George Wassouf has been through a lot over the past year, including an illness and an operation in the United States. Fortunately, he’s a real survivor with a comeback album.
Conveniently titled Zaman Al Ajayeb (Time of Wonders), the album is a gloomy, poignant observation of modern life and the struggle of man against man. It is quite a departure from Wassouf’s previous recordings, which mostly feature passionate love songs, according to Thisiscyberia.com.
On his latest album, he sounds more like an ancient mariner, a man who has experienced life, sorrow and pain, and as a result, has become wiser and a little sadder as well.
Mainly classified as Tarab, the album features six potential hits that reveal Wassouf’s respectable range and attractive soaring voice.
In fact, the experienced artist has created a unique style of singing, which has made him one of the most popular artists in the Arab World.
Zaman Al Ajayeb, Leh Tihrabi, Youm Al Wadaa are some of the songs on the album. And despite the fact that they are not exactly cheerful songs, their success is inevitable, thanks to Wassouf’s name alone.
Born in Kafroun, Syria, Wassouf was a child prodigy who started performing in his early teenage years. As he grew older, he started singing the challenging, heavy Tarab songs of the legendary Egyptian singer Um Kalthoum, gaining critical acclaim and a widespread popularity, and eventually earning the title Sultan Al Tarab.
With more than 20 albums to his credit, Wassouf has proved to be one of the most prolific artists in the Arab World. The simplicity of the lyrics, along with the heart-warming music, has turned most of his songs into instant hits. Al Hawa Sultan, Hilef Al Amar, Lao Naweit, Kalam Al Nass and Tabib Garrah are but a few of his chart-toppers.
His voice, which has drastically changed over the years, still enthralls Arab audiences, but it is mostly Wassouf’s character that brought him the fame and prominence he enjoys today. Despite his success he comes across as a humble, accessible “regular guy,” who is unaffected by stardom, and that’s what has given him his enormous appeal and fans all over the world – Albawaba.com
