Nemahsis

Palestinian Canadian singer
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Years active2021–presentWebsitenemahsis.com
Musical artist

Nemah Hasan, known professionally as Nemahsis, is a Palestinian Canadian singer-songwriter from Toronto, Ontario.[1]

Career

Originally from the Toronto suburb of Milton,[2] Hasan began her career on TikTok, posting beauty and fashion videos aimed at Muslim women alongside occasional videos of her singing Adele covers.[1] After being exploited by a company that hired her for an advertising campaign and then failed to pay her, in June 2021 she released her first original single and video "What If I Took It Off for You?", about social attitudes toward Muslim women who wear the hijab.[3] She followed up with the singles "Paper Thin" in October 2021 and "Dollar Signs" in January 2022,[4] before releasing the EP eleven achers in March 2022.[5]

She followed up with the new non-EP singles "Criminal" in October 2022,[6] and "I Wanna Be Your Right Hand" in February 2023.[7]

In May 2024, She released her first single, Stick Of Gum, for her upcoming album. The song's music video was shot entirely in Nemahsis's hometown of Jericho in the occupied West Bank. [8] The single was selected by Spotify editors as one of the best songs of 2024.[9]

Activism

On October 12, 2023, soon after the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, the singer shared on social media that she had been dropped by her label, stating "My label just dropped me, a Palestinian artist, for being pro-Palestine"[10] Her subsequent posts include a rendition of Team, by New Zealand artist, Lorde[11] with images from Gaza before and after Israeli retaliation.[12]

Accolades

The Canadian music magazine Exclaim! named eleven achers one of the 15 best Canadian EPs of 2022.[2]

Hasan and her songwriting colleagues Brendan Grieve and Stevie Solomon were nominated for the SOCAN Songwriting Prize in 2022 for "Paper Thin".[13] In 2023, the Prism Prize named Nemahsis the winner of the Hi-Fidelity Award for artists using music video in innovative ways.[14]

References

  1. ^ a b Sophie Williams, "Nemahsis: the TikTok phenomenon looking to inspire and educate". NME, January 19, 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Exclaim!'s 15 Best EPs of 2022". Exclaim!, December 13, 2022.
  3. ^ Steffanee Wang, "Nemahsis Never Thought She'd Be A Pop Star". Nylon, February 23, 2023.
  4. ^ Megan LaPierre, "Toronto's Nemahsis Pays Her Dues with 'dollar signs'". Exclaim!, January 19, 2022.
  5. ^ Jo Forrest, "Nemahsis unveils her debut EP ‘eleven achers’". TotalNtertainment, March 12, 2022.
  6. ^ Megan LaPierre, "Toronto's Nemahsis Confronts Covert Crimes on New Single 'criminal'". Exclaim!, October 20, 2022.
  7. ^ Calum Slingerland, "Nemahsis Is at Your Service on New Song 'i wanna be your right hand'". Exclaim!, February 23, 2023.
  8. ^ NemahsisVEVO (2024-05-23). Nemahsis - Stick of Gum (Official Music Video). Retrieved 2024-09-07 – via YouTube.
  9. ^ "Spotify". open.spotify.com. Retrieved 2024-09-07.
  10. ^ Rashotte, Vivian (July 10, 2024). "Nemahsis says her label dropped her for her pro-Palestinian stance". CBC/Radio Canada. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
  11. ^ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 2023-11-22.
  12. ^ Taman, Ghalia (2023-11-06). "Lorde Celebrates Heartfelt Rendition Of 'Team' By Palestinian Artist Nemahasis". Scoop Empire. Retrieved 2023-11-22.
  13. ^ Megan LaPierre, "Here Are the 2022 SOCAN Songwriting Prize Finalists". Exclaim!, June 1, 2022.
  14. ^ Holly Gordon, "Snotty Nose Rez Kids win 2023 Prism Prize". CBC Music, July 7, 2023.