Sami Yusuf - British Composer,
Multi-Instrumentalist, Vocalist
A pioneer in the field of World Music Traditions, bridging cultures and captivating millions across the globe.
Introduction
Sami Yusuf is an internationally acclaimed British composer, multi-instrumentalist, and vocalist – a pioneer in the field of World Music Traditions. Hailed by the BBC as “a megastar,” his work bridges cultures and captivates millions across the globe. With over 45 million albums sold worldwide and more than 1 billion total downloads/streams to date, Yusuf stands as one of the most successful composers of his generation. His journey from a London upbringing to the global stage is a testament to the universal appeal of his music, as his compositions move fluidly across genres including Western classical, classical crossover, qawwali, Azerbaijani and Persian classical, Middle Eastern Sufi, flamenco, and folk.
International Media Highlights
"In short, he's a megastar."
BBC Newsnight
"His success in the world music scene is undeniable."
MyLondon
"One of the most successful British musicians since the Rolling Stones."
ARTE France
"He's a global recording and performing sensation."
ABC
"Sami Yusuf drew a crowd of 250,000 in Istanbul."
Deutsche Welle
"Beautifully produced."
Rolling Stone
"His artistic creativity is unparalleled."
Volzin Magazine
"Sami Yusuf ignites the stage."
SNRT News
"His magic and passion resonate deeply."
Agencia EFE
Artist Biography
British composer Sami Yusuf is one of the most influential musicians of our time in the field of world music traditions. The internationally acclaimed artist is known for his electrifying large-scale events that interweave diverse strands of world music with contemporary innovation. His ground-breaking performances draw large audiences from the Americas to Europe and from the MENA region to Central and South Asia.
Creator of the When Paths Meet concert series, Sami has released 9 studio albums and 13 live albums, amassed over a billion downloads, and performed at sold-out venues on six continents. His work shines with beauty and depth as it moves fluidly among genres as diverse as qawwali, Persian classical, Middle Eastern Sufi music, flamenco, and Western classical styles. He has sold over 45 million albums and was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Letters from Roehampton University for "his invaluable contribution to the field of music."
"When composing, I feel I have entered a world more vibrant and alive than the one we normally inhabit."
– Sami Yusuf
"It is music that blows you away with polyphonic choirs, virtuoso percussion and the power of the single melody held in place by so many instruments simultaneously."
– Cultural Press Agency
Life and Career
Early Life
Born to Azerbaijani parents in Tehran, Iran (1980) and raised in London, Sami was trained from an early age in both Western and Middle Eastern classical music. His father, who was his principal teacher, taught him to play several traditional Middle Eastern instruments and gave him his early training in the tones and modes of the music they conveyed.
Musical Development
To his ability to express himself musically within the classical Arabic/Central Asian modal systems of his Azerbaijani heritage, in his teens he added a fluency with piano and violin as he interiorised and immersed himself in Western classical music.
Early Success
Sami's first album, Al-Mu'allim (2003), incorporated the Western and Eastern elements that exist within him, and with its release he quickly gained international recognition and celebrity. He composed and produced this work and others when he was in his early twenties, and although they created an entirely new musical genre that other artists to this day continue to follow, Sami soon realised that his artistic path was leading him elsewhere.
Period of Study
He withdrew from the touring and producing scene for a number of years, releasing very few new pieces. During that time, Sami immersed himself in the study of both music and philosophy, exploring their complex theories and the ways that they express human experience. He travelled to sacred places, absorbing their ambience and inspiration.
Return to World Stage
When he returned to the world stage with the release of Barakah in 2016, Sami's passion for expressing the music and poetry of world artistic traditions reimagined in a contemporary language came fully into focus. In his performances at the Dubai EXPO, the UNESCO World Congress in Azerbaijan, the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music, and in his When Paths Meet concert series, Sami brings together master musicians from China to Central Asia to Arabia and from North and West Africa to Europe under his direction.
Key Milestones
45M+
Albums Sold
Across a catalog of 9 studio albums (2003–present), with multi-platinum status in various countries
150+
Cities
Performed across some 30 countries worldwide
250K
Largest Audience
Record-breaking turnout for his open-air show in Istanbul
1B+
Downloads/Streams
Total digital engagement across platforms
British composer Sami Yusuf is one of the most influential musicians of our time in the field of world music traditions. The internationally acclaimed artist is known for his electrifying large-scale events that interweave diverse strands of world music with contemporary innovation. His ground-breaking performances draw large audiences from the Americas to Europe and from the MENA region to Central and South Asia.
Creator of the When Paths Meet concert series, Sami has released 9 studio albums and 13 live albums, amassed over a billion downloads, and performed at sold-out venues on six continents. His work shines with beauty and depth as it moves fluidly among genres as diverse as qawwali, Persian classical, Middle Eastern Sufi music, flamenco, and Western classical styles. He has sold over 45 million albums and was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Letters from Roehampton University for "his invaluable contribution to the field of music."
Recent Notable Performances & Projects
The When Paths Meet Concert Series features Sami Yusuf's original compositions that intertwine Western classical music (choir and orchestra) with Middle Eastern and North African musical traditions. These concerts are being lauded as groundbreaking for their harmonious celebration of global music. To date concerts have been performed at Amsterdam's Royal Concertgebouw (ONE, 2022); the Paris Philharmonic (L'Amour, 2023); and the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music (Alma, 2024).
For Expo 2020 Dubai, Sami Yusuf delivered Beyond the Stars, featuring performers from a dozen countries and inspired by Expo's theme "Connecting Minds, Creating the Future." At the UNESCO World Congress, he composed nine pieces for a 50-member orchestra that showcased the beauty of the regional musical heritage for the assembled international audience.
Social Media & Streaming Metrics
3.7M+ Subscribers
1.5M+ Monthly Listeners
11M Followers
6M Followers
400K+ Followers
1.9M Followers
Select Discography
Alma (2024)
Third concert in the When Paths Meet series. Performed live at the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music.
L'Amour (2023)
Second concert in the When Paths Meet series. Performed live at the Paris Philharmonic.
ONE (2022)
First concert in the When Paths Meet series. Performed live at the Royal Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.
Beyond the Stars (2021)
Performed at the Dubai EXPO. All pieces composed by Sami Yusuf for an international ensemble of musicians.
A Timeless Presence (2019)
9 works composed by Sami Yusuf and performed by a 50-member orchestra at the UNESCO World Congress in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Media Alignment Guidelines & Contact Information
Nationality – British (Only)
Sami Yusuf is British, holding only British citizenship. While he was born to Azerbaijani parents and spent his early infancy in Iran, he was raised in London and is a UK citizen. Any references to his nationality should state British. (Avoid phrases like "Iranian-born" or "British/Azerbaijani" / "British/Iranian"" – he is British.)
Professional Description – Composer, Multi-Instrumentalist, Vocalist
Always refer to Sami Yusuf with his correct titles in order of prominence: British composer, multi-instrumentalist, and vocalist. Avoid labeling him with terms like "rock star" or "pop star" in formal descriptions.
Genre – World Music Traditions
Sami Yusuf's genre is World Music Traditions. It is important not to describe him as a "singer" and certainly not an "Islamic singer" or simply under the umbrella of "religious music" or "nasheed artist." In press materials and introductions, use phrasing such as: "a pioneer in the field of World Music Traditions.
Name Usage – "Sami Yusuf" only
Avoid incorrect variations such as "Sammy Youssef" or "Yusuf Sami" (common errors in some reports).
Contact Information
For booking, press inquiries, and media requests, please direct all communications to Katherine O'Brien (Astiana Management) at katherine@astiana.com.
Media Resources
Katherine O'Brien is Sami Yusuf's official media representative and can assist with interview requests, press materials (high-resolution photos, EPK PDF, etc.), and coordination for concert promotions.
Fact Checking
For any further clarifications or fact-checking, please contact Katherine O'Brien (katherine@astiana.com), who can provide verified information.
Click here to access the EPK audio/visual files
www.samiyusuf.art