wassouf married his first wife, Shalimar, at the age of 21. They have three children: Wadih who died on 6-January 2023 due to surgery , Hatem and George Jr. The couple separated after 28 years of marriage in 2009.[7]

    He was married to Qatar rally champion Nada Zeidan, his second wife. They divorced in 2016.[8] Their daughter, Oyoon, was born in October 2015.[9]

    Wassouf has been a prominent supporter of President Bashar al-Assad's government throughout the Syrian Civil War.[10]

    On January 6, 2023, his son Wadih died due to complications from a gastric bypass surgery.[11]

    Discography

    • 1983: Ouwidni Salmtek Byied Allah
    • 1984: El Hawa Sultan
    • 1992: Rouh El Rouh
    • 1993: She' Ghareeb
    • 1995: Kalam El Nass
    • 1996: Leil Al Ashiqeen
    • 1998: Lissa El Dounya Bi Khair
    • 1999: Tabeeb Garrah
    • 2000: Dol Mush Habayib
    • 2001: Zaman El Ajayib
    • 2002: Inta Gherhom
    • 2003: Salaf Wi Deine
    • 2004: Etakhart Kteer
    • 2006: Heya El Ayam
    • 2008: Kalamak Ya Habibi
    • 2009: Allah Kareem, Shoukran
    • 2012: Best of Wassouf
    • 2015: Shtaanelak

    Live Albums

    • Sings Oum Kolthoum Vol. 1, 1983.
    • Sings Oum Kolthoum Vol. 2, 1995.
    • Sings Oum Kolthoum Vol. 3, 1997.
    • Sings Abdel Halim Hafez, 1998.
    • Sings Warda, 1999

    Singles

    • Ahla Ayam El Omr, 1995.
    • Amri Lellah, 1995.
    • Mahlak Tmahal Ya Malak, 1995.
    • Rahal El Batal, 2000.
    • Ferhat Rejouak Ya Loubnan, 2010.
    • Dawarat El Ayam, 2010.
    • Aady Ya Donia, 2011.
    • Biyehsedouni, 2011.
    • Seket El Kalam, 2013 [12]
    • Bisaalouni Aleik, 2013.
    • Ya Oumi, 2013.
    • Zekrayat, 2013.
    • Shouq El Omr, 2013.
    • Tarakni Ghab, 2014.
    • Bandahlak, 2017.
    • Malikat Gamal El Rouh, 2018 [13]
    • Hal El Garih, 2019.
    • Sahi El Leil, 2020.
    • Byetkallem Aalaya, 2022.
    • Noss Omry, 2023.

    Clips

    • Yalli Taebna Senin Fi Hawah, 1986.
    • Ya Moualdani, 1986.
    • Kalam El Nass, 1994.
    • Erda Bel Nassib, 1996.
    • Lissa El Donya Bkheir, 1998.
    • Tabib Garah, 1999.
    • Ana Assef, 1999.
    • Dul Mush Habayeb, 2000.
    • Ma Teoulou Leih, 2000.
    • Zaman El Agayeb, 2001.
    • Youm El Wadaa, 2001.
    • Salaf We Dayn, 2003.
    • Etakhart Ktir, 2004.
    • Sehert El Leyl, 2004.
    • Leilat Wadaana, 2006.
    • Asaab Fourak, 2008.
    • Aallem Albi El Shouk, 2008.
    • Ferhat Rejouak Ya Loubnan, 2010.
    • Dawarat El Ayam, 2010.
    • Biyehsedouni, 2011.
    • Malikat Gamal El Rouh, 2018.
    • Hal El Garih, 2019.
    • Sahi El Leil, 2020.

    References

    1. ↑ "George Wassouf celebrates his 57th birthday on Dec. 23". egypttoday.com. Mustafa Marie. 23 December 2018. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
    2. ↑ Skinner, Patricia (October 2004). Syria. Gareth Stevens. pp. 33–. ISBN 978-0-8368-3118-4. Retrieved 17 May 2011.
    3. ↑ "Dh4.2m suit against syrian singer George Wassouf thrown out". gulfnews.com. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
    4. ↑ Behnke, Alison (January 2005). Syria in Pictures. Twenty-First Century Books. p. 71. ISBN 9780822523963.
    5. ↑ "At the initiative of the national office for culture and information: George Wassouf in concerts in Sétif and Algiers". djazairess.com. Samira Sidhoum. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
    6. 1 2 3 "George Wassouf Biography". fleurdamour.blogit.fr.
    7. ↑ "George Wassouf and rally champion Nada Zeidan's marriage reaches the finish line!". Al Bawaba. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
    8. ↑ "George Wassouf secretly divorces rally champion wife!". www.albawaba.com.
    9. ↑ "It's a girl! George Wassouf and Nada Zeidan welcome their firstborn into the world". Al Bawaba. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
    10. ↑ Naharnet Newsdesk (19 June 2014). "Maher Assad Appears for First Time in Four Years". Naharnet. Naharnet. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
    11. ↑ Gillett, Katy (7 June 2023). "Arab stars offer George Wassouf support after son Wadih's death". The National News.
    12. ↑ "Georges Wassouf to release 'Seket el Kalam' soon". egypttoday. 23 April 2019.
    13. ↑ "Georges Wassouf: This job, I do it for you ..." lorientlejour.com. 20 December 2018. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
    This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.