Sami Yusuf - Early Life

Early Life

An ethnic Azerbaijani born in Tehran, Yusuf was raised in London from the age of three. He initially began composing simple melodies starting at the age of three, and performing on stage for the first time around the age of nine. His "defining moment" musically occurred when his father loaned him a book on the basics of the Tombak . Upon returning from a tea break, his father found that the young Yusuf had mastered the book that had taken months for his students to finish. As a teenager he was a devotee of classical music and classical icons like Chopin and Mozart, admitting that he listened to Classic FM radio station for hours in a day. He went on training professionally in several other instruments including the santoor, piano, violin, oud, setar, tar, and daf under the guidance of traditional teachers, as well as professional musicians. While producing and demo-recording for another singer, he became aware of his own singing abilities which were further developed by the encouragement of his family. Divided between pursuing a musical career or studying law at King's College London, Yusuf opted for music while committed to "doing something dignified and respectable". Though he claimed to having been always spiritual, he reconnected with his Islamic faith through a "religious awakening" at the age of sixteen. He then set out to share his experience with the other young British Muslims he felt were direly in search of an identity especially post 9/11. Yusuf self-produced and released his debut album "Al-mu’allim" at the age of 23, pioneering an innovative trend other Muslim artist would seek to emulate and promote, termed "Islamic pop".