“Alive” is out now.

I’m delighted to be joined once again by my dear friend Homayoun Shajarian, on my composition ‘Alive’. This piece — set in the beautiful Turkish Rast makam — holds a special place in my heart, as it’s based on one of my personal favourite poems by Rumi.

It gives me deep satisfaction that we were able to include Rumi’s full-length poem in ‘Alive’ — a rare and meaningful tribute to his unabridged words. Accompanied by refined Turkish and English translations, these verses add profound depth and richness to the piece.

I’m deeply grateful to the dozens of master musicians from Iran, Turkey, and the UK, the remarkable choir from Azerbaijan, and all those whose dedication made this possible — from translators and consultants to everyone who contributed their expertise and passion.

May this piece awaken our hearts, reminding us — as Rumi so beautifully expressed — that true life is found in love alone.

With love,
Sami

Listen/Watch: https://sy.lnk.to/Alive

#Alive #SamiYusuf #HomayounShajarian #NewMusic

Love, SY #alive #samiyusuf #newrelease #worldmusictraditions
https://youtube.com/shorts/n6eFp2pvF8o?feature=share

‘Alive’ – Out Now

Alive is a deeply personal piece, born from profound and spiritual moments I experienced during my journey to Morocco in 2017. Inspired by one of my favourite poems from Rumi’s Book of Shams, it speaks of transformation, renewal, and the beauty of self-discovery.

I’m honoured to share this heartfelt work with you.

Listen/Watch now: https://sy.lnk.to/Alive

#samiyusuf #humanmusic

Join me at 3:00 PM (GMT) on 7th of April for the YouTube premiere of ‘Un Corazón Bailando’ — the third video release from my album ‘ALMA’.

See you there! SY

https://sy.lnk.to/UnCorazonBailando

#UnCorazónBailando #SamiYusuf #alma #worldmusictraditions

To watch the full video and be part of the community, visit SamiYusuf.art.

#WorldMusicTraditions #TraditionalMusic #samiyusuf #humanmusic

To watch the full video and be part of the community, visit SamiYusuf.art

#worldmusictraditions #traditionalmusic #samiyusuf #humanmusic

Now as I’m sharing the video of ‘Un Corazón Bailando’ from my Alma: When Paths Meet album, I want to also share some thoughts about what this piece represents to me. At the surface level, disparate musical genres – flamenco, Azerbaijani mugham, Arabic modal systems – each take the stage, then cede it to another sonoral world. Also at this external level, we hear Spanish mystical poetry juxtaposed with lines from the treasury of Arabic verse.

But as many of you will understand, beyond the outer beauty that each genre brings to the piece, there is a depth of meaning in their interplay. I have not brought mugham and flamenco music, nor Spanish and Arabic poetry together just for the sake of innovation. These represent long and elaborate traditions, and in their connection here we see not a fusion but a call and response echoing across lands and time. We hear the authentic voice of each tradition in its purity.

It is my intention in ‘Un Corazón Bailando’ to give listeners a glimpse into the fullness of each of these traditions as they are actively influenced by the colours of other musical worlds. And it is my intention to portray them in their essence with all their beautiful differences of expression, not as foreign or as strangers to one another, but as flowing from a single source: the human heart, el corazón.

Enjoy! SY

Recorded Live at the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music
Fes, Morocco

Featured Soloists:
Nabyla Maan, vocals
Israel Moro, vocals
Ismail Boujia, vocals
Antoine Morinière, guitar
José Manuel León, guitar
Tarik Hilal, guitar
Maqsad Azizov, balaban

Listen/Watch: https://sy.lnk.to/UnCorazonBailando

#samiyusuf #samiyusuf #uncorazónbailando #worldmusictraditions #humanmusic

‘Un Corazón Bailando’ is a conversation between musical worlds — flamenco, mugham, and Arabic traditions — each with its own voice, yet all flowing from the same source: the human heart — el corazón.

Watch the new video now, featuring the zurna of Magsad Azizov.

Listen/Watch: https://sy.lnk.to/UnCorazonBailando

#samiyusuf #uncorazónbailando #worldmusictraditions #humanmusic

Hasta hoy, estaba perplejo,
Ah, perplejo,
Errando por los rincones de la existencia,
Lanzado en océanos de contemplación,
Entre olas de pensamiento,
Olas de pensamiento.

Until today I was bewildered,
Ah, bewildered,
Wandering through the corners of existence,
Cast into oceans of contemplation,
Amongst waves of thought,
Waves of thought.

كُنْتُ قبلَ اليَومِ حائِر
آه حائِر
فِي زَوَايَا الْكَونِ دَائِرْ
فِي بِحَارِ الفكْرِ مُلْقَى
بين أمواجِ الْخَوَاطِر
أمواجِ الْخَوَاطِر

Listen/Watch: https://sy.lnk.to/UnCorazonBailando

#samiyusuf #uncorazónbailando #worldmusictraditions #humanmusic

Cuanto más alto,
Cuanto más alto se sube,
hay tanto menos se entendía,
que es la tenebrosa nube,
que la noche esclarecía.
que es la tenebrosa luna,
que la noche esclarecía.

The higher,
The higher one rises,
The less one knew;
That is the dark cloud,
That illuminated the night,
That is the dark moon,
That illuminated the night.

Vocal section by Israel Moro.
Composed and arranged by Sami Yusuf
Spanish words by Teresa de Ávila, San Juan de la Cruz

Listen/Watch: https://sy.lnk.to/UnCorazonBailando

#samiyusuf #uncorazónbailando #worldmusictraditions #humanmusic

The Dance of the Heart Begins in Fes.

Composed by Sami Yusuf

Listen/Watch: https://sy.lnk.to/UnCorazonBailando

#samiyusuf #uncorazónbailando #worldmusictraditions #humanmusic

En soledad vivía,
y en soledad la guía su querido,
en soledad de amor herido.

In solitude she lived,
And in solitude her Beloved guided her,
In the solitude of wounded love.

‘Un Corazón Bailando’ is from the live album ALMA, recorded at the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music.

Words by San Juan de la Cruz
Composed by Sami Yusuf

Listen/Watch: https://sy.lnk.to/UnCorazonBailando

#samiyusuf #uncorazónbailando #worldmusictraditions #humanmusic

‘Un Corazón Bailando’ is from the live album ALMA, recorded at the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music.

Composed by Sami Yusuf

Listen/Watch: https://sy.lnk.to/UnCorazonBailando

#samiyusuf #uncorazónbailando #worldmusictraditions #humanmusic

O you through whom my life has become sweet
And of whom I brag over all creation,
You are my suns, the core of my essence,
And your faces are the direction of prostration.

يا من بهِم قد طابَت حياتي
وتِهتُ فخراً على الوجود
أنتُم شموسي وعينُ ذاتي
ووجهُكُم قبلةَ السجودِ

Vocal section by Nabyla Maan
Arabic words by Abu Madyan al-Ghawth
Composed and arranged by Sami Yusuf

Listen/Watch: https://sy.lnk.to/UnCorazonBailando

#samiyusuf #samiyusuf #uncorazónbailando #worldmusictraditions #humanmusic

Excerpt from ‘Un Corazón Bailando’ from the album ‘ALMA’ composed by Sami Yusuf.

Recorded at the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music.

Listen/Watch: https://sy.lnk.to/UnCorazonBailando

#samiyusuf #uncorazónbailando #worldmusictraditions #humanmusic

We understood and understood all in the intoxication
of our ecstasy,

We walked on, our bliss like a garment trailing behind us, intoxicated and exuberant,

We drank from the cup of love, we were sacrificed to love, and our blood was made licit.

Composed and arranged by Sami Yusuf
Arabic words by Suhrawardi
Performed at the Philharmonie de Paris

Listen/watch: https://sy.lnk.to/RiverOfParadise

#samiyusuf #classicalmusic #worldmusictraditions #traditionalmusic #humanmusic #instrumental

Layla has robbed me
of my sanity
I said, O Layla
Have mercy on the one killed by love

سَلَبَتْ ليْلَى
مِنِّيَ العَقْلَا
قُلْتُ ياَليْلَى
إرْحَمِي الْقَتْلَى

Composed by Sami Yusuf
Arabic words by Abu al-Hasan al-Shushtari
Performed at the Philharmonie de Paris

Listen/watch: https://sy.lnk.to/The-Journey

#samiyusuf #worldmusictraditions #traditionalmusic #worldmusic

The journey of the body falls on dry land,
But the journey of the spirit sets foot in the heart of the sea.
سیر جسم خشک بر خشکی فتاد
سیر جان پا در دل دریا نهاد

I am the lover of a beautiful one, O saints,
For her sake, I get stoned by strangers.
Bir güzelin aşığıyam erenler,
Onun içün taşa tutar el beni.

Beauty has quenched the thirst of the lovers,
When it was revealed to them.
جمَالٌ سَقـَى الْأَحْبَابَ
لَمَّا لَهُمْ بَدَا

Composed by Sami Yusuf
Arabic words by Abī Sa'd al-Yafi'ī
Persian words by Rumi
Turkish words by Pir Sultan Abdal
Performed at the Philharmonie de Paris

VOCAL SOLOISTS:
Eléonore Fourniau
Nabyla Maan

Listen/Watch: https://sy.lnk.to/The-Journey

#samiyusuf #worldmusictraditions #thejourney #worldmusic

Her love is hidden
contained in the depths
O you who have fallen in love
give yourself up to it,

حُبُّهَا مَكنُونْ
في الحَشَى مَخزُون
أَيُّهَا المَفْتُونْ
هِمْ بهَا ذُلا

Composed by Sami Yusuf
Arabic words by Abu al-Hasan al-Shushtari
Performed at the Philharmonie de Paris

Listen/Watch: https://sy.lnk.to/The-Journey

#samiyusuf #worldmusictraditions #thejourney #worldmusic