# Yasmine Hamdan

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Yasmine Hamdan ياسمين حمدان Hamdan performing in 2013 Background information Born Yasmine Hani Hamdan 1976 (age 49–50) Beirut, Lebanon Genres Electronica trip hop Occupations Singer songwriter Years active 1997–present Label Crammed Discs Member of Soapkills Y.A.S. Spouse Elia Suleiman

Musical artist

[Aarhus Festival](/source/Aarhus_Festuge), 2015

**Yasmine Hani Hamdan**[1] ([Arabic](/source/Arabic_language): ياسمين حمدان; born 1976) is a Lebanese singer and songwriter, now based in [Paris](/source/Paris).

## Biography

Hamdan became known with [Soapkills](/source/Soapkills), the duo she founded with [Zeid Hamdan](/source/Zeid_Hamdan) (no relation) while she was still living in [Beirut](/source/Beirut), [Lebanon](/source/Lebanon). The first album released by Soapkills was *Bater* (1999).[2] Soapkills was one of the first independent [electronic](/source/Electronic_music) bands in the [Middle East](/source/Middle_East), and its innovative approach exerted a lasting influence. To this day, Yasmine Hamdan is considered an icon of [underground music](/source/Underground_music) across the [Arab world](/source/Arab_world).[3][4]

After moving to Paris, Hamdan collaborated with [CocoRosie](/source/CocoRosie). She teamed up with [Mirwais Ahmadzaï](/source/Mirwais_Ahmadza%C3%AF) (who was part of French electronic [new wave](/source/New_wave_music) band [Taxi Girl](/source/Taxi_Girl) in the '80s, and produced/co-wrote some of [Madonna](/source/Madonna)'s albums),[5] with whom she recorded the 2008 album *[Arabology](/source/Arabology_(album))* under the [Y.A.S.](/source/Y.A.S.) moniker.

Hamdan then joined forces with [Marc Collin](/source/Marc_Collin) (of [Nouvelle Vague](/source/Nouvelle_Vague_(band))) to write and produce her first, self-titled solo album, which came out in [France](/source/France) and Lebanon in 2012 on Kwaidan Records), and was released internationally (in a revised version with five new tracks) in 2013 by [Crammed Discs](/source/Crammed_Discs) under the title *[Ya Nass](/source/Ya_Nass)*. In this album, which blends [pop](/source/Arabic_pop), [folk](/source/Folk_music) and electronic sounds with melodies and lyrics inspired by various [Middle-Eastern traditions](/source/Middle_Eastern_culture), Hamdan "has undertaken the challenge of affirming and rewriting [Arabic musical heritage](/source/Arabic_music)", according to *[Al Akhbar](/source/Al_Akhbar_(Lebanon))*.[6] Her personal life (she has lived in Lebanon, [Kuwait](/source/Kuwait), [Abu Dhabi](/source/Abu_Dhabi), [Greece](/source/Greece) and France) and her curiosity have enabled Hamdan to playfully use various [dialects of Arabic](/source/Dialects_of_Arabic) in her lyrics, which alternate between [Lebanese](/source/Lebanese_Arabic), [Kuwaiti](/source/Kuwaiti_Arabic), [Palestinian](/source/Palestinian_Arabic), [Egyptian](/source/Egyptian_Arabic) and [Bedouin](/source/Bedouin_Arabic), as well as some of the [code-switching](/source/Code-switching) which is so typical of Middle-Eastern humour.[7][8][9]

Hamdan had a cameo in [Jim Jarmusch](/source/Jim_Jarmusch)'s film[10] *[Only Lovers Left Alive](/source/Only_Lovers_Left_Alive)* alongside [Tilda Swinton](/source/Tilda_Swinton) and [Tom Hiddleston](/source/Tom_Hiddleston). She has written an original soundtrack for the [theatre](/source/Theatre) play *Rituel pour une métamorphose* by [Syrian](/source/Syria) playwright [Saadallah Wannous](/source/Saadallah_Wannous) for a production at [Comédie-Française](/source/Com%C3%A9die-Fran%C3%A7aise).[11]

Concert in Berlin, 2017

Entitled *Al Jamilat* ('The Beautiful Ones'), Yasmine Hamdan's second solo album came out in 2017. Recorded in Beirut, Paris and [London](/source/London), it was produced by herself, co-produced by [Leo Abrahams](/source/Leo_Abrahams) and [Luke Smith](/source/Luke_Smith_(session_musician)), and features performances by [Shahzad Ismaily](/source/Shahzad_Ismaily), [Steve Shelley](/source/Steve_Shelley) and more. *Jamilat Reprise*, an album of reworks by the likes of Acid Arab, [Matias Aguayo](/source/Matias_Aguayo), [Brandt Brauer Frick](/source/Brandt_Brauer_Frick) and several others, came out in 2018.

Yasmine Hamdan released her fourth album in 2025 entitled, *I remember I forget*. [12]

Yasmine Hamdan is married to the Palestinian film director and actor [Elia Suleiman](/source/Elia_Suleiman) and lives in Paris.[13]

## Discography

**with [Soap Kills](/source/Soap_Kills)**

- *Bater* (1999)

- *Cheftak* (2001)

- *Enta Fen* (2005)

**with [Y.A.S.](/source/Y.A.S.)**

- *[Arabology](/source/Arabology_(album))* (2009)

**Solo recordings**

- *Yasmine Hamdan* (2012) (reissued in 2013 as *[Ya Nass](/source/Ya_Nass)*)

- *Al Jamilat* (2017)

- *Jamilat Reprise* (2018)

- *I remember I forget* (2025)[14]

## Film music

- 2016: *[In Between](/source/In_Between_(2016_film))* by [Maysaloun Hamoud](/source/Maysaloun_Hamoud)

- 2013: *[Only Lovers Left Alive](/source/Only_Lovers_Left_Alive)* by [Jim Jarmusch](/source/Jim_Jarmusch)

- 2009: *[The Time That Remains](/source/The_Time_That_Remains)* by [Elia Suleiman](/source/Elia_Suleiman)

- 2006: *What a Wonderful World* by [Faouzi Bensaidi](/source/Faouzi_Bensaidi)

- 2005: *[A Perfect Day](/source/A_Perfect_Day_(2005_film))* by [K.Jreij](/source/Khalil_Joreige) and [Joana Hadjithomas](/source/Joana_Hadjithomas)

- 2003: *Cendres* by [K.Jreij](/source/Khalil_Joreige) and [Joana Hadjithomas](/source/Joana_Hadjithomas)

- 2002: *Aux Frontière* by D.Arbid, documentaire (ARTE, RTBF, CBF)

- 2002: *[Intervention Divine](/source/Divine_Intervention_(2002_film))* by [Elia Suleiman](/source/Elia_Suleiman)

- 2002: *Terra Incognita* by Ghassan Salhab, [Cannes](/source/Cannes) 2002

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["BALAD"](https://www.ascap.com/repertory#/ace/search/workID/904770409). *ASCAP*. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved 9 July 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Yasmine Hamdan - Farklı Müzik"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160422094120/http://farklimuzik.com/yasmine-hamdan/). Farklimuzik.com. 11 October 2012. Archived from [the original](http://farklimuzik.com/yasmine-hamdan) on 22 April 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Yasmine Hamdan Collaborates With Marc Collin"](https://web.archive.org/web/20130402121731/http://rollingstoneme.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=907). Rollingstoneme.com. 7 December 2011. Archived from [the original](http://www.rollingstoneme.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=907) on 2 April 2013. Retrieved 26 May 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Arabic Music's Modern Voice"](https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/13/arts/13iht-hamdan13.html). *The New York Times*. 13 April 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Mulholland, Tara (12 April 2012). ["Arabic Music's Modern Voice"](https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/13/arts/13iht-hamdan13.html). *The New York Times*. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0362-4331](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0362-4331). Retrieved 7 September 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Yasmine Hamdan: Musical Tradition With an Attitude"](http://english.al-akhbar.com/node/6720). Al Akhbar English. 27 April 2012. Retrieved 26 May 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Leçon de géographie intérieure avec Yasmine Hamdan"](http://www.mondomix.com/fr/news/lecon-de-geographie-interieure-avec-yasmine-hamdan). *Mondomix.com*. 18 June 2012. Retrieved 26 May 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Par Marie Ottavi (21 May 2012). ["Yasmine Hamdan, l'envol pop Next"](http://next.liberation.fr/musique/2012/05/21/yasmine-hamdan-l-envol-pop_819662). Next.liberation.fr. Retrieved 26 May 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Yasmine Hamdan"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120516004541/http://www.brownbook.me/yasmine-hamdan/). *www.brownbook.me*. Archived from [the original](http://www.brownbook.me/yasmine-hamdan/) on 16 May 2012. Retrieved 13 January 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["REORIENT - Middle Eastern Arts and Culture Magazine"](http://www.reorientmag.com/2013/01/yasmine-hamdan/). *Reorientmag.com*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["Rituel pour une métamorphose"](https://web.archive.org/web/20131215095749/http://www.comedie-francaise.fr/spectacle-comedie-francaise.php?id=517&spid=373&p=1). *Comedie-francaise.fr*. Archived from [the original](http://www.comedie-francaise.fr/spectacle-comedie-francaise.php?id=517&spid=373&p=1) on 15 December 2013. Retrieved 16 March 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** Saeed, Saeed. ["Yasmine Hamdan breaks eight-year silence with new album I Remember I Forget, exploring memory and displacement"](https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/music-stage/2025/08/26/yasmine-hamdan-breaks-eight-year-silence-with-new-album-i-remember-i-forget-exploring-memory-and-displacement/). *The National*. Retrieved 23 September 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-national_13-0)** Saad, Shirine (3 August 2013). ["Childhood wanderings influence Yasmine Hamdan's third album"](http://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/music/childhood-wanderings-influence-yasmine-hamdans-third-album#full). *[The National](/source/The_National_(Abu_Dhabi))*. Retrieved 25 March 2016.{{[cite news](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_news)}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_deprecated_archival_service))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** Saeed, Saeed. ["Yasmine Hamdan breaks eight-year silence with new album I Remember I Forget, exploring memory and displacement"](https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/music-stage/2025/08/26/yasmine-hamdan-breaks-eight-year-silence-with-new-album-i-remember-i-forget-exploring-memory-and-displacement/). *The National*. Retrieved 23 September 2025.

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Yasmine Hamdan](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Yasmine_Hamdan).

- [Official website](http://www.yasminehamdan.com)

- [Yasmine Hamdan page on the Crammed Discs website](http://www.crammed.be/index.php?id=34&art_id=192)

- [Yasmine Hamdan at Farklı Müzik](http://farklimuzik.com/yasmine-hamdan) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160422094120/http://farklimuzik.com/yasmine-hamdan/) 22 April 2016 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

- [Interview of Yasmine Hamdan by Dr. Ramzi Salti](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2U_UUQlFs3Q) at [Stanford University](/source/Stanford_University)

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF GND WorldCat National United States France BnF data Israel Artists MusicBrainz Other IdRef Yale LUX

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Yasmine Hamdan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yasmine_Hamdan) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yasmine_Hamdan?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.