Editing Natacha Atlas

{{short description|Egyptian-Belgian singer|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians -->
| name                = Natacha Atlas
| image               = Natacha Atlas 2008 Budapest.jpg
| caption             = Atlas in concert, 2008
| background          = solo_singer
| birth_name          =
| birth_date          = {{Birth date and age|1964|3|20|df=y}}
| birth_place         = [[Schaerbeek]], [[Brussels-Capital Region|Brussels-Capital]], Belgium
| genre               = {{plainlist|
* [[World music|World]]
* [[Arabic pop music|Arabic pop]]
* [[ethnic electronica]]}}
| occupation          = Singer, songwriter
| years_active        = 1989–present
| label               = {{plainlist|
* [[Nation Records|Nation]]
* [[Mantra Recordings|Mantra]]
* [[Harmonia Mundi]]
* [[Six Degrees Records|Six Degrees]]}}
| website             = {{URL|natachaatlasofficial.com}}
}}

'''Natacha Atlas''' ({{langx|ar|نتاشا أطلس}}, {{lang|ar|natāšā ʔaṭlas}}, {{IPA|ar|nataːʃaː ʔatˤlas|}}; born 20 March 1964) is an Egyptian-Belgian<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pri.org/stories/2011-02-14/natacha-atlas-adapts-egypt-rise-freedom|title=Natacha Atlas adapts 'Egypt: Rise to Freedom'|website=Public Radio International|access-date=2019-12-20}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1053748|title='Gedida' from Natacha Atlas|publisher=NPR|access-date=2019-12-20}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/Natacha-Atlas-music-mixes-Arabic-English-3263056.php|title=Natacha Atlas' music mixes Arabic, English|first=Jonathan|last=Curiel|date=2008-11-02|website=San Francisco Chronicle|access-date=2019-12-20}}</ref> singer known for her fusion of [[Arabic music|Arabic]] and Western music, particularly [[Hip hop music|hip-hop]]. She once termed her music "''[[chaabi (music)|cha'abi]] moderne''" (modern folk music). Her music has been influenced by many styles including [[Music of the Maghreb|Maghrebain]], hip hop, [[drum and bass]] and [[reggae]].

Atlas began her career as part of the [[World music|world fusion]] group [[Transglobal Underground]]. In 1995, she began to focus on her solo career with the release of ''[[Diaspora (Natacha Atlas album)|Diaspora]]''. She has since released seven solo albums and been a part of numerous collaborations. Her version of "[[Mon amie la rose]]" became a surprise success in France, reaching 16 on the French Singles Charts in 1999. Her most recent album, ''[[Strange Days (Natacha Atlas album)|Strange Days]]'', was released in 2019.

==Early life==
Natacha Atlas was born on 20 March 1964, in [[Schaerbeek]], [[Brussels-Capital Region|Brussels-Capital]], Belgium. Her British mother was raised Christian before adopting [[Buddhism]] in the 1970s. Her father, of Egyptian descent, was deeply interested in [[Sufi]] mysticism and the [[George Gurdjieff|Gurdjieff]] philosophy of the [[Fourth Way]]. He also studied Chinese medicine and [[Taoism]].

Atlas was raised listening to eclectic music from both Eastern and Western traditions. After her parents separated, Atlas went to live in [[Northampton]], England, with her mother.<ref name=Swedenburg>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=r8dSngEACAAJ&q=Global+Noise:+Rap+and+Hip-hop+Outside+the+US|title=Swedenburg, Ted. 2001. Islamic Hip- Hop vs. Islamophobia: Aki Nawaz, Natacha Atlas, Akhenaton. In ''Global Noise: Rap and Hip-hop Outside the USA'', ed. Tony Mitchell 57-86. Middletown, CT: Wesleyan University Press|isbn=978-0-8195-6502-0|year=2002|publisher=Wesleyan University Press|editor=Tony Mitchell}}</ref>

Atlas grew up speaking [[French language|French]] and [[English language|English]], and later learned [[Arabic language|Arabic]] and [[Spanish language|Spanish]]. She sings in several languages, including modern colloquial Arabic, although she admits that she is not entirely at ease with it.<ref name="nussbaum1"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=98560834|title=Natacha Atlas: Acoustic Takes, Arabic Classics|author=Alison Stewart|date=21 December 2008|work=Weekly Edition Sunday|publisher=NPR|access-date=23 February 2015}}</ref>

==Early career and Transglobal Underground==
Atlas returned to Belgium at age 24 and began her career with two jobs: [[belly dancing]] and being the lead singer of a Belgian [[salsa music|salsa]] band. In April 1989, she made her recording début as [[guest vocalist]] on [[Balearic beat]]-band ¡Loca!'s "Encantador" ([[Nation Records]]).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://discogs.com/release/688618 |title=Various – Fuse – World Dance Music (Vinyl, LP) |date=April 1989 |publisher=[[Discogs]] |access-date=21 July 2015}}</ref>

In 1991, Atlas co-wrote/recorded the ¡Loca! single "Timbal" and co-wrote/guested with [[Jah Wobble's Invaders of the Heart]] composing five tracks for their ''[[Rising Above Bedlam]]'' album. Through recording with ¡Loca!, she met Nation-labelmates [[Transglobal Underground]], a British [[ethnic electronica]] band with a [[Middle Eastern]]/[[South Asia]]n focus. At the time, Transglobal Underground had a [[top 40]] hit, "Templehead", and Atlas became their lead singer and belly dancer. Additionally in 1991, Atlas collaborated with [[Bauhaus (band)|Bauhaus]]/[[Love and Rockets (band)|Love and Rockets]]/[[Tones on Tail]] guitarist and vocalist [[Daniel Ash]] on his debut solo album ''[[Coming Down (album)|Coming Down]]''. She contributed extensive vocal work as well as keyboards and bass guitar.

==Solo career==
Most of Atlas' earlier albums were produced by Tim Whelan and Hamilton Lee from Transglobal Underground. These albums include ''[[Diaspora (Natacha Atlas album)|Diaspora]]'' (1995), ''[[Halim (album)|Halim]]'' (1997) (in honour of Egyptian singer [[Abdel Halim Hafez]]), ''[[Gedida]]'' (1998), and ''[[Ayeshteni]]'' (2001).

Atlas has always spoken her mind about the way both she and Transglobal Underground were seen by the UK press back in the late 1990s and early 2000s. "Someone from the ''[[NME|New Musical Express]]'' rang us about a feature we're to do with them and said 'We don't want it to be about the multi-cultural angle'. In other words that fad is over. And I'm personally insulted... what other angle is there for us?! I get sick of it all."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/h.php?news=atlas-quoti-fking-hate-techno.quot-2000-06-30 |title=Atlas: "I f***king hate techno." |author=Molly McAnailly Burke |date=30 June 2000 |work=[[Hürriyet Daily News and Economic Review]] |access-date=19 March 2010}}</ref>

In 1999, Atlas collaborated with [[David Arnold]] on the song "One Brief Moment".  The single featured a [[cover version]] of the theme song from the [[James Bond]] film ''[[You Only Live Twice (film)|You Only Live Twice]]''. Two years earlier, Atlas collaborated with Arnold on the album ''[[Shaken and Stirred]]'', recording the song "From Russia with Love" for the [[From Russia with Love (film)|eponymous film]] (originally performed by [[Matt Monro]]).

Also in 1999, she collaborated with [[Jean-Michel Jarre]] for the track "C'est la vie" on his album ''[[Métamorphoses (album)|Métamorphoses]]''. The track was released as a single.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/master/view/59418 |title=Jean Michel Jarre* – C'est La Vie |publisher=Discogs |year=1999 |access-date=2017-01-27}}</ref>

In 2003, Atlas provided vocals for the [[Kolo (dance)|Kolo]] [[folk dance]] song "'Ajde Jano" on [[Nigel Kennedy]] and [[Kroke]]'s album, ''[[East Meets East]]''.<ref name="BBC-Music-Review">{{cite web |last=Lusk |first=Jon |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/4vjw |title=Review of Nigel Kennedy & The Kroke Band – East Meets East |publisher=[[BBC Music]] |date=10 December 2003 |access-date=14 February 2011}}</ref><ref name="Artistdirect">{{cite web |url=http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/store/artist/album/0,,2643452,00.html |title=East Meets East by Nigel Kennedy |work=Artists > Nigel Kennedy > Albums |publisher=[[Artistdirect|ARTISTdirect.com]] |access-date=14 February 2011}}</ref> In 2005, she contributed the song "Just Like A Dream" (from ''[[Something Dangerous]]'') to the charity album ''Voyces United for UNHCR''.

Her music has been used in a number of soundtracks. Her song "Kidda" was featured on the ''[[Sex and the City 2]]'' soundtrack<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.watertower-music.com/?p=4328 |title=Sex and the City 2 |publisher=[[WaterTower Music]] |access-date=24 April 2010}}</ref> and in the 2005 video game ''[[Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories]]'' on [[Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories soundtrack|Radio del Mundo]]. In 2003, her voice can be heard in the film [[Hulk (film)|''Hulk'']] on the song "Captured". Additionally, her song "Bathaddak" is one of the songs included in the 2007 [[Xbox 360]] video game ''[[Project Gotham Racing 4]]''. Her cover of ''[[I Put a Spell on You]]'' was used in the 2002 film ''[[Divine Intervention (2002 film)|Divine Intervention]]'' by [[Palestinian people|Palestinian]] director [[Elia Suleiman]].

Atlas was originally billed to star in and provide the soundtrack to the film ''[[Whatever Lola Wants (film)|Whatever Lola Wants]]'', directed by [[Nabil Ayouch]]. However, shooting delays caused Atlas to only be involved in the film's soundtrack.{{citation needed|date=April 2019}} Her song "[[Gafsa]]" from her 1997 album ''Halim'' was used in the main soundtrack of the 2004 Korean film ''Bin-Jip'' (also known as ''[[3-Iron]]'') by [[Kim Ki-Duk]]. She participated in the piece "Light of Life (Ibelin Reprise)" for the soundtrack of [[Ridley Scott]]'s ''[[Kingdom of Heaven (film)|Kingdom of Heaven]]''.

In 2007, Atlas collaborated with [[Belinda Carlisle]] for Carlisle's seventh album ''[[Voila (album)|Voilà]]''. She contributed additional vocals on songs "Ma jeunesse fout le camp," "[[La Vie En Rose|La Vie en rose]]", "Bonnie et Clyde" and "Des ronds dans l'eau." ''Voilà'' was released via [[Rykodisc]] in the U.K. on 5 February 2007 and in the U.S. the following day.

The 2007 film ''[[Brick Lane (2007 film)|Brick Lane]]'' features four songs with vocals by Atlas, "Adam's Lullaby", "Running Through the Night", "Love Blossoms" and "Rite of Passage". On 23 May 2008 Atlas released a new album, ''Ana Hina'',<ref>{{cite news |last=Hutcheon |first=David |title=Natacha Atlas: Ana Hina |newspaper=The Times |date=24 May 2008 |url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/cd_reviews/article3977020.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091005213008/http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/cd_reviews/article3977020.ece |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 October 2009 |access-date=29 May 2008 |location=London}}</ref> which was well received by critics.<ref>Rakha, Youssef. [http://www.thenational.ae/article/20080910/ART/557586592/1007/REVIEW "Ana Hina – Natacha Atlas & The Mazeeka Ensemble (World Village)"]. ''The National''. 9 September 2008. Retrieved 16 September 2008.</ref><ref>Denselow, Robin. [https://www.theguardian.com/music/2008/may/23/worldmusic1 "CD: Natacha Atlas, Ana Hina"]. ''[[The Guardian]]''. 23 May 2008. Retrieved 16 September 2008.</ref>

In 2008, two of Atlas' songs, "Kidda" and "Ghanwa Bossanova", were used in [[Shamim Sarif]]'s romantic comedy about two women, ''[[I Can't Think Straight]]''. In 2008, she sang lead in the song "Habibe" from [[Peter Gabriel]]'s long-awaited album and project, ''[[Big Blue Ball]]''. On 20 September 2010 Atlas released ''[[Mounqaliba]]''. Co-produced by Samy Bishai, it explored classical instrumentation, jazz and traditional Arabic styles and was inspired by the poems of Indian poet [[Rabindranath Tagore]].

In May 2013, Natacha Atlas released ''Expressions: Live in Toulouse'', an album which showcased her expressive voice using largely orchestral arrangements augmented by Middle Eastern percussion.<ref>{{cite news|author=Robin Denselow |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/may/02/natacha-atlas-expressions-toulouse-review |title=Natacha Atlas: Expressions: Live in Toulouse – review &#124; Music |newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|location=London |access-date=2017-01-27}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGi3nQq8Pac |title=music &#124; Natacha Atlas :: Official Website |publisher=Natacha Atlas |access-date=2017-01-27}}</ref>

Atlas moved into the jazz genre with the albums ''[[Myriad Road]]'' (2015), which was produced by French Lebanese musician [[Ibrahim Maalouf]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Coup de Coeur / Natacha Atlas : un nouvel album jazz produit par le trompettiste Ibrahim Maalouf. A découvrir en concert ! |url=http://www.infoconcert.com/news/coup-de-coeur--natacha-atlas--un-nouvel-album-jazz-produit-par-le-trompettiste-ibrahim-maalouf-a-decouvrir-en-concert--11097.html |website=Infoconcert.com |access-date=10 October 2015}}</ref> and ''[[Strange Days (Natacha Atlas album)|Strange Days]]'' (2019).<ref>{{cite news |last1=Phillps |first1=Anthony |title=Natacha Atlas brings Strange Days to Blackheath Halls |url=http://www.week-ender.org/music |work=Weekender |date=30 April 2019}}</ref>

==Personal life==
In 1999, Atlas married [[Syria]]n [[Kanun (instrument)|kanun]] player Abdullah Chhadeh.<ref name="worldvillagebio">{{cite web |title=Artists: Natacha Atlas |publisher=World Village |url=http://www.worldvillagemusic.com/anglais/artistesfiche.php?artist_id=94 |access-date=17 September 2008}}</ref> The couple divorced in 2005.<ref name="uncharted">{{cite news |last=Meadley |first=Phil |title=Natacha Atlas: Uncharted territory |newspaper=The Independent |date=21 April 2006 |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/natacha-atlas-uncharted-territory-474913.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090210031458/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/natacha-atlas-uncharted-territory-474913.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=10 February 2009 |access-date=29 July 2008 |location=London}}</ref>

{{As of|2009}}, Atlas was in a relationship with [[Egyptians in the United Kingdom|British Egyptian]] violinist Samy Bishai, who produced her 2010 release ''[[Mounqaliba]]''.<ref name="age" /> The couple divide their time between London and France.

Atlas has said in the past that she is "technically Muslim" and that she identifies with [[Sufism]]. She also stated that her father has some Sephardic Jewish ancestry.<ref name="uncharted" /> Atlas said more recently, "These days I prefer to say that I'm Anglo-Middle Eastern and leave the religion out of it."<ref name="age">{{cite web |url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/entertainment/music/seeking-a-world-in-harmony/2009/03/09/1236447129565.html |title=Seeking a world in harmony |author=Michael Dwyer |date=10 March 2009 |work=The Age|location=Melbourne |access-date=23 February 2010}}</ref> She is, however, open to other forms of [[spirituality]] because "it's important to be tolerant".<ref name="laplace">{{cite web |title=Natacha Atlas: A Woman and Musician of the World |date=21 March 2007 |publisher=LAsThePlace.com |url=http://lastheplace.com/2007/03/20/natacha- |access-date=29 August 2008}}</ref>

In 2001, she was appointed by [[Mary Robinson]] as a [[Goodwill Ambassador]] for the [[United Nations]] [[Durban Review Conference|Conference Against Racism]]. Robinson chose Atlas because "she embodies the message that there is a strength in diversity. That our differences – be they ethnic, racial or religious – are a source of riches to be embraced rather than feared".<ref name=Durban>{{cite web |url=https://www.un.org/press/en/2001/HR4534.doc.htm |title=High Commissioner for Human Rights names Natacha Atlas Goodwill Ambassador for Conference against Racism |date=1 June 2001 |publisher=United Nations |access-date=23 February 2015}}</ref><ref name="BBCWorldAwards">{{cite press release |last=Cartwright |first=Garth |title=BBC Awards for World Music 2007: Middle East and North Africa: Natacha Atlas |publisher=BBC |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/worldmusic/a4wm2007/2007_natacha_atlas.shtml |access-date=29 July 2008}}</ref>

Atlas has been a proponent of [[The Zeitgeist Movement]]. She included clips from ''[[Zeitgeist: Addendum]]'' in her 2010 album ''Mounqaliba''.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hochman |first=Steve |title=Natacha Atlas Illuminates the Shifting Global Zeitgeist |url=http://www.spinner.com/2010/08/03/natacha-atlas-illuminates-the-shifting-global-zeitgeist/ |newspaper=Spinner |date=3 August 2010}}</ref>

==Political views on Israel==
In a joint interview with the Israeli singer Yasmin Levy, Atlas noted the risk of the collaboration because feelings of anti-Zionism across the Arab world can spill over into anti-Semitism: "Some Arabic artists wouldn't even consider working with anyone Jewish."<ref name=Levy>{{cite web |url=http://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/music/sounds-of-unity#full |title=Sounds of unity |author=Jamie Renton |date=28 July 2008 |publisher=The National |access-date=23 February 2015}}</ref> Of her experience of working with Levy, Atlas said: "We spent a lot of time in this little room, just talking and drinking wine", recalls Natacha, "and it was like I’d known her all my life. I’d missed that female Middle Eastern company, as most of the Middle Eastern people I know here are men."<ref name=Levy />

In March 2011, Atlas announced that she had joined the [[boycott of Israel]] and had withdrawn from a scheduled performance in Israel.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4129804,00.html |title=Ynetnews Culture – Natacha Atlas announces Israel boycott |newspaper=Ynetnews |date=3 October 2011 |access-date=2017-01-27 |last1=Yudilovitch |first1=Merav }}</ref> She gave her reasoning as follows:

"I would have personally asked my Israeli fans face-to-face to fight this apartheid with peace in their hearts, but after much deliberation I now see that it would be more effective a statement to not go to Israel until this systemized apartheid is abolished once and for all."

By May 2014, when she gave a concert at the Méditerranée Festival in Ashdod, Atlas had clearly changed her mind on the issue of boycott:

"For years," Natacha Atlas told me, "I boycotted Israel and refused to perform here. But when I met a Palestinian fellow who’s married to an Israeli Jewish woman, something in me changed. Suddenly, this chance personal acquaintanceship made me think that maybe there should be another way. There’s nothing easier than to boycott and say that I don’t want to see Israel or meet Israelis or come here and perform. But then what? Where does that get you?"<ref name="nussbaum1">{{cite web|last=Nussbaum |first=Debra |url=http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.604313 |title=Natacha Atlas, not your typical Levantine – Features |website=Haaretz.com |date=2014-07-12 |access-date=2017-01-27}}</ref>

==Discography==
{{Main|Natacha Atlas discography}}

===Compilation albums===
* 2000: ''The Remix Collection''
* 2005: ''[[The Best of Natacha Atlas]]''
* 2013: '' Five Albums' (Her First 5 Albums in a Box Set) (Banquet)
* 2013: ''Habibi: Classics and Collaborations'' (2CD) (Nascente/Demon Music Group)

===DVD===
* 2005: ''Transglobal Underground''
* 2009: ''The Pop Rose of Cairo''

==See also==
* [[List of Natacha Atlas collaborations]]
* [[World music]]
* [[Arabic pop music]]
* [[Yasmin Levy]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons}}
* {{Official website|1=http://www.natachaatlasofficial.com}}

{{NatachaAtlas}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Atlas, Natacha}}
[[Category:1964 births]]
[[Category:20th-century Belgian singers]]
[[Category:20th-century Belgian women singers]]
[[Category:20th-century French women singers]]
[[Category:21st-century Belgian singers]]
[[Category:21st-century Belgian women singers]]
[[Category:Arabic-language singers of Belgium]]
[[Category:Belgian film actresses]]
[[Category:Belgian jazz singers]]
[[Category:Belgian Muslims]]
[[Category:Belgian people of Egyptian descent]]
[[Category:Belgian people of English descent]]
[[Category:Belgian people of Jewish descent]]
[[Category:Belgian television actresses]]
[[Category:Belgian women jazz singers]]
[[Category:Egyptian film actresses]]
[[Category:Egyptian television actresses]]
[[Category:English-language singers from Belgium]]
[[Category:Folk-pop singers]]
[[Category:French Muslims]]
[[Category:French-language singers of Belgium]]
[[Category:Harmonia Mundi artists]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Musicians from Northampton]]
[[Category:Nation Records artists]]
[[Category:People from Schaerbeek]]
[[Category:Six Degrees Records artists]]
[[Category:Transglobal Underground members]]
[[Category:Tunisian film actresses]]
[[Category:Tunisian television actresses]]
[[Category:Whirlwind Recordings artists]]