Juliana Jendo
Encyclopedia
Juliana Jendo is an Assyrian
–American
singer. She was born and raised in Tel Tamer, Syria
. Along with her family, she emigrated to the USA in 1980 and settled in Chicago, Illinois. Jendo is usually classified as the "Queen of Assyrian Singers" because of her long and successful career throughout all the different Assyrian/Chaldean/Syriac communities worldwide.
. Juliana recalls that she began singing at the age of 12 when she was in a drama
. The Syrians thought she was so talented that they wanted to take her under their care and train her to sing however her father refused and insisted she remain in school and finish her studies.
She finished graduated from university
with a degree in French literature
and was a teacher
for few years before she began her singing
career. Along with her family, she emigrated to the USA in 1980 and settled in Chicago, Illinois. In 1987 she released her first album
'Mardita.' After a positive response from the Assyrian community in Chicago she began singing professionally. She followed up with "Khater Aynatoukh" in 1988, the album proved to be very successful and later released "Love & Dance" in 1990.
In the summer of 1993 she produced and sang in "The Flowers of Assyria" a video released in 1994 that contained children's songs aimed at educating the young Assyrians. The video was very successful and Juliana was loved by all the young generation for her work. In her 1993 album "Wardeh Deesheh" Juliana Jendo becomes the first female Assyrian singer to sing in the different dialects; Assyrian Neo-Aramaic, Chaldean Neo-Aramaic and Turoyo.
She released an Arabic album in 1994 and follows it up with her first West-Assyrian dialect tape "Athro Halyo" which proved to be very successful amongst the West Assyrian community in Europe. In her 1998 album "Ashek D'Mathwathan" Jendo starts singing more in the Nineveh
plains dialect and the album is received well by the Chaldean community.
and still is singing for the Assyrians with a recent album titled "Golden Tunes".
Assyrian people
The Assyrian people are a distinct ethnic group whose origins lie in ancient Mesopotamia...
–American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer. She was born and raised in Tel Tamer, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
. Along with her family, she emigrated to the USA in 1980 and settled in Chicago, Illinois. Jendo is usually classified as the "Queen of Assyrian Singers" because of her long and successful career throughout all the different Assyrian/Chaldean/Syriac communities worldwide.
Early life and career
She was born and raised in Tel Tamer, SyriaSyria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
. Juliana recalls that she began singing at the age of 12 when she was in a drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
. The Syrians thought she was so talented that they wanted to take her under their care and train her to sing however her father refused and insisted she remain in school and finish her studies.
She finished graduated from university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
with a degree in French literature
French literature
French literature is, generally speaking, literature written in the French language, particularly by citizens of France; it may also refer to literature written by people living in France who speak traditional languages of France other than French. Literature written in French language, by citizens...
and was a teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
for few years before she began her singing
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
career. Along with her family, she emigrated to the USA in 1980 and settled in Chicago, Illinois. In 1987 she released her first album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
'Mardita.' After a positive response from the Assyrian community in Chicago she began singing professionally. She followed up with "Khater Aynatoukh" in 1988, the album proved to be very successful and later released "Love & Dance" in 1990.
Breakthrough
In 1991 Juliana Jendo starred in the first Assyrian film "Wardeh Deesheh" directed by John Homeh, in which she played the lead role of Nineveh/Nina. Her collaboration with John Homeh in the early 1990s managed to put her on top of all the Assyrian singers in such a short singing career. The film was screened internationally throughout the Assyrian communities in Euorpe, Oceania, Middle East and the Americas.In the summer of 1993 she produced and sang in "The Flowers of Assyria" a video released in 1994 that contained children's songs aimed at educating the young Assyrians. The video was very successful and Juliana was loved by all the young generation for her work. In her 1993 album "Wardeh Deesheh" Juliana Jendo becomes the first female Assyrian singer to sing in the different dialects; Assyrian Neo-Aramaic, Chaldean Neo-Aramaic and Turoyo.
She released an Arabic album in 1994 and follows it up with her first West-Assyrian dialect tape "Athro Halyo" which proved to be very successful amongst the West Assyrian community in Europe. In her 1998 album "Ashek D'Mathwathan" Jendo starts singing more in the Nineveh
Nineveh
Nineveh was an ancient Assyrian city on the eastern bank of the Tigris River, and capital of the Neo Assyrian Empire. Its ruins are across the river from the modern-day major city of Mosul, in the Ninawa Governorate of Iraq....
plains dialect and the album is received well by the Chaldean community.
Later life
Juliana later marries however the marriage is not successful and she returns with her 2003 album "Mellatti" which again she sings in Assyrian and Chaldean Neo-Aramaic dialects. Jendo releases her second Western Assyrian album "Elemo Halyo" in 2008 and "Tel Keppeh" in which she mainly sings in Arabic. Jendo currently resides in Royal Oak, MichiganRoyal Oak, Michigan
Royal Oak is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a suburb of Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 57,236. It should not be confused with Royal Oak Charter Township, a separate community located nearby....
and still is singing for the Assyrians with a recent album titled "Golden Tunes".
Discography
- 1987 - Mardita
- 1988 - Khater Aynatukh
- 1990 - Love & Dance
- 1991 - The Flowers Of Assyria
- 1993 - Wardeh Deesheh
- 1994 - Qadari (Arabic)
- 1995 - Athro Halyo
- 1998 - Ashek D'Mathwathan
- 2003 - Mellatti
- 2008 - Elemo Halyo
- 2008 - Tel Kepeh (mix)
- 2010 - Golden Tunes
Filmography
- 1988 - Semeleh (Silent short film)
- 1991 - Wardeh Deesheh (Lead role: Nineveh + Nina)
- 1994 - The Flowers of Assyria (8 Video clips)
- 2005 - The Cost of Happiness (Supporting role: Yimma "Mother")