A'maal Nuux
| A'maal Nuux آمال نوح | |
|---|---|
|
A'maal Nuux with henna adorned hands. | |
| Background information | |
| Born | 1989/1990 (age 26–27) |
| Origin | Toronto, Canada |
| Genres | Pop, alternative rock, r&b |
| Years active | 2000s-present |
| Website |
www |
A'maal Nuux (Somali: Amaal Nuux, Arabic: آمال نوح) is a Somali-Canadian singer-songwriter. Based in Toronto, her music is noted for its socially conscious themes. She sings in a variety of genres, including pop, alternative rock and r&b.
Personal life
Nuux was born between 1989 and 1990 in Mogadishu, Somalia.[1][2] She was raised in a traditional Muslim household, the middle child of seven sisters and two brothers.[1]
When the civil war broke out in Somalia in 1991, Nuux and her family emigrated to Toronto, Canada.[1]
Nuux got immersed in art early on. She began singing at the age of 14, having been exposed to music at school as well as drama classes.[2]
Nuux later returned to Somalia on her parent's insistence to strengthen her ties with her native culture. She describes her time there as seminal, having allowed her to grow as a person and hone her artistic craft.[3]
For her post-secondary studies, Nuux attended the University of Toronto (UofT). She majored in International Development Studies (IDS).[2]
Career
Nuux followed a largely independent career path into the music industry.[2] She initially attempted to collaborate with other artists. However, their visions clashed, so she thereafter decided to rely exclusively on herself.[1]
Besides conventional mainstream marketing channels, Nuux has since utilized social media as an important marketing tool. Her songs subsequently went viral on YouTube, Facebook and other social networking sites, which helped introduce her sound to a global audience.[2]
In Spring 2012, she released her debut EP entitled Painful Secrets.[3]
Nuux's music is diverse, ranging from pop, to alternative rock, to r&b. The diversity is a reflection of her personal belief that an artist should be capable of performing all types of music.[2] Nuux's vocal style has been described as fine-tuned, with moving melodies and an emphasis on lyricism.[4] Her lyrics are socially conscious, focusing on matters of interest to the Somali community as well as global causes. Although most Somali artists sing in the Somali language for a primarily Somali listening base, Nuux chose to release songs in English in order to reach a broader, international audience.[2]
Singles by Nuux include "With You", "Mufasa" and "Words Revealed".[2] "Words Revealed" alone achieved 200,000 YouTube hits within its first four months of release, and has inspired cover versions by fans. Another fan favorite, "With You", similar earned 80,000 views in its first two months.[3]
Nuux's main musical influences include Celine Dion.[1] She also admires the work of Alicia Keys for its social justice-oriented lyrics.[2]
Discography
- Albums
- Painful Secrets, EP (2012)
- Singles
- "Words Revealed"
- "Mufasa"
- "With You"
See also
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Amaal Nuux". Reverb Nation. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Omar, Farid (20 January 2012). "Amaal Nuux: Canadian Singer Destined for International Stardom Special". Digital Journal. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
- 1 2 3 "A'maal Nuux". CBC Music Canada. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
- ↑ "About Amaal Nuux". MTV. Retrieved 4 December 2013.