George Wassouf ( ar, جورج وسوف; 23 December 1961) is a Syrian singer. In a career spanning more than four decades, he has released more than 30 albums, with a significantly large audience of fans throughout the

Arab world The Arab world ( ar, اَلْعَالَمُ الْعَرَبِيُّ '), formally the Arab homeland ( '), also known as the Arab nation ( '), the Arabsphere, or the Arab states, refers to a vast group of countries, mainly located in Western A ...

. Dubbed Sultan El-Tarab ( ar, سلطان الطرب), he is one of the most successful Arab singers selling over 60 million records worldwide.

Early life and career

Wassouf was born in Kafroun, Syria to a

Greek Orthodox Christian The term Greek Orthodox Church (Greek: Ἑλληνορθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία, ''Ellinorthódoxi Ekklisía'', ) has two meanings. The broader meaning designates "the entire body of Orthodox (Chalcedonian) Christianity, sometimes also call ...

family. Wassouf started singing at the age of 10 in his hometown Kafroun. He was discovered by his first manager and producer George Yazbeck at a wedding party that Wassouf was performing at, aged 12 years old. At the age of 16, he was called ''Sultan El-Tarab'' by the Lebanese journalist George Ibrahim El Khoury, a magazine director, Arabic for ''The Sultan of Music'', with his classic song "el-Hawa Sultan". He became famous after appearing on the Lebanese show '' Studio El Fan'' 1980 when he was 19 years old as ''Sultan of Tarab''. Wassouf holds the Lebanese citizenship. Wassouf preferred not to shoot music videos for his songs saying: "I don't feel I can act... I really can't... I only find myself when I'm on the stage... singing, but the video clip forces me to act".

Personal life

George Wassouf married his first wife, Shalimar, at the age of 21. They have three children: Wadih who died on 6-January 2023 due to surgery , Hatem and George Jr. The couple separated after 28 years of marriage in 2009. He was married to Qatar rally champion Nada Zeidan, his second wife. They divorced in 2016. Their daughter, Oyoon, was born in October 2015. Wassouf has been a prominent supporter of President Bashar al-Assad's government throughout the Syrian Civil War. On January 6, 2023, his son Wadih died due to complications from a

gastric bypass surgery Gastric bypass surgery refers to a technique in which the stomach is divided into a small upper pouch and a much larger lower "remnant" pouch and then the small intestine is rearranged to connect to both. Surgeons have developed several differ ...

Discography

* 1983: Ouwidni Salmtek Byied Allah * 1984: El Hawa Sultan * 1992: Rouh El Rouh * 1993: She' Ghareeb * 1995: Kalam El Nass * 1996: Leil Al Ashiqeen * 1998: Lissa El Dounya Bi Khair * 1999: Tabeeb Garrah * 2000: Dol Mush Habayib * 2001: Zaman El Ajayib * 2002: Inta Gherhom * 2003: Salaf Wi Deine * 2004: Etakhart Kteer * 2006: Heya El Ayam * 2008: Kalamak Ya Habibi * 2009: Allah Kareem, Shoukran * 2012: Best of Wassouf * 2015: Shtaanelak

Live Albums

*''Sings Oum Kolthoum Vol. 1'', 1983. *''Sings Oum Kolthoum Vol. 2'', 1995. *''Sings Oum Kolthoum Vol. 3'', 1997. *''Sings Abdel Halim Hafez'', 1998. *''Sings Warda'', 1999

Singles

*''Ahla Ayam El Omr'', 1995. *''Amri Lellah'', 1995. *''Mahlak Tmahal Ya Malak'', 1995. *''Rahal El Batal'', 2000. *''Ferhat Rejouak Ya Loubnan'', 2010. *''Dawarat El Ayam'', 2010. *''Aady Ya Donia'', 2011. *''Biyehsedouni'', 2011. *''Seket El Kalam'', 2013 *''Bisaalouni Aleik'', 2013. *''Ya Oumi'', 2013. *''Zekrayat'', 2013. *''Shouq El Omr'', 2013. *''Tarakni Ghab'', 2014. *''Bandahlak'', 2017. *''Malikat Gamal El Rouh'', 2018 *''Hal El Garih'', 2019. *''Sahi El Leil'', 2020. *''Byetkallem Aalaya'', 2022.

Clips

*''Yalli Taebna Senin Fi Hawak'', 1986. *''Ya Moualdani'', 1986. *''Kalam El Nass'', 1994. *''Erda Bel Nassib'', 1996. *''Lissa El Donya Bkheir'', 1998. *''Tabib Garah'', 1999. *''Ana Assef'', 1999. *''Dul Mush Habayeb'', 2000. *''Ma Teoulou Leih'', 2000. *''Zaman El Agayeb'', 2001. *''Youm El Wadaa'', 2001. *''Salaf We Dayn'', 2003. *''Etakhart Ktir'', 2004. *''Sehert El Leyl'', 2004. *''Leilat Wadaana'', 2006. *''Asaab Fourak'', 2008. *''Aallem Albi El Shouk'', 2008. *''Ferhat Rejouak Ya Loubnan'', 2010. *''Dawarat El Ayam'', 2010. *''Biyehsedouni'', 2011. *''Malikat Gamal El Rouh'', 2018. *''Hal El Garih'', 2019. *''Sahi El Leil'', 2020.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Wassouf, George 1961 births Living people Rotana Records artists Greek Orthodox Christians from Syria 21st-century Syrian male singers People from Homs Governorate Singers who perform in Egyptian Arabic Singers who perform in Classical Arabic 20th-century Syrian male singers Syrian male film actors Syrian male television actors Naturalized citizens of Lebanon