Renowned British singer of Azeri origin to perform in Turkey

The Muslim world’s biggest musical superstar, Sami Yusuf, has dropped into Istanbul to promote his latest work, “Salaam,” which features 16 songs.

“It is a generous album. It gives message of peace, solidarity, love and, most of all, hope. These are eternal and permanent truths, values,” Yusuf said after landing in Istanbul on March 31, adding that the album had gained greater meaning in the wake of the changes in the Arab world.

Yusuf, a British singer-songwriter of Azeri origin, said humanity was being forced to deal with big problems.

“I don’t have a political personality; I consider problems in a humanistic matter. We have gone through the changes brought by the Arab Spring all together. In my opinion, this album gains meaning in this context because it talks about overcoming problems and difficulties,” he said, adding that “art should be pure.”

He said he had composed the song “I am your hope” after the revolution in Egypt and that the song was related to youth but not a specific party or group.

Yusuf said his music was considered as divine, rock or pop in the world but he preferred the definition “Spiritique.”

“This is a word I have invented. The goal of my own music, which I define with this word, is to draw listeners to the spiritual world. No one can monopolize the spiritual world,” he said.


/HurriyetDailynews/