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 couple of albums from Namira production, his own foundation: Hateer Min Tany and Mawlood Sanat 80. Besides singing, for which he is mostly known, he has also worked in musical composition and arrangement. Hamza composed some of his own work, like the album heads Esmaani and Insan, along with some collaborations with other artists, like Maher Zain's song Ya Nabi Salam Alayka. He also contributed to arranging the cartoony remake Egyptian Jingle Bells (also known as Oh la la song), which was the first shaabi work in his repertoire, later followed by Esta3izo in his fourth studio album.
Hamza's work is mostly marked by a recurring sociopolitical theme, diverting from love songs and focusing on topics of general humanist interest, like hope, alienation, generational change, and oppression. He's also interested in reviving cultural heritage. Having been dubbed "Voice of the Revolution", works of Hamza rose to prominence during the 25 January revolution, in which he personally participated, and was considered a symbolic figure thereof. Dari Ya Alby, from his third album, topped the SoundCloud chart for almost a month.
Career
Beginnings Namira started to develop an interest in music when he was 17 years old, when he set about learning the guitar, keyboard, and ‘oud. He also vested 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. Although a relatively unknown musician, Namira later said that Bakly was his main musical influence. He then went on to form his own group. Namira composed his first songs and managed to get a few like-minded friends together to establish the band "Nomaira". In the meantime, he studied commerce at the Alexandria University and graduated in 2003.
In light of Namira's debut album, which had a main fan base of college students, one commentator described him as the "new Sayed Darwish", a cover of whose song, Shedd El Hizam, was released in the album.
Breakthrough success Namira's second album, Insan [Human] was released in July 2011. This coincided with the Arab spring, which he declared was a main factor in his popularity. According to him, he wants to express the real issues of his generation that 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 (only ten days after President Hosni Mubarak left office), 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. In January 2014, he released a single, Wa Ollak Eh, in which he emphasized on rejecting violence, hatred, and the general polarized environment following the 2013 Egyptian coup d'état and Rabia massacre.
Remix series In 2016, Namira launched his own weekly TV series Remix () on the pan-Arab TV channel Al Araby. , 3 seasons of the show were released, with a total number of 34 episodes. Along the series, Namira blended different music genres with local lyrics, including flamenco, electro, celtic, and others. Arabic lyrics were adopted from the Maghreb, the levant, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, while non-Arab included Amazigh, Kurdish, and Armenian.
With a running time of around 20–30 minutes, each episode would examine the historical origin and evolution of a work of folklore or pop culture in an Arab region, or sometimes in even other neighboring regions, like Armenia and Kurdistan. In exploration of the musical piece, Namira would interview original artists (if still alive), their family members, local enthusiasts, or cultural officials. For example, he met with Hamdi Benani for an Algerian cover, and with the grandparent of Sayed Darwish for a remake of his Yā Wild ʿammy (). At the end of each episode, Hamza would publicly perform a remix of the work, usually outside its place of origin or popularity. A number of songs were performed in London, which is both the headquarter of Al Araby and Hamza's place of residence. Works of Remix were mostly collaborative, featuring Lowkey, Babylone, Isam Bachiri, Hamid Al Shaeri, among others.
Discography
Albums Studio albums +Year TitleLabel Track list 2008 Ehlam Maaya (Dream With Me) Awakening Records Morgiha – A Swing Ehlam Ma'aya – Dream With Me Konna Wehna Soghar – When We Were Young Fattah Shababeek 'Eeeneik – Spread out Your Eyes Shedd El Hizam – Tighten Up Your Belt Ya Tair – O' Bird Wana Fi Tareeqy – While On My Way Al Taghreeba – Alienation Ya Rabb – O' Lord Ehlam Ma'aya (Acoustic Version) – Dream With Me 2011 Insan (A Human) Awakening Records Insan – A Human El-Midan – The Square Hansa – I'll Forget Taghreeba II – Alienation 2 Ya Muhawwin – O' Consoler Ewidooni – Promise Me Ibn El-Watan – Compatriot Balady Ya Balady – Homeland, O' Homeland Ya Hanah! – Lucky him! Doori – Roll on Haser Hesarak – Besiege Your Siege Ala Bab Allah – By Allah's Door Wushoosh – Faces Sout – A Voice Hila Hila Ya Matar – Come Down O' Rain! Esmy Masr – My Name's Egypt 2014 Esmaani (Listen Up) Awakening Records Esmaani – Listen Up! Sabah El-Kheer – Good Morning Ya Lala Ay Kalam – Empty Words Dalmet kda leeh – Why The Darkness? El-Atr – The Train Tesmahy- Would You? Ya Sidi – My Master La Tabki – Don't Cry Kollo Beya'addi – It All Pass Ya Mazloum – O' Oppressed One Ma'Assalama – Farewell (Alienation 3) 2018 Hateer Min Tany (I'll Fly Again) Namira Dari Ya Alby – Dissemble, My Heart Sheekayyo Hateer Min Tany – I'll fly again Wala Sohba Ahla – Not a Better Company Bos Bos – Look, Look! Zahra El Wad El Abeet – The Naive Boy Dari Ya Alby (acoustic) Madadd – Help! Shuwayyet Habayeb – Some Dears 2020 Mawlood Sanat 80 (Born in the Year 80) Namira Mawlood Sanat 80 – Born in the Year 80 El Waqaa El Akheera – The Last Fall Esta'eezo – Seek refuge El Saa'a 6 Sabahan – 6 in the Morning Faady Shuwayya – A Bit Idle Mesh Mohem – Doesn't Matter Yaaba – Buddy Ahkeelak Khofy – Tell You About My Fear Ma'lesh – Sorry El Essa W Elli Kaan – The Story and How it Went Ghenwa Leek Min Alby – A Song From The Heart To You Feeh Naas – There's People
Remix +Season (Year)Release dateTrackEnglish translationCollaborator(s)Fused genreOriginal Work Season 1 (2016)15 AprilInas Inas (4:56) Tell him, Tell himReminisce Reggae BandReggaeMohamed Rouicha (Morocco, Amazighi folklore)21 AprilWa Sari Sara El Leil/Wein a Ramallah (5:46/1:20)Oh, the Night Went By/Where? To Ramallah and Rum band Arabic popJordanian/Palestinian folklore/28 AprilYa Zareef Al Tool (5:05)O' Statuesque47SoulShamstepPalestinian folklore (Dabke)5 MayYa Oud Al Rouman (3:41)O' Trunk of PomegranateBarakaAfrican music (Saudi folklore)12 MayYa Nes Jaratli Gharaeeb (5:50)Wonders Befell Me, O' People!, Omar Sammur, and Ben Eatonhip-hop musicHamdi Benani (Tunisian/Algerian Ma'luf)19 MayMal Almagadir (4:29) What's With the Goings?Nour Projectsmooth jazzAhmed Munib; (Nubian folklore; Egyptian Shaabi)26 MayManich Mena (4:25) I Don't Belong HereAlQoura funk musicAlgerian/Moroccan folklore; Reggada2 JuneSalma Ya Salama/Raggle Taggle Gypsy (4:23) Farewell O' SalamaWraggle Taggle Band Irish musicSayed Darwish (Egyptian Zajal)7 JulyWain Ayamak Wain (2:44)Long Since Your TimeHamid Al Shaerielectro music(Libyan folklore)14 JulyYa Bahr El Toufan (4:13)O' Floody SeaValkaniaBalkan MusicBoudjemaâ El Ankis, (Algerian Chaabi)21 July (4:47)Pomegranate Enshadows MeIan Burdge, Chris Worsey, and Simon Hale Classical musicIraqi folklore28 July Yawman Toatebna (4:05)We Once Gave ReproofRamon Ruiz and Manuel de la Niña FlamencoPort-Saidi folklore (Simsimiyya) Season 2 (2018)28 SeptemberKhlili (3:45) My BelovedGénération Taragalte Tuareg music (Berber music)5 OctoberYamma Mwel El Hawa (3:04)What's with the Longing, Mother?Frankly Jazz Jazz musicPalestinian folklore12 OctoberDar Ya Dar (4:17) Home, Oh HomeEftekasat World fusionWadih El Safi(Lebanon)26 OctoberSiniya (3:23) Dining TableAutostrad Alternative rockNass El Ghiwane (Moroccan chaabi & folklore)2 NovemberYa Tair Ya Tayer (3:28)O' Soaring BirdBalkanaticsBalkan music; (Jordanian folklore)9 NovemberGmar El Ghorba (4:11)Moon of AlienationArtmastaReggaetonWalid Tounsi (Tunisian chaabi)16 NovemberAyoub wu Na'saa (4:56)Ayoub and Na'saaAytac DoganWorld music (Egyptian folklore)23 NovemberYa Yomma Fe Dag 'Aa Babna (3:44)The Door's Knocking, MotherSmith & SonsBluegrass music (Palestinian folklore)30 NovemberTunisian Hadrah (Al Burdah) (3:34)The MantleEmre MoğulkoçSufi musicSufi Nasheed7 DecemberYa Zare'e El Bazringosh (3:31)O' Cultivator of BazringoshDeclan Zapala Classical musicIraqi folklore14 December'Aytat L'ammala (3:35)The Prefectural LamentHabib BelkGnawa musicMoroccan Aita21 DecemberNazani (3:03) GracefulDante Ferrara Classical music by Sayat-Nova (Armenian folklore)29 DecemberErdi 'Alina Ya Lmeema (3:43)Be Pleased With Us, Mother8-Ball band Indie rockSalah Farzit (Tunisian chaabi)
Extended plays + Year Title Track list 2015 El Mesaharaty (Suhur waker) Zeina Zahma – Jam Ghorba – Alienation Kora – Football Helal – Crescent Manish Darwish – I'm no Dervish Wasfa – Recipe Iblees – Lucifer Nabina – Our Prophet Taraweeh – Tarawih El Omm – Mother Napoleon Khatma – A Complete Recitation Intizar – Waiting Istighfar Akher 10 Ayam – The Last 10 Days Daqqet Tabla – Beat of Drums Leilet AlQadr – Qadr Night Akher Leila – The Last Night
Singles Year Release date Title200922 DecemberAsforein – Two Birds201121 OctoberLessa El'adl Gheyab – Justice Still Lacking (live)201226 JulyBetheb Haga – You Love Something (Soundtrack of by )20121 AugustKun 'Awna – Be of Help (Soundtrack of by Ahmad Al Shugairi)201314 JuneSoundtrack of Bekhtesar (In short) TV show by 201421 JanuaryWa Ollak Eh – What to Tell You20198 FebruaryHekayet Tefl – A kid's story202015 OctoberFt. in Emlaq (Giant) with Hassan El Shafei
Videography Year Title 2008 Dream with Me (Ehlam Ma'aya) 2009 Two Birds (Asforeen) 2010 O Israel (Ya Israeel) I'm the Egyptian (Ana El-Masri) 2011 Human (Insan) Hila Hila ya Matar (Come Down O' Rain) Mawaweel 2013 The Square (El-Midan, in Arabic الميدان) 2014 What to Tell You (Wa Ollak Eih, in Arabic وقلّك إيه) 2018 Dary ya Alby 2019 Hekayet Tefl (meaning a kid's story, in Arabic حكاية طفل) 2020 Mawlood sanat 80 (in Arabic مولود سنة 80) 2020 Esta3izo (in Arabic استعيذوا)
Political views Hamza has openly opposed the occupation of Palestine and the official position in Egypt towards the Arab–Israeli conflict. He was also a vocal proponent of the Arab spring, naming El Midan after Tahrir Square, due to its role in the Egyptian revolution, and dedicating his Hila Hila Ya Matar for the Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia. Namira also dedicated his Hekayet Tefl for the children of Syrian refugees.
In November 2014, Namira's songs were banned from Egyptian state radio for "criticising the authorities". In response to questions about the ban and his legal status in Egypt, Hamza declared that he only expresses his opinions as per rights included in the Egyptian constitution, and that he doesn't identify as an activist, nor a politician.
In an interview with Youm7, Namira emphasized that he doesn't affiliate with the Muslim Brotherhood organization. He expressed his support for the Egyptian Military in the Sinai insurgency and expressed condolences for Ahmed Mansi, an Egyptian colonel killed during a terrorist attack.
He finally returned to settle and resume concerts in Egypt in September 2022 after spending years in exile.
Philanthropy