Hamza Namira

Hamza Namira
Namira performing at a concert in 2010
Background information
Native name	حمزة نمرة
Birth name	Hamza Namira
Born	November 1980 (age 35) Saudi Arabia
Genres	Oriental Arabic
Occupation(s)	Singer composer Songwriter music producer Music arranger
Instruments	Vocals guitar
Years active	1999–present
Labels	Awakening
Associated acts	Maher Zain, Mesut Kurtis

Hamza Namira (Arabic: حمزة نمرة‎; born November 1980) is an Egyptian singer-songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. He sings on Arabic modern culture, discussing relevant social and humanitarian issues through his songs and has released three albums; Dream With Me, "Insan", and Esmaani produced by Awakening Records.

Career

Beginnings

Namira has family origins from Mansoura, Egypt, he was born and grew up in Saudi Arabia until the age of 12 when his parents returned to Egypt. His father worked as a doctor and an amateur artist. He stayed in Alexandria to attend school and college.^[1] Namira started to develop an interest in music when he was 17 years old, and he set about learning the guitar, keyboard, and ‘Oud. He also developed interests in several musical styles: Middle Eastern, Egyptian traditional and folk music, light rock, jazz, and Latin music. From 1999 until 2004, Namira played in a band headed by the Alexandrian artist Nabil Bakly and went on to form his own group. He composed his first songs and succeeded in getting a few like-minded friends together and established the band “Nomaira.^[2]

Namira studied accounting at the University of Alexandria as he took Bakly's advice; to earn a large enough independent income to pursue his musical career without fear that he would have to one day choose between earning a living and compromising his values.^[3]

Breakthrough success

In 2007, Namira signed with Awakening Records; the British-based Record label and released his debut album Ehlam Ma’aya (Dream With Me)in 2008. The album became an instant hit especially with university students, and reached the Top 10 list in Virgin Megastore. In the months following President Mubarak’s resignation after 25 January Revolution, Namira emerged as a major public figure.^[4]

Namira's second album, Insan [Human] was released in July 2011. It had 16 songs that touch on issues as diverse as ethnic relations, hypocrisy, the poor state of Egyptian education, and immigration. While the album is mainly traditional Egyptian pop music with lyrics in Egyptian colloquial Arabic, there are also a host of musical styles that reflect Namria’s eclectic background and interests. Three songs on Insan are inspired by rock, one is inspired by jazz, and another incorporates funk, disco, and dance music.^[5]

The Egyptian society has taken note of Namira's fame. His Twitter engagement is one of the highest in Egypt, breaking the top ten most popular accounts in the country. When British Prime Minister David Cameron visited Egypt on February 21, 2011 (only ten days after Mubarak left office), Namira was one of a select group of people invited to meet with him and to participate in a one-hour discussion about the future of Egypt.^[6]

Namira held many concerts including at Library of Alexandria and at the American University in Cairo (AUC). He has also performed in many Arab countries.^[7]

Namira said his main musical influence is Nabil Al Bakly; a relatively unknown musician, whose group Hamza joined from 2000 to 2001. Hamza Namira is being hailed as the “new Sayed Darwish^[8] He is often compared to Mohamed Mounir and Ahmed Mounib.

Discography

Albums

Year	Title	Track list
2008	Ehlam Maaya (Dream With Me)	Morgiha - Swing Ehlam Ma'aya - Dream With Me Konna Wehna Soghar - When We Were Young Fattah Shababik 'Eineek - Open Your Eyes Shedd El Hizam - Tighten Up Your Belt Ya Tair - O' Bird Wana Fi Tareeqy - While I Was Running Al Taghreeb - Alienation 1 Ya Rabb - O' Lord Ehlam Ma'aya (Acoustic Version) - Dream With Me
2011	Insan (A Human)	Insan - A Human El-Midan - The Square Hansa - I'll Forget Taghreeba II - Alienation 2 Ya Muhawwin - O' Clement Ewidooni - Promise Me Ibn El-Watan - O' Son Of This Country! Balady Ya Balady - Homeland .. O' Homeland Ya Hanah! - Oh, How Lucky! Doori - Revolve Around Haser Hesarak - Besiege Your Siege Ala Bab Allah - Standing By Allah's Door Wushoosh - Faces Sout - Voice Hila Hila Ya Matr - Come Down O' Rain! Esmy Masr - My Name's Egypt
2014	Esmaani (Listen to Me)	Esmaani - Listen To Me! Sabah El-Kheer - Good Morning Ya Lala Ay Kalam - Empty Words Dalmet kda leeh - Why It Darkened? El-Atr - The Train Tesmahy- Can You Please Ya Sidi - My Master La Tabki - Don't Cry Kolo Beya'addi - It All Pass Ya Mazloom - O' Oppressed One Ma3a EL-Salama - Farewell

Videography

Year	Title
2008	Dream with Me (Ehlam Maaya)
2009	Two Birds (Asforeen)
2010	O Israel (Ya Israel) I'm the Egyptian (Ana El-Masri)
2011	Human (Insan) Hila Hila ya Matar Mawaweel
2013	The Square (El-Midan)
2014	What to Tell You (Wa Ollak Eih)

Political views

Namira has taken part in 2011 protests at Tahrir Square, being claimed as one of its youth. In his patriotic song on "Insan" album; “El-Midan”, Namira repeatedly tells his listeners to “Raise your head because you are Egyptian.”^[9][10]

In November 2014, his songs were banned from the military-controlled Egyptian state radio for "criticising the authorities" ^[11]

Philanthropy

Hamza Namira at Ottawa, Canada fundraiser concert (27 October 2013)

• Hamza has contributed to many worthwhile national campaigns and causes including the anti-smoking campaign “Life Without Smoking,” and for programs to teach music to disabled children.
• On 14 April 2012, Namira took part in "Send a little hope" charity concert organized by Awakening Records and Save An Orphan organization at London's Hammersmith Apollo with Maher Zain, Irfan Makki, Raef and Mesut Kurtis to raise awareness and collect donations.^[12]
• Namira joined a two-day UK tour organized by Human Appeal International to fundraise for medical equipment and provide training for more than 10,000 medical practitioners in Egypt.^[13][14]
• In October 2013, Hamza Namira performed in Canada tour organised by Islamic Relief to raise donations for Egyptian families in need^[15]
• Hamza Namira performed in Vienna, Austria in October 2014 in an event organized by Humanic Relief. ^[16]

References

1. "Hamza Namira Al'ashira Masa'an Part1". YouTube. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
2. Foley, Sean. "The Artist of the Revolution: Hamza Namira, the Arab Spring, and the Dream of a Free Egypt". Middle East Institute. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
3. "Hamza Namira Al'ashira Masa'an Part1". YouTube. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
4. https://twitter.com/HamzaNamira/status/225689858901958656
5. "Hamza Namira: Insan". Cairo360. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
6. Watt, Nicholas (21 February 2011). "David Cameron arrives in Egypt to meet military rulers". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
7. "Hamza Namira to perform latest hits at Al-Azhar Park". Ahram Online. 12 October 2011. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
8. "Hamza Namira's "Dream With Me" restores Sayed Darwish". almustaqbal. 4 July 2009. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
9. Foley, Sean. "The Artist of the Revolution: Hamza Namira, the Arab Spring, and the Dream of a Free Egypt". Middle East Institute. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
10. "Hamza Namira interview with Al Arabiya". YouTube. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
11. "Egypt radio bans popular singer Hamza Namira for 'critical' songs". BBC News. 19 November 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
12. "Send A Little Hope Concert - London 14th April 2012". YouTube. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
13. Elkamel, Sara (27 January 2013). "Hamza Namira performs in UK fundraiser for medical equipment for Egypt". Ahram Online. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
14. "Art Alert: Egyptian musician Hamza Namira to perform in two UK concerts". Ahram Online. 10 January 2013. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
15. http://namiraincanada.ca/
16. "Opferfest-Veranstaltung". Retrieved 8 October 2014.

External links

• Hamza Namira on Twitter
• Hamza Namira on Facebook
• Hamza Namira's channel on YouTube
• Awakening Store Hamza Namira