Hamza Namira


Hamza Namira is an Egyptian singer-songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. He has released three albums from the production of Awakening Records: Dream With Me, Insan, Esmaani; and a single album from Namira production, his own foundation: Hateer Min Thany. Besides singing, for which he is mostly known, he has also composed and arranged musical tracks. Some were his own work, like his albums heads Esmaani and Insan. Others, however, were collaborations with other artists, like composing Maher Zain's song Ya Nabi Salam Alayka, and contributing to arranging the cartoony re-make Egyptian Jingle Bells or the Oh la la song.

Career

Beginnings

Namira started to develop an interest in music when he was 17 years old, and he set about learning the guitar, keyboard, and ‘oud. He also developed interests in several musical styles: Middle Eastern, Egyptian traditional and folk music, light rock, jazz, and Latin music. From 1999 until 2004, Namira played in a band headed by the Alexandrian artist Nabil Bakly and went on to form his own group. He composed his first songs and succeeded in getting a few like-minded friends together and established the band "Nomaira".
Namira said his main musical influence is Nabil Bakly; a relatively unknown musician, whose group He joined from 2000 to 2001. One commentator described him as the "new Sayed Darwish".

Breakthrough success

Namira's second album, Insan was released in July 2011. This coincided with the Egyptian revolution, which he declared was a main factor in his popularity. According to him, he wants to express the real issues of his generation, which he thinks mainstream works don't cover due to concerns of musical market needs and pressure from production companies.
When British Prime Minister David Cameron visited Egypt on 21 February 2011, Namira was one of a select group of people invited to meet with him and to participate in a one-hour discussion about the future of Egypt.
Namira's fixation on sociopolitical issues continued along the timeline of the Egyptian part of the Arab Spring, with the last obviously relevant work being his 2013 single Wa Ollak Eh, in which he emphasized on rejecting violence, hatred, and the general polarized environment at that time, as exemplified by the Mokattam clashes, in which more than 100 people were injured.

''Remix'' series

In 2016, Namira launched his own TV series Remix on the pan-Arab TV channel Al Araby. Each 30-minute episode would end with a special collaborative performance of the songs by Namira and an accompanying musical band or vocalists in a contemporary fashion.

Discography

Albums

YearTitleTrack list
2008Ehlam Maaya
  1. Morgiha – Swing
  2. Ehlam Ma'aya – Dream With Me
  3. Konna Wehna Soghar – When We Were Young
  4. Fattah Shababik 'Eineek – Open Your Eyes
  5. Shedd El Hizam – Tighten Up Your Belt
  6. Ya Tair – O' Bird
  7. Wana Fi Tareeqy – While I Was Running
  8. Al Taghreeb – Alienation 1
  9. Ya Rabb – O' Lord
  10. Ehlam Ma'aya – Dream With Me
2011Insan
  • Insan – A Human
  • El-Midan – The Square
  • Hansa – I'll Forget
  • Taghreeba II – Alienation 2
  • Ya Muhawwin – O' Clement
  • Ewidooni – Promise Me
  • Ibn El-Watan – O' Son Of This Country!
  • Balady Ya Balady – Homeland.. O' Homeland
  • Ya Hanah! – Oh, How Lucky!
  • Doori – Revolve Around
  • Haser Hesarak – Besiege Your Siege
  • Ala Bab Allah – Standing By Allah's Door
  • Wushoosh – Faces
  • Sout – Voice
  • Hila Hila Ya Matr – Come Down O' Rain!
  • Esmy Masr – My Name's Egypt
  • 2014Esmaani
  • Esmaani – Listen To Me!
  • Sabah El-Kheer – Good Morning
  • Ya Lala
  • Ay Kalam – Empty Words
  • Dalmet kda leeh – Why It Darkened?
  • El-Atr – The Train
  • Tesmahy- Can You Please
  • Ya Sidi – My Master
  • La Tabki – Don't Cry
  • Kolo Beya'addi – It All Pass
  • Ya Mazloom – O' Oppressed One
  • Ma3a EL-Salama – Farewell
  • 2015El Mesaharaty
  • Zeina
  • Zahma
  • Ghorba
  • Kora
  • Helal
  • Manish Darwish
  • Wasfa
  • Iblees
  • Nabina
  • Taraweeh
  • El Omm
  • Napoleon
  • Khatma
  • Intizar
  • Istighfar
  • Akher 10 Ayam
  • Daqqet Tabla
  • Leilet AlQadr
  • Akher Leila
  • 2018Hateer Min Thany
  • Dari Ya Alby
  • Sheekayyo
  • Wala Sohba Ahla
  • Bos Bos
  • Zahra
  • El Wad El Abeet
  • Dari Ya Alby
  • Madadd
  • Shuwayyet Habayeb
  • Remix albums
    YearTitleTrack list
    2016Remix Hamza Namira
    1. Enas Enas
    2. Ya Zareef Al Tool
    3. Wain Ayamak
    4. Salma Ya Salama / Raggle Taggle Gypsy
    5. Jaljal Aleh Al Roman
    6. Mal Almagadir
    7. W Sari Sara El Leil / Wein a Ramallah
    8. Ya Bahr El Toufan
    9. Ya Oud Al Rouman
    10. Ya Nes Jaratli Gharaeeb
    11. Manich Mena
    12. Yawman Toatebna

    Videography

    Political views

    In November 2014, Namira's songs were banned from Egyptian state radio for "criticising the authorities"

    Philanthropy

    Namira joined a two-day UK tour organized by Human Appeal International to fundraise for medical equipment and provide training for more than 10,000 medical practitioners in Egypt. He performed in Vienna, Austria in October 2014 in an event organized by Humanic Relief.