With the release of his latest single ‘Brand New Day’, Massari has never been clearer about the message he wants to send to his growing international fan base. “It’s my way of showing the world every brand new day is a chance to chase your dreams, to make wrongs right and to make a difference.”
‘Brand New Day’ also signifies a professional and personal rebirth for Massari – a return to his former home on maverick independent label, CP Records, and to the creative process that made his 2005 self-titled debut a truly global success. “It’s a brand new day,” Massari says. “My sound is stronger than ever and it’s amazing to be back with my family at CP.”
Massari’s earliest impressions of his childhood home in Beirut range widely, from beautiful memories of his family, to horrifying images of the bloody Lebanese civil war then raging around him. “They were hard times and I have some terrifying memories I wouldn’t wish on anyone, but those experiences helped me learn to write from my heart and to try to inspire people.”
At age 10, Massari’s family relocated to Canada, living first in Montreal and then Ottawa, but even then, life was far from easy. “My parents were very poor when I was growing up, but I’m blessed to have come from hard times and I’m lucky to have lived a hard life. It keeps me humble, it keeps me grounded and it’s made me appreciate everything I have.” When he does talk about his past, Massari tends to focus on the things that made him want to sing in the first place – the Arabic music his family played so often at home, and the songs of North American superstars like Stevie Wonder, Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson.
One of the key elements of Massari’s universal appeal is his signature sound; a distinct blend of Middle Eastern melodies and North American beats that sets him well apart from other international pop sensations. With his latest single Massari expands on that sound substantially, taking cues from cutting edge Pop, Electronic and Hip-hop trends and drawing inspiration from his experiences on tour.
His 2005 debut, Massari, was a runaway hit and garnered the Lebanese/Canadian artist a 2006 JUNO nomination for R&B/Soul Recording of the Year, multiple MuchMusic Video awards, nods from the Canadian Urban Music Awards and SOCAN, as well as licensing deals all over the world. He became an international star, achieving Gold and Platinum sales in multiple territories worldwide and landing a high profile endorsement deal with Pepsi in the Middle East and North Africa. As demand for Massari’s live performances grew, he soon found himself selling out shows from Dubai to Berlin and Las Vegas, as well as performing in his hometown of Beirut in 2009 to commemorate Lebanon’s presidential election.
“When I left CP we were all very young,” Massari shares. “We’d achieved success to a magnitude beyond our understanding. There’s a yearning to recreate the magic we did in 2005, but there’s no pressure. It’s all about making beautiful music, and as a Lebanese/Canadian artist, I want to spread a positive message that reflects both of the cultures I grew up in.”
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