Y.A.S. - Биография

YAS IS THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL ELECTRO PROJECT THAT PLACES ARABIC LANGUAGE AT THE CENTER OF POP CULTURE! No exoticism but transgression, sulphur and genius, where Arabic discovers a new ultra-modern youth.

YAS is Mirwais and Yasmine: Mirwais Ahmadza and Yasmine Hamdan. Leading the project is Mirwais, born in Afghanistan, he has already contributed to several duos; Daniel Darc (French rock icon), Juliette (from Juliette et les indpendants) and Madonna… He is unique, from another planet. He has been rated among the five greatest contemporary producers (alongside Timbaland and Dr Dre) by Esquire Magazine. Releasing many hits with Taxi Girl, Mirwais received planetary recognition in 2000 by creating « Music » for Madonna that billboarded n°1 pretty much all over the world. Thanks to him and to the two albums they did together, The Queen of pop was back at the top. In the 21st century, among others he worked with Fisherspooner, did some remixes for Franz Ferdinand, worked on original film soundtracks and now comes back with a project close to his image: 100 % artistic. Pop and radical. Pop as in popular, accessible to everyone and avant-garde. The first album where Arabic and avant-garde are propelled to the center of pop culture!

The other half of YAS is Yasmine Hamdan. Born in Beirut, she was shunted around between Lebanon, Greece and the Gulf countries. Bred on various musical moods, inspired by artists such as Chet Baker, Grace Slick, Janis Joplin or Nina Simone and fascinated by the arabic traditional old repertoire, she co-formed the lebanese underground band Soapkills, in witch she performed sensual songs experimenting Arabic moods into a minimalist trip hop music. Mirwais and Yasmine met in Paris, where she lives today. Their collaboration started when Mirwais listened to some of Yasmine's maquettes and was inspired to offer YAS to her. On top of singing in arabic with Lebanese, Egyptian or Kuwaiti accents, she composes and writes her own lyrics. The result is explosive. Completely new, totally intelligible. Nothing in common with a colonial “world-muic”. If one needs a reference, take Daft Punk, Kraftwerk and Madonna, put them in a shaker made in Lebanon, shake vigorously and serve on the rocks. That’s YAS: a terrific shot of Arabic electro-pop that goes to your head and gets your pelvis moving. In the 20th century pop culture is an Anglo Saxon affair. In 2008, plate tectonics called YAS revolutionize the world’s geo-cultural order; it’s now between Kabul, Beirut and Paris that it’s happening. A new crusade of liberation: Electro Kasbah !