Kathem Al Saher
Encyclopedia
Kadim Al Sahir is an Iraqi
singer, composer, and poet. He has been dubbed the "Caesar of Arabic Song", "George Michael
of the Arab world", "Iraq’s Diplomatic Ambassador to the world", and "Iraq
’s Ambassador for Peace".
Kadim Al Sahir, whose first name is also written alternatively as Kazem, Kadhem, Kazim and his family name alternatively as Saher, el Saher and al Saher, has established himself as one of the most successful singers in the history of the Arab World
, having sold more than 100 million albums since the start of his career. Ranging from big romantic ballads to more political work, from pop to Arab classical music.
in 1957 to a mother from Najaf Shia Islam and a father from Samarra Sunni Islam
. His father lived in Baghdad, but was a Samarra native from the tribe of Albu Daraj. He grew up and spent a large part of his life in Alhurrya city in Baghdad
. He is the son of a palace worker and has nine siblings.
Apart from his mother, Al Saher's family were never supportive of his direction in becoming a musician. They had no faith in him that he would become successful, and instead wanted him to become a doctor or a lawyer. Sahir's brother once took him to a different places where people sing, and told him it's your choice to sing a respectful way and choose the good or the bad way. He said that the only way to achieve success is if you respect your music and respect yourself, he have two sons (Omar,Wsam) and two daughters (Amira,Fatima).
At age twenty-one he enrolled at the Baghdad Institute of Music where he studied for around 6 years.
His interest in music grew as he listened to songs via the radio
that offered him the chance to become familiar with the works of composers such as Mohammed Abdel Wahab
. When he was ten, he began writing songs. After selling his bicycle, Al Saher purchased a guitar
at the age of twelve, and began learning the arts of the guitar for about three months before writing a classical song. It was his first instrument. He later switched to the oud
, a much more common (and complex) instrument, and was accepted into the Baghdad
Music Academy at the age of twenty-one. Although keen to break through in the music business with his songs and voice, he found himself rebuffed by all the producers he approached, who would only let him sing their own material. Instead, he used the back door to gain entry to the industry.
and recording his music with Kuwait
i labels.
A year later, he had a hit with "Obart Al Shat" (I crossed the river). Some of his professors at the Academy denounced it as sha'bi (pop) music, anathema to those who taught classical music. Al Saher had managed to circumvent the system and had become a star on his own terms—he even undertook his first U.S. tour in 1989. Having conquered pop, Al Saher turned around and established himself in the Arabic classical world with "La Ya Sadiki" (No, My Friend), a magnum opus
that lasted almost an hour and found him using maqams
(scales) that hadn't been used in Iraqi music in several decades, revitalizing a tradition.
In 1991 and due to the Persian Gulf War
, Al Saher transferred his base of operations to Jordan
where he lived with his family for a few years. He considers living in Jordan as an important period of his life and career success later on. Al Saher performed some of his most successful concerts which were held in Jerash
and produced two successful albums Sameer Baghdadi Studios in Amman, Jordan. After that he moved to Lebanon
, where he met and formed a songwriting partnership with Syrian poet Nizar Qabbani
in 1996, who wrote lyrics to his music, before settling permanently in Cairo
. Qabbani wrote the lyrics to more than 30 of Al Saher's songs. In addition to Qabbani’s poems, Al Saher sang both political and romantic songs for Iraq and Baghdad, highlighting the feelings of the citizens of Iraq as well as their tragedies.
Al Saher continued to release albums and tour, having become the biggest name in Middle Eastern music, one whose ballads grew bigger and more romantic, but who would write classically influenced works, even when they might hurt his popularity.
By 1998, he had ten albums under his belt and was lauded as an artist, not just a pop star. That prestige brought him wider fame and a growing international reputation that won him a UNICEF award for his song "Tathakkar", which he performed in the U.S. for Congress
and the United Nations
— one of the first real post-Gulf War cultural exchanges. The following year, he recorded a tribute to the Pope
with the Italian Symphony Orchestra.
) of his song "La Titnahad", taken from his 2000 release El Hob El Moustahil (The Impossible Love), the first of his albums to be given an official American release. To coincide with it, he performed on National American tour with Dawn Elder Management which crossed the U.S.
In 2003 Al Sahir colloborated with Lenny Kravitz
and released an anti-war song at Rock The Vote
, titled "We Want Peace", and shortly afterward released a song entitled "The War Is Over" (Entahat al harab) with Sarah Brightman
Which was released in her album Harem
and his album Hafiat Al-Kadamain
which was highly praised in the middle east. Both of these international duets were executive produced by Dergham Owainati, of EMI Music Arabia, for Kadim's part. In 2004, Al Sahir continued to work with various international artists including Grammy Award
-winning producers KC Porter, and Quincy Jones
. His collaboration "Love & Compassion" (Hob Wa Haneen) was the title track for the Arab American National Museum
Collector's edition honoring the artists that have made the most significant difference with international audiences. The track features Grammy winning singer/songwriter Paula Cole
, Def Jam recording artist Karina Pasian
, and Luis Conte
, produced by Dawn Elder and KC Porter.
In 2004 he participated in the worldwide broadcast concert special "We are the Future" concert produced by Quincy Jones at the Roman Maximos Stadium in Rome for the benefit of the children of the world. In December 2004 he participated in the opening of the Gulf Football Championship (Khaleeji 17) in which he performed the return of Iraq Operette which was broadcast live on 10 satellite channels. Additionally, in 2004 he was the first Arab artist to participate in Unity, the official album of the 2004 Summer Olympics
.
Releasing his album Ila Tilmitha
on November 11, 2004. The album contains collaborations with the Moroccan Asma Lmnawar
whom kadim discovered earlier and introduced to the Arab world in her first due song with kadim "ashko ayaman".
The album also included the song "Ahbeni" written by the late poet Nizar Qabbani, shoot as a video clip by Husien Duibes and it was a major hit in the year 2004 along side with the song "Ila Tilmitha"
Major achievements on the artistic and humanitarian level, we were able to raise your interest and convince you that he definitely deserves to be awarded the AUB Honorary Doctorate in the field of Arts and Culture for the year 2006.
The United Nations Children's Fund, or UNICEF, named Alsaher as the new goodwill ambassador for Iraq for the year 2011. For Alsaher, this was a compeling reason to visit his country after 14 years
He sang Bokra "Tomorrow", a charity single that was released on 11/11/2011 at 11:11PM, along with Latifa Altonesyah, Rim Banna, Akon, Tamer Hosni, Diana Karazon, Marwan Khoury, Latifa, Souad Massi, Hani Mitwassi, Saber El Robai, Wa'ed, Sherine and other Arab Artists. The single will distribute the proceeds of its donations to various organisations, institutions and charities with arts and culture programs. The eight minute song was written by Majida Al-Roumi, and produced by Quincy Jones and RedOne. More information about the song can be found on www.tomorrowbokra.org.
His second concert on May 23, 2004 was in honor of the children in the Middle East. The concert was a great success. The concert was sponsored by the Melkonian Foundation. The profits of this concert were donated to this foundation. This foundation supports over 50000 children.
His third concert was held on March 14, 2006. The profits of the concert were also donated to the Melkonian Foundation.
Al Sahir has participated in many concerts in Egypt for the benefit of children with cancer. And he has held numerous charity concerts in Algeria, Jordan, Lebanon, Tunisia and Iraq.
There are many other charity concerts that he has held, and he has donated money to many organizations. He does not like to discuss this part of his career, because he believes that people should not boast.
-As well as various international awards and certificates such as the Key of Sydney which had been granted to Frank Sinatra, Queen Ann’s Royal Albert Hall Certificate of Artistic Recognition, Britain’s Royal Academy award, Australia Broadcast Corporation’s (A.B.C.) International Music Competition Award, UNICEF’s Recognition Award, and the Academic Honorary Award by the Royal Academy of Science International.
The youngest of seven brothers, Kadim took a keen interest in classical music as a boy. He sat by the radio and learned to sing works by masters like Mohamed Abdel Wahab, Abdel Halim Hafez, Nazim Al Ghazali, and Fairuz. At age ten, he sold his bicycle to buy his first instrument, a guitar, but after a year of study on guitar, he switched to the oud, the principal composers' instrument in the Arab world.
Kadim wrote his first song at twelve, a romantic piece in the classical
style, composed for a girl he liked. He used to work with his father in early age after school to help the family .
He excelled in his studies and entered the Teachers Institute where he graduated in 1978 and was appointed as a teacher in a school in Mousal.
At age twenty-one he enrolled at the Baghdad Institute of Music where he studied for around 6 years.
He got married at early age, and is currently divorced.
He left his country Iraq in the early 90’s after the Gulf War and has found a home since in every Arab country.
He is not settled yet in one country and moves mainly between Cairo, Dubai, Beirut and Paris.
he has two sons "Wisam Al Sahir" who is married and "Omar Al Sahir" .
Kadim is a grandfather to a girl, her name is Sana .
https://www.facebook.com/KadimAlSahir.official
Management: Dergham Owainati: www.1000one.org
Iraqi people
The Iraqi people or Mesopotamian people are natives or inhabitants of the country of Iraq, known since antiquity as Mesopotamia , with a large diaspora throughout the Arab World, Europe, the Americas, and...
singer, composer, and poet. He has been dubbed the "Caesar of Arabic Song", "George Michael
George Michael
George Michael is a British musician, singer, songwriter and record producer who rose to fame in the 1980s when he formed the pop duo Wham! with his school friend, Andrew Ridgeley...
of the Arab world", "Iraq’s Diplomatic Ambassador to the world", and "Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
’s Ambassador for Peace".
Kadim Al Sahir, whose first name is also written alternatively as Kazem, Kadhem, Kazim and his family name alternatively as Saher, el Saher and al Saher, has established himself as one of the most successful singers in the history of the Arab World
Arab world
The Arab world refers to Arabic-speaking states, territories and populations in North Africa, Western Asia and elsewhere.The standard definition of the Arab world comprises the 22 states and territories of the Arab League stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Arabian Sea in the...
, having sold more than 100 million albums since the start of his career. Ranging from big romantic ballads to more political work, from pop to Arab classical music.
Biography
Al Sahir was born in MosulMosul
Mosul , is a city in northern Iraq and the capital of the Ninawa Governorate, some northwest of Baghdad. The original city stands on the west bank of the Tigris River, opposite the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh on the east bank, but the metropolitan area has now grown to encompass substantial...
in 1957 to a mother from Najaf Shia Islam and a father from Samarra Sunni Islam
Sunni Islam
Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam. Sunni Muslims are referred to in Arabic as ʾAhl ūs-Sunnah wa āl-Ǧamāʿah or ʾAhl ūs-Sunnah for short; in English, they are known as Sunni Muslims, Sunnis or Sunnites....
. His father lived in Baghdad, but was a Samarra native from the tribe of Albu Daraj. He grew up and spent a large part of his life in Alhurrya city in Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
. He is the son of a palace worker and has nine siblings.
Apart from his mother, Al Saher's family were never supportive of his direction in becoming a musician. They had no faith in him that he would become successful, and instead wanted him to become a doctor or a lawyer. Sahir's brother once took him to a different places where people sing, and told him it's your choice to sing a respectful way and choose the good or the bad way. He said that the only way to achieve success is if you respect your music and respect yourself, he have two sons (Omar,Wsam) and two daughters (Amira,Fatima).
Early life
He excelled in his studies and entered the Teachers Institute where he graduated in 1978 and was appointed as a teacher in a school in Mousal.At age twenty-one he enrolled at the Baghdad Institute of Music where he studied for around 6 years.
His interest in music grew as he listened to songs via the radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
that offered him the chance to become familiar with the works of composers such as Mohammed Abdel Wahab
Mohammed Abdel Wahab
Mohammed Abdel Wahab , also transliterated Mohammed Abd el-Wahaab was a prominent 20th-century Arab Egyptian singer and composer...
. When he was ten, he began writing songs. After selling his bicycle, Al Saher purchased a guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
at the age of twelve, and began learning the arts of the guitar for about three months before writing a classical song. It was his first instrument. He later switched to the oud
Oud
The oud is a pear-shaped stringed instrument commonly used in North African and Middle Eastern music. The modern oud and the European lute both descend from a common ancestor via diverging paths...
, a much more common (and complex) instrument, and was accepted into the Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
Music Academy at the age of twenty-one. Although keen to break through in the music business with his songs and voice, he found himself rebuffed by all the producers he approached, who would only let him sing their own material. Instead, he used the back door to gain entry to the industry.
1980–1999: Rise to fame
One of his first videos was made in collaboration with one of his friends that happened to be a television director. The song in question was "Ladghat El Hayya" (The Snake Bite), which was broadcast on Iraqi television in 1987, one year before the end of the Iran–Iraq War. The song was the source of a major controversy due to particular sensitivities that were common during that era. Iraqi television officials asked him to either change the lyrics or have it banned. His refusal to change the lyrics and its consequent ban only helped to increase the popularity of the song. He began giving concerts all over the Persian GulfPersian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
and recording his music with Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
i labels.
A year later, he had a hit with "Obart Al Shat" (I crossed the river). Some of his professors at the Academy denounced it as sha'bi (pop) music, anathema to those who taught classical music. Al Saher had managed to circumvent the system and had become a star on his own terms—he even undertook his first U.S. tour in 1989. Having conquered pop, Al Saher turned around and established himself in the Arabic classical world with "La Ya Sadiki" (No, My Friend), a magnum opus
Masterpiece
Masterpiece in modern usage refers to a creation that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career or to a work of outstanding creativity, skill or workmanship....
that lasted almost an hour and found him using maqams
Arabic maqam
Arabic maqām is the system of melodic modes used in traditional Arabic music, which is mainly melodic. The word maqam in Arabic means place, location or rank. The Arabic maqam is a melody type...
(scales) that hadn't been used in Iraqi music in several decades, revitalizing a tradition.
In 1991 and due to the Persian Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
, Al Saher transferred his base of operations to Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
where he lived with his family for a few years. He considers living in Jordan as an important period of his life and career success later on. Al Saher performed some of his most successful concerts which were held in Jerash
Jerash
Jerash, the Gerasa of Antiquity, is the capital and largest city of Jerash Governorate , which is situated in the north of Jordan, north of the capital Amman towards Syria...
and produced two successful albums Sameer Baghdadi Studios in Amman, Jordan. After that he moved to Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, where he met and formed a songwriting partnership with Syrian poet Nizar Qabbani
Nizar Qabbani
Nizar Tawfiq Qabbani was a Syrian diplomat, poet and publisher. His poetic style combines simplicity and elegance in exploring themes of love, eroticism, feminism, religion, and Arab nationalism...
in 1996, who wrote lyrics to his music, before settling permanently in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
. Qabbani wrote the lyrics to more than 30 of Al Saher's songs. In addition to Qabbani’s poems, Al Saher sang both political and romantic songs for Iraq and Baghdad, highlighting the feelings of the citizens of Iraq as well as their tragedies.
Al Saher continued to release albums and tour, having become the biggest name in Middle Eastern music, one whose ballads grew bigger and more romantic, but who would write classically influenced works, even when they might hurt his popularity.
By 1998, he had ten albums under his belt and was lauded as an artist, not just a pop star. That prestige brought him wider fame and a growing international reputation that won him a UNICEF award for his song "Tathakkar", which he performed in the U.S. for Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
and the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
— one of the first real post-Gulf War cultural exchanges. The following year, he recorded a tribute to the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
with the Italian Symphony Orchestra.
2000–present
While still a fan of large orchestras, whose sweep helps define his music, he has remained open to technological innovation, even going so far as to allow a remix (by fusionists Transglobal UndergroundTransglobal underground
Transglobal Underground is a London-based music collective who specialise in a fusion of western, oriental and African music styles...
) of his song "La Titnahad", taken from his 2000 release El Hob El Moustahil (The Impossible Love), the first of his albums to be given an official American release. To coincide with it, he performed on National American tour with Dawn Elder Management which crossed the U.S.
In 2003 Al Sahir colloborated with Lenny Kravitz
Lenny Kravitz
Leonard Albert "Lenny" Kravitz is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and arranger, whose "retro" style incorporates elements of rock, soul, R&B, funk, reggae, hard rock, psychedelic, folk and ballads...
and released an anti-war song at Rock The Vote
Rock the Vote
Rock the Vote is a non-profit organization in the United States of America whose mission is to engage and build the political power of young people....
, titled "We Want Peace", and shortly afterward released a song entitled "The War Is Over" (Entahat al harab) with Sarah Brightman
Sarah Brightman
Sarah Brightman is an English classical crossover soprano, actress, songwriter and dancer. She is famous for possessing a vocal range of over 3 octaves and singing in the whistle register...
Which was released in her album Harem
Harem
Harem refers to the sphere of women in what is usually a polygynous household and their enclosed quarters which are forbidden to men...
and his album Hafiat Al-Kadamain
Hafiat Al-Kadamain
Hafiat Al-Kadamain is the sixteenth album by Kadim Al Sahir, released on June 29, 2003. The album contains the international successful single "The War Is Over", featuring Sarah Brightman.-Track listing:-Charts:-External links:...
which was highly praised in the middle east. Both of these international duets were executive produced by Dergham Owainati, of EMI Music Arabia, for Kadim's part. In 2004, Al Sahir continued to work with various international artists including Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
-winning producers KC Porter, and Quincy Jones
Quincy Jones
Quincy Delightt Jones, Jr. is an American record producer and musician. A conductor, musical arranger, film composer, television producer, and trumpeter. His career spans five decades in the entertainment industry and a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend...
. His collaboration "Love & Compassion" (Hob Wa Haneen) was the title track for the Arab American National Museum
Arab American National Museum
The Arab American National Museum , which opened in 2005, is the first museum in the world devoted to Arab American history and culture. Located in Dearborn, Michigan, the Museum seeks to dispel misconceptions about Arab Americans and other minorities....
Collector's edition honoring the artists that have made the most significant difference with international audiences. The track features Grammy winning singer/songwriter Paula Cole
Paula Cole
Paula Cole is an American singer/songwriter. Her single "Where Have All the Cowboys Gone" reached the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 in 1997, and the following year she won a Grammy Award for Best New Artist.-Early life:...
, Def Jam recording artist Karina Pasian
Karina Pasian
Karina Pasian is an American Grammy Award nominated singer and pianist. She is currently signed to Def Jam.-Life and career:...
, and Luis Conte
Luis Conte
Luis Conte is a Cuban percussionist.-Early years:As a child in Cuba, Conte began his musical odyssey playing the guitar. However, he soon switched to percussion, and that has remained his mode since....
, produced by Dawn Elder and KC Porter.
In 2004 he participated in the worldwide broadcast concert special "We are the Future" concert produced by Quincy Jones at the Roman Maximos Stadium in Rome for the benefit of the children of the world. In December 2004 he participated in the opening of the Gulf Football Championship (Khaleeji 17) in which he performed the return of Iraq Operette which was broadcast live on 10 satellite channels. Additionally, in 2004 he was the first Arab artist to participate in Unity, the official album of the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
.
Releasing his album Ila Tilmitha
Ila Tilmitha
Ila Tilmitha is the sixteenth album by Kathem Al Saher, released on November 11, 2004. The album contains collaborations with Asmaa Lemnawar.-Track listing:-Charts:-External links:* at shamra.com* on Shawshara.com...
on November 11, 2004. The album contains collaborations with the Moroccan Asma Lmnawar
Asma lmnawar
Asma Lmnawar is a Moroccan singer. She made her singing debut in 1995 with "Angham", a festival produced by Moroccan Radio and TV, where she won the prize for best interpretation, though she delayed beginning her musical career until 2002. She has recorded music for Moroccan television serials and...
whom kadim discovered earlier and introduced to the Arab world in her first due song with kadim "ashko ayaman".
The album also included the song "Ahbeni" written by the late poet Nizar Qabbani, shoot as a video clip by Husien Duibes and it was a major hit in the year 2004 along side with the song "Ila Tilmitha"
Major achievements on the artistic and humanitarian level, we were able to raise your interest and convince you that he definitely deserves to be awarded the AUB Honorary Doctorate in the field of Arts and Culture for the year 2006.
The United Nations Children's Fund, or UNICEF, named Alsaher as the new goodwill ambassador for Iraq for the year 2011. For Alsaher, this was a compeling reason to visit his country after 14 years
He sang Bokra "Tomorrow", a charity single that was released on 11/11/2011 at 11:11PM, along with Latifa Altonesyah, Rim Banna, Akon, Tamer Hosni, Diana Karazon, Marwan Khoury, Latifa, Souad Massi, Hani Mitwassi, Saber El Robai, Wa'ed, Sherine and other Arab Artists. The single will distribute the proceeds of its donations to various organisations, institutions and charities with arts and culture programs. The eight minute song was written by Majida Al-Roumi, and produced by Quincy Jones and RedOne. More information about the song can be found on www.tomorrowbokra.org.
Charity work
Over the past 15 years, Al Sahir has participated in many charity concerts. Some of the most important charitable concerts that Al Sahir has performed are the Royal Albert Hall concerts. It all started in 1997, when he performed Remember "Tathakar" song for the first time the audience was brought to tears during his performance.His second concert on May 23, 2004 was in honor of the children in the Middle East. The concert was a great success. The concert was sponsored by the Melkonian Foundation. The profits of this concert were donated to this foundation. This foundation supports over 50000 children.
His third concert was held on March 14, 2006. The profits of the concert were also donated to the Melkonian Foundation.
Al Sahir has participated in many concerts in Egypt for the benefit of children with cancer. And he has held numerous charity concerts in Algeria, Jordan, Lebanon, Tunisia and Iraq.
There are many other charity concerts that he has held, and he has donated money to many organizations. He does not like to discuss this part of his career, because he believes that people should not boast.
- Basma charity foundation – Tunis 2004
- Charity box – Tunis 1997
- Orphans charity foundation – Lebanon 2002
- Cancer Hospital – Jordan 2005
- Cancer children hospital – Egypt 2002
- Women in country side charity box 2002
- Jordan river foundation – Jordan 2005
- Melkonian Foundation – London 2004, 2006
- Victims of the Cairo train wreck in 2002
- Algeria victims of earthquake 2002
- War victims in Afghanistan 2002
- We are the future event 2004
Awards
- Honored by the Secretary General of the Arab League and by ministries of culture and tourism across the Arab world with first class accolades.
- In 1993 he received the Medal of Ambassador of Iraqi Song.
- In 1996 and 2001 he was honored at the Cairo Festival of the Arab Song.
- In 1997 he was awarded the Medal of Creativity by the Union of Iraqi Artists.
- In 1998 he received the UNICEF Award for his song Tathakar (Remember).
- In 2000 he was honored by the Tunisian president with the Cultural Medal of 2nd rank and with the Cultural Medal of 1st rank in 2004.
- In 2001 he received Al-Hussein Medal for Excellence from 1st rank from Jordan.
- In 2002,his song “Ana Wa Leila” was ranked 6th among the ten best songs in the world on BBC, and was the only Arabic song listed.
- In 2002 he was honored by the Opera House in Sydney.
- In 2004 he won the BBC Radio 3 World Music Award for the Middle East and North Africa in addition to the Audience Award and he received both awards in a special concert done in Edinburgh, Scotland.
- In 2005 he was honored during the Fez Festival in Morocco and given the City of Fez Key.
- In 2010 he received The Best Arab Male Singer Award in the Jordan Awards
-As well as various international awards and certificates such as the Key of Sydney which had been granted to Frank Sinatra, Queen Ann’s Royal Albert Hall Certificate of Artistic Recognition, Britain’s Royal Academy award, Australia Broadcast Corporation’s (A.B.C.) International Music Competition Award, UNICEF’s Recognition Award, and the Academic Honorary Award by the Royal Academy of Science International.
Personal life
His father worked in the local palace, and although his government wage did not make him a rich man, he raised ten children.The youngest of seven brothers, Kadim took a keen interest in classical music as a boy. He sat by the radio and learned to sing works by masters like Mohamed Abdel Wahab, Abdel Halim Hafez, Nazim Al Ghazali, and Fairuz. At age ten, he sold his bicycle to buy his first instrument, a guitar, but after a year of study on guitar, he switched to the oud, the principal composers' instrument in the Arab world.
Kadim wrote his first song at twelve, a romantic piece in the classical
style, composed for a girl he liked. He used to work with his father in early age after school to help the family .
He excelled in his studies and entered the Teachers Institute where he graduated in 1978 and was appointed as a teacher in a school in Mousal.
At age twenty-one he enrolled at the Baghdad Institute of Music where he studied for around 6 years.
He got married at early age, and is currently divorced.
He left his country Iraq in the early 90’s after the Gulf War and has found a home since in every Arab country.
He is not settled yet in one country and moves mainly between Cairo, Dubai, Beirut and Paris.
he has two sons "Wisam Al Sahir" who is married and "Omar Al Sahir" .
Kadim is a grandfather to a girl, her name is Sana .
Albums
- Shajart Al-Zeitoon (The Olive Tree)
- Ghazal (Gazelle) (1989) Music Box
- Al-Aziz (The Beloved) (1990) Al-Nazaer
- Hatha Allon (This Color) (1992) Stallions
- Banat Alaebak (Your Tricks are Over) (1993)
- La Ya Sadiki (No, My Friend) (1993) Music Box
- Salamtek Min Al-Ah (1994) RotanaRotana RecordsRotana Records is the Arab World's largest record label. It is owned by the Rotana Group, established by the Saudi Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, who sometimes personally signs artists to the label. Rotana Records is part of a huge media empire that includes a film production company, a magazine in...
- Baad Al-Hob (After Love) (1995) Relax-In
- Aghsili Bilbard (Wash [my heart] with Hail) (1996) Rotana
- Fi Medreset Al-Hob (In the School of Love) (6/29/1996) Rotana
- Ana Wa Laila (Me and Laila) (11/28/1998) Rotana
- Habibeti Wa Al-Matar (My Lover and the Rain) (1/1/1999) Rotana
- Al-Hob Al-Mustaheel (Impossible Love) (7/27/2000) Rotana
- Abhathu Anki (Searching For You) (9/28/2001) Rotana
- Qusat Habebain (A Story of Two Lovers) (1/1/2002) Rotana
- Hafiat Al-KadamainHafiat Al-KadamainHafiat Al-Kadamain is the sixteenth album by Kadim Al Sahir, released on June 29, 2003. The album contains the international successful single "The War Is Over", featuring Sarah Brightman.-Track listing:-Charts:-External links:...
(Barefooted) (6/29/2003) Rotana - Ila TilmithaIla TilmithaIla Tilmitha is the sixteenth album by Kathem Al Saher, released on November 11, 2004. The album contains collaborations with Asmaa Lemnawar.-Track listing:-Charts:-External links:* at shamra.com* on Shawshara.com...
(To a Student) (11/11/2004) Rotana - Entaha al MushwarEntaha al MushwarEntaha al Mushwar is the seventeenth album by Kathem Al Saher, released on November 1, 2005.-Track listing:-Charts:-External links:* at shamra.com...
(The Journey Is Over) (11/1/2005) Rotana - Yawmiyat Rajul Mahzoum (Diary of a Defeated Man) (3/29/2007) Rotana
- Souwar (Images) (8/30/2008) Rotana
- Al Rasm Bel Kalimat (Drawing with Words) (10/14/2009)
- La Tazedeh Lawa' (Don't make it more anguish) (1/30/2011)
External links
http://www.kadimalsahir.orghttps://www.facebook.com/KadimAlSahir.official
Management: Dergham Owainati: www.1000one.org