Y.A.S. is an
electronic music
Electronic music is a Music genre, genre of music that employs electronic musical instruments, digital instruments, or electronics, circuitry-based music technology in its creation. It includes both music made using electronic and electromech ...
duo, formed in 2007 in
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. ...
,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan ar ...
, and consists of
Mirwais Ahmadzaï
Mirwais Ahmadzaï (born 23 October 1960), known mononymously as Mirwais, is a French electronic dance music record producer and songwriter. Born in Switzerland to an Afghan father and an Italian mother, Ahmadzaï was a member of the defunct 1 ...
(
keyboard
Keyboard may refer to:
Text input
* Keyboard, part of a typewriter
* Computer keyboard
** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping
** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware
Music
* Musi ...
/
guitar
The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected string ...
) and
Yasmine Hamdan
Yasmine Hamdan ( ar, ياسمين حمدان; born 1976) is a Lebanese singer and songwriter, now based in Paris.
Biography
Hamdan became known with Soapkills, the duo she founded with Zeid Hamdan (no relation) while she was still living in B ...
(
vocals
Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or witho ...
).
The duo began recording their debut album, ''
Arabology'', in 2007. Ahmadzaï wanted to create an electronic music album that had an
Arab identity
Arab identity ( ar, الهوية العربية ) is the objective or subjective state of perceiving oneself as an Arab and as relating to being Arab. Like other cultural identities, it relies on a common culture, a traditional lineage, the com ...
. Moreover, he wanted to present a different representation of
Arab culture
Arab culture is the culture of the Arabs, from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Arabian Sea in the east, and from the Mediterranean Sea in the north to the Horn of Africa and the Indian Ocean in the southeast. The various religions the Ara ...
to balance the view of Arabs as "terrorists" often publicized in the Western media. The album was released in France and
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to ...
in June 2009 to positive reviews from music critics.
[Duncan, Don]
"Musical pioneer prowls the Lebanese stage"
GlobalPost
''GlobalPost'' is an online US digital journalism company that focuses on international news founded on January 12, 2009, by Philip S. Balboni and Charles M. Sennott. Its stated mission is "to redefine international news for the digital age." ...
. 31 July 2009. Retrieved 27 March 2010.
Discography
Singles
*"Staying Alive" (2008)
*"Get It Right" (2009)
*"Yaspop" (2009)
References
External links
Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Y.A.S.
Electronic music duos
Musical groups established in 2007