Sami Yusuf's New Album

Sami Yusuf claims that the new album release Without You should have not been released, and should be boycotted. Should we boycott? Heres the letters between Awakening Media and Sami Yusuf
Sami Yusuf:
Assalamu alaikom, I have recently been made aware that Awakening Records have released what they claim to be my third album, which they are offering for sale on their website. I realize that this will be welcome news for many people, but my loyal supporters need to know that this album release is NOT taking place with my blessing OR my consent! The tracks they have chosen to release are ‘work in progress’ and are almost entirely based on stolen mp3 demos that are far from complete and are certainly not of the high standard, lyrically, musically and technically, that I always insist upon. Consequently, for me to hear these incomplete and low quality recordings, that only represent a sketch of what I would wish to release for my discerning supporters, is painful beyond description. I therefore wish to make it perfectly clear that an album comprised of any such recordings could only be put on to the market against my wishes and without my approval. I need to explain that, for the past year, I have been in dispute with Awakening Records, the main thrust of my grievances being their total lack of transparency in dealing with me. I have made strenuous efforts to resolve the accumulated issues that I kept turning a blind eye to, all the while maintaining a measured, polite and dignified means of communication, but to no avail. Personally, I’m able to cope with the aggravation that I’ve had to endure during this past year, but I will NOT tolerate my brothers and sisters and my many loyal supporters being cheated, lied to and made a mockery of. I urge you to BOYCOTT THE SALE OF THIS ALBUM!! I can’t bear the thought of you shelling out your hard earned cash for music pretending to be my finest work, which it certainly isn’t! Equally unbearable is allowing these people who have abused my trust to profit from selling my music in a form that they know full well is incomplete and which, arguably, doesn’t even belong to them. Please be patient. I am in the process of completing my album which will be ready in just a few short weeks and which I will make available at the earliest opportunity, but only when it is completed to my total satisfaction and which represents my musical, lyrical and spiritual hopes and aspirations for us all. One thing that I have done, as a sign of my affection and respect for those many people of every nationality around the world that have supported me over these past years, is to prepare MY version of Palestine Forever and provide it as a free download on my new website: samiyusufofficial.com Visitors to my new site will also find examples of these inferior recordings side by side with samples of the improved versions that I’m in the process of creating. It’s still work in progress but clearly shows the difference in both content and quality. God bless you ALL Wasalam Sami

Awakening:
It has come to the attention of Awakening Records that there are certain rumours and statements circulating claiming that Sami Yusuf has left Awakening Records and that Awakening Records is releasing Without You - the third album of Sami Yusuf - without his approval and that the album merely consists of demos. Awakening Records has so far taken careful steps to not publicly disclose any information or discuss the matter in order to minimise any harm to Sami Yusuf, his fan base or even Awakening Records itself. However, Awakening Records would like to clarify that:

1. Awakening Records is a reputable worldwide company and takes every measure to ensure that it has full rights to release a product and deliver it to the highest quality. It will not jeopardise its relationship with its partners, artists, customers, investors and supporters by releasing a product that it has no right to release.

2. Awakening Records has produced pioneering Islamic music albums since 2003 to provide an alternative cultural vision for the global Muslim community. In this effort, it identified, supported, supervised and managed the work of Sami Yusuf since May 2003.

3. First and foremost by God's grace, then through the gifted talent of Sami Yusuf and with huge investment and tremendously hard work undertaken by Awakening Records, Sami Yusuf is now a household name across the global Muslim community inspiring millions of Muslim youth to be proud of their faith and identity.

4. Sami Yusuf is signed exclusively to Awakening Records for five albums. Awakening Records has previously released two albums - Al-Muallim and My Ummah and the third album Without You was released on Monday 12th of January 2009. Under the current agreements, all recordings are exclusively owned by Awakening Records.

5. Awakening Records has made substantial payments to Sami Yusuf for the third album which was due for release in August 2008 - as advertised on www.samiyusuf.com since May 2008 - and has full exclusive rights to release and distribute the album worldwide. Any other individual or company releasing any of Sami Yusuf's music albums or works can only do so by infringing the copyrights held by Awakening Records.

6. The third album is a complete and high quality album. It consists of 11 professionally recorded studio tracks owned by Awakening Records. All of the songs were composed, arranged and recorded by Sami Yusuf and so were all the vocals without exception.

7. Due to some internal contractual disputes – primarily resulting from third party interferences – Awakening Records had initially decided to postpone the release of the album till the outstanding matters were resolved.

8. It now seems that the dispute will take longer than expected to resolve and thus Awakening Records has decided to release the third album whilst other outstanding contractual issues are resolved. It is not in the interest of Awakening Records or Sami Yusuf to continue to put all work on hold indefinitely.

9. The matter is not in the courts as claimed but is currently being dealt with by lawyers representing Sami Yusuf and Awakening Records.

10. It has further come to the attention of Awakening Records that certain people are taking this opportunity to spread false information and rumours about Awakening Records and Sami Yusuf. Despite what is happening, Awakening Records holds Sami Yusuf in high esteem and is proud to have him as one of its artists. We urge people to refrain from spreading uncorroborated and partial information that only harms Sami Yusuf and Awakening Records.

11. The relationship between Awakening Records and Sami Yusuf is not merely contractual. All the directors of Awakening Records without exception are close personal friends of Sami Yusuf and hence the matter is very delicate, sensitive and complicated.

12. The issue is best left to be sorted out by Awakening Records, Sami Yusuf and their respective lawyers. Awakening Records is not willing to engage in gossip about its artists. Such action is not only unethical but also un-Islamic. Awakening Records has no intention to make this matter a public debacle and will thus issue no further statements.

Although contractual disputes are the norm in the 'music industry', it is unfortunate and it deeply saddens us that it has come to this. However, we are hopeful that matters will be resolved amicably and as swiftly as possible. In the meantime, enjoy the creative brilliance of Sami Yusuf's long awaited third album, which can be purchased from www.awakeningstore.com, iTunes and music stores worldwide. Awakening Records is donating a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the album to Islamic Relief's Gaza Appeal.

Awakening Records
19th January 2009

Response to AWK Open letter from SY Management

In response to the open letter published by Awakening Entertainment/Records, their acknowledgement that there is currently a dispute between Awakening and Sami Yusuf is certainly a positive step in the right direction. The letter does not, however, state that Sami has spent the best part of a year attempting, without success to get Awakening to address his complaints. They stated that “Awakening holds Sami in very high esteem and is honored to have him as one its artists” Hard to believe when they have released an album mainly consisting of inferior quality mp3 demos that came into their possession by means unknown. These demos were only intended to be used as ‘work in progress’ guide tracks that are far from Sami’s exacting standards and certainly not fit for release. They knew or must have known that, dispute apart, Sami would never have given his blessings or permission for such material to be made available to the public. Is this how they demonstrate the degree to which they are “honoured” to have Sami as one of their artists? Go to Sami’s new, official, website: samiyusufofficial.com where he has loaded examples of the difference between the quality of the Awakening release, which is based on year-old demos and more recent work that he has carried out. Also available on this site is a new version of ‘Palestine Forever’ which Sami is offering to his supporters as a free download. Regards Labelmaison Ltd Sami Yusuf’s Management