Karl Wolf
Karl Wolf |
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Carl Abou Samah (in Arabic كارل أبو سمح; born in Beirut, Lebanon on April 18, 1979)[1] is a Lebanese-born Canadian musician based in Montreal (QC), Canada. He is better known by his stage name Karl Wolf. He has been a singer, songwriter and producer since 2001, releasing his first solo album Face Behind the Face on MapleNationwide/Universal in January 2006, followed by a second album Bite the Bullet in November 2007. His third album Nightlife was released on November 17, 2009. After 9 years with EMI Music, in March 2010 he signed a new recording contract in the United States with Universal Republic.
Early years
Karl was born in Beirut, Lebanon. Later on his family moved to Dubai, UAE, a few years later due to the civil war in Lebanon.
In an interview with Shave Magazine, Karl explained that in Arabic, his family name (Abou Samah) means 'father of forgiveness.'.[2] His stage name 'wolf' derives from a nickname he received on his high school basketball team as he was the smallest but yet the quickest in his team. He also says his mother and father drove him to a career in music. Wolf's mother was a piano teacher and his father played the guitar, drums and a traditional Middle Eastern musical instrument called oud.
Karl began his career "behind the scenes," and has been writing co-producing since 2001. The 2001 hit album from Gabrielle Destroismaisons generated two singles co-written by him that reached #1 on the BDS Francophone Charts, and the record earned him a Félix Award at the L'ADISQ Awards for "Best Mix and Sound of the Year".
Wolf's work with Gabrielle brought Karl Wolf to the attention of Antoine Sicotte, of the top-selling Canadian pop band Sky, where he was recruited as a singer-songwriter becoming Sky's new lead singer in 2002.[3] Wolf co-wrote and co-produced the third Sky album, Picture Perfect (on Sextant/EMI), with strong airplay across Canada. Sicotte and Wolf cooperated on the hugely successful Star Académie reality TV show in Quebec. The subsequent album was the biggest-selling album in Canada in 2003, notching a phenomenal sales in Canadian terms and earning Karl Wolf a SOCAN Award for Most Popular Song. A Star Académie II sequel in 2004 was another big success, the album going double-platinum.
Solo Years (since 2005)
In 2005 Karl Wolf ventured into a solo career. He released his debut solo album Face Behind the Face"[4] in January 2006. Since its release, the album broke in the Canadian Top 100 sales chart and spawned three singles, "Butterflies"[5] and "Desensitize",[6] with the latter track (featuring hip hop star Choclair) reaching the BDS Top 40 charts and "Referee".
He followed with a second studio album Bite the Bullet in November 2007. The first single release from the album was "Africa",[7] a remake of the worldwide hit Africa by Toto. The Karl Wolf remake features Canadian artist Culture. In early March 2009, with the release of the single on iTunes for digital downloads, it surged up #32 to #2[8] on the issue of March 14, 2009 based on huge amounts of downloads over the previous week. It peeked at #1 on the itunes charts and It also stayed at #2 for four further week on the chart of March 21 and 28 and April 4 and 11, 2009. Prior to iTunes download, it had topped at #20 in the same chart. This is so far Karl Wolf's most successful single to date. The song also topped the MuchMusic Top 30 Countdown charts and has also found success in Japan, peaking at #20 on the Japan Hot 100 chart. His follow up single this year titled Carrera climbed to peak at #39 on the Bilboard Canadian Hot 100.
He was the opening act for launching of MTV Arabia alongside Akon, Ludacris and UAE's Desert Heat. Furthermore Karl Wolf single Africa became the first ever video clip broadcast on the new music station.
Karl Wolf announced on Sunday June 21, 2009 at the MuchMusic Video Awards, that he has in fact been recording a new album due to be out by the end of this year (2009) or by early 2010 and that he we will be releasing another remake of a worldwide hit. The album Nightlife, his third album was released on 17 November 2009. He has had two singles emanating from the album, "Yalla Habibi" and "Hurting".
In February 2010, he signed a record deal with Universal Republic Records for United States distribution. After great success in Canada, "Africa" will become the first single released in the United States through the Universal Republic record deal.
LW Entertainment / LW Records
In addition to his solo career, Wolf has established "LW Entertainment" and his own record label "LW Records" and recording studio (with LW standing for Lone Wolf). These are the producing wing of Karl Wolf's operations. Before becoming a solo artist, Karl Wolf had his break as a songwriter / producer and at 22, won "Best Mix and Sound of the Year" at L'ADISQ. Karl Wolf has also produced for Quebec singers Mitsou, Emily, Jérôme-Philippe (aka Disoul) also becoming for a time, part of the latter's band Dubmatique.
Collaborations
Karl Wolf has collaborated with a number of artists, mainly from Canada:
- He was featured in Quebec rapper and VJ Malik Shaheed's song "Get Down / Respire"
- His song "Hollow Girl" features Quebec artist Striger
- His song "Desensitize" features Canadian rapper Choclair
- He is featured in Choclair's song and music video of "Weekend" from Choclair's Flagship album
- He released with Eve a bilingual (English / French version) of his single "Butterflies" (Co-written by Jordan Kaahn)
- He was featured in Taio Cruz recording "Crazy Girl"
- His song "Like This" features Sandman
- His song "Africa" features Canadian rapper Culture
- His special track "Triple R" features international rap artist Snoop Dogg
- His single "Yalla Habibi" features Rime and Kaz Money
- He is featured in Diana Haddad's single "Enta Ma'ai / Kol Hayati"
- He is featured in Jacob Guay's bilingual French/English single "Si Jeune" (Written by Jordan Kaahn and produced by Karl Wolf)
- He is also featured in New Jay Sean Single Called Yalla Asia
Discography
Studio albums
Year | Album details | Chart positions |
---|---|---|
CAN | ||
2006 | Face Behind the Face | — |
2007 | Bite the Bullet
|
100 |
2009 | Nightlife
|
— |
Singles
Year | Single | Chart positions[9] | Album | |
---|---|---|---|---|
CAN | JPN | |||
2005 | "Butterflies" | — | — | Face Behind the Face |
2006 | "Desensitize" (feat. Choclair) | — | — | |
"Referee" | — | — | ||
"Triple R" (feat. Snoop Dogg) | — | — | non-album single | |
2007 | "She Wants to Know" | — | — | Bite the Bullet |
2008 | "Africa" (feat. Culture) | 2 | 20 | |
2009 | "Carrera" | 39 | — | |
"Yalla Habibi" (feat. Rime Salmi & Kaz Money) | 24 | 51 | Nightlife | |
2010 | "Hurting" (feat. Sway) | 55 | — | |
"80's Baby" | — | — |
Awards and nominations
Awards and nominations for Karl Wolf | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Award | Category | Nominated Work | Result |
2007 | Juno Awards | RR&B/Soul Recording of the Year | Face Behind the Face | Nominated |
2008 | MTV Europe Music Awards | Best Arabia Act[10] | Himself | Won |
2009 | MuchMusic Video Awards | Favourite New Artist/Group | Himself | Nominated |
Pop Video of the Year | "Africa" | Nominated | ||
2010 | Sounds of Blackness Awards | Best Anglophone Artist or Group of the Year | Himself | Nominated |
Anglophone Song of the Year | "Africa" | Won[11] | ||
Canadian Radio Music Awards[12][13] | Fan's Choice Award | Himself | Nominated | |
Best New Group or Solo Mainstream A/C Artist of the Year | Himself (for "Africa") | Nominated | ||
Best New Group or Solo Hot A/C Artist of the Year | Himself (for "Africa") | Won |
References
- ^ Today's Outlook Magazine :: Lebanese Abroad
- ^ "Interview: Karl Wolf". ShaveMagazine.com. Retrieved 2010-05-31.
{{cite web}}
: External link in
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- ^ MuchMusic.com | Artists | Sky
- ^ Karl Wolf Biography
- ^ YouTube - Karl Wolf - Butterflies
- ^ YouTube - Karl Wolf Feat. Choclair - Desensitize
- ^ You Tube - Karl Wolf Feat. Culture of "Africa"
- ^ Billboard Canadian Hot 100 Chart
- ^ Karl Wolf chart positions
- ^ MTV Europe Awards ceremony in Liverpool (6 November 2008) with Karl Wolf receiving Best Arabia New Act award
- ^ MusiquePlus: Gala SOBA page
- ^ Broadcaster Magazine: "Karl Wolf and Nickelback Lead Nominations for Radio Music Awards"
- ^ CBC News: "Nickelback, Karl Wolf lead race for radio airplay awards"
External links
- Living people
- Canadian male singers
- Canadian rhythm and blues musicians
- Canadian rhythm and blues singers
- Canadian singer-songwriters
- Canadian people of Lebanese descent
- Lebanese immigrants to Canada
- Canadian expatriates in the United Arab Emirates
- Lebanese expatriates in the United Arab Emirates
- People from Montreal
- Musicians from Quebec
- 1979 births