Nancy Agag
{{short description|Sudanese singer-songwriter}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Nancy Agag
| image =
| caption =
| native_name = نانسي عجاج
| native_name_lang = ar
| birth_name = Nancy Ajaj
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1979|3|02|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Omdurman, Sudan
| occupation = {{flat list|
- singer
- composer
- producer
}}
| years_active = 1999–present
| module = {{Infobox musical artist|embed=yes
| background = solo_singer
| genre = {{flat list|
}}
| label = Rotana Records
| instrument = {{flat list|
- vocals
}}
| website = {{URL|https://www.facebook.com/nancyajajofficialpage/}}
}}
}}
Nancy Agag, also spelled Nancy Ajaj ({{langx|ar|نانسي عجاج}}, born 2 March 1979), is a modern Sudanese singer-songwriter and recording artist. In her music, she combines both songs by older Sudanese musicians as well as her own compositions. Her songs are characterised by modern arrangements, played by her own band of professional musicians, and she enjoys wide popularity in Sudan as well as abroad.
Personal life and artistic career
Nancy Agag was born in Omdurman and grew up in the Netherlands, where she studied Social History and music. Her father, Badr al-Din Ajaj, also a well-known musician and composer,{{Cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/BadrAlDinAjaj_201808|title=Lamhtak|last=Ajaj|first=Badr Al-Din|date=|website=|access-date=2020-04-17}} was murdered, when he returned to Sudan.{{cite news|url=http://www.alwatanvoice.com/arabic/news/2008/07/19/130241.html|title=نانسي عجاج:لا أشبه نانسي عجرم|date=19 July 2008|work=Alwatan Voice|accessdate=15 July 2010}}
From 2004 onwards, Nancy Agag and her band have performed numerous concerts in Sudan, the US, England, Canada, Qatar and the Netherlands.{{Cite web|url=http://roznamah.sa/en/events/sudanese-night-with-mohamad-al-amin-nancy-agag-hussein-al-sadiq/|title=Sudanese Night With Mohamad Al Amin - Nancy Agag - Hussein Al Sadiq|website=Enjoy KSA|language=en|access-date=2020-04-16}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.alnilin.com/13070278.htm|title=فيديو: الديمقراطية والحريات تقود نانسي عجاج للغناء في تونس بالثوب السوداني ورواد المواقع ينبهرون (بعقلها)|date=2019-08-16|website=النيلين|language=ar|access-date=2020-04-16}} Featuring many popular songs about her country, she has produced several albums and many music videos. In 2016, the German Cultural Centre in Khartoum produced two of her songs for an international project, featuring music videos from Sudan, Egypt and the Middle East.{{Cite web|url=https://www.goethe.de/prj/rel/en/mra/mur.html?wt_sc=musikraum|title=Musikraum - Musikraum: the living room transforms into a concert hall - Goethe-Institut|website=www.goethe.de|access-date=2020-04-17}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.goethe.de/prj/rel/en/mra/mur/nnj.html|title=Nancy Agag - Musikraum: the living room transforms into a concert hall - Goethe-Institut|website=www.goethe.de|access-date=2020-04-17}}
Nancy Agag was one of the few female singers who appeared in modern Western outfits, even without the headscarf that was obligatory during the government of Omar al Bashir up to 2019. Before the abolishment of Public Order Law, the authorities had imposed many restrictions for women's appearance in public.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-50596805|title=Sudan's women hail end of strict public order law|date=2019-11-29|work=BBC News|access-date=2020-04-16|language=en-GB}}
During the Sudanese revolution of 2018/19, she published a song called Birth, which according to the selection of Sudanese songs The Sounds of Sudan, expresses the "sentiments of Sudan’s December Revolution".{{Cite web|title="Birth" ("ميلاد") by Nancy Ajaj {{!}} English Translation - YouTube|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTkxxOkn100|access-date=2021-01-07|website=www.youtube.com}}
see more
References
{{Reflist}}
External links to music videos
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTkxxOkn100 "Birth" ("ميلاد") by Nancy Ajaj with English translation and comments on the lyrics]
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7Z6gVvT8Bk Ahibak on Al Shoorok TV]
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5YeHGzo_w4 Ahibak from Goethe Institut kitchen sessions]
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTG-edP-uL4 Andarea]
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQtsj2mCW_4 Hanin]
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVJLOz2sQmY Al shoog wa al raid]
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aHjgJKpBeA Show reel 2015 (excerpts from concerts and interviews)]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Agag, Nancy}}
Category:21st-century Sudanese women singers