Assala - Howa Habibi

Assala was born in Damascus, Syria[1] to a middle class couple. Mostafa Nasri, Assala's father, was a revered Syrian composer and singer. Assala began her musical career by performing patriotic, religious, and children's songs when she was four years old. She sang the theme song "Qessas Al Sho'oub" (Arabic: قصص الشعوب), of the cartoon show, Hekayat Alamiyah (Arabic: حكايات عالمية). In 1986, Mostafa Nasri died after suffering from internal bleeding caused by a car accident. Aged 17 she helped care for her siblings, Reem, Amani, Ayman and Ayham with her mother. Assala's commercial musical career debuted in 1991 with Law Ta'rafou (Arabic: لو تعرفو). The album had 4 songs in the oriental operatic tarab style. The album was an instant hit with heartbreaking songs like "Ya Sabra Yana" and "Samehtak Ketir". She quickly cemented her presence in a growing industry brimming with new, young talent like Najwa Karam, Saber Rebaï, Angham, and Abdelmajeed Abdullah.