Canada is ready for Massari. With Canadians getting their R&B fix from Usher, R Kelly, and Mario via our friends of the south it is time for Canada to embrace their own. Massari is raising the bar and setting a new standard for R&B music in Canada!
The 24-year old Sagittarius, born in Beirut, Lebanon, moved to Montreal at the age of 10 and at 13 he moved to Ottawa where he currently resides. The trilingual artist he speaks English, French and Arabic fluently cites Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, and Aretha Franklin as musical influences. However, growing up he has been exposed to various styles of music and because of that his biggest influence is legendary Arabic singer George Wassouf. ³I sing from my heart and George Wassouf taught me to do that", says Massari about how this legendary singer has affected his music.
In 2002, Massari recorded and released ³Spitfire² which garnered heavy rotation on Ottawa radio stations. Massari has been steadily writing and developing his sound and is back in 2005 with his self-titled debut album set for release on May 31st, 2005 through Maple Music/Universal. The lead single off the release ³Smile For Me² features former Bad Boy Entertainment recording artist Loon. ³I¹m definitely very selective about the records I get on. It didn¹t matter if he was an established artist or not, it was just the quality of the record, the quality of the music that made me want to get involved², says Loon about his involvement with Massari and the Captial Prophet Records crew. ³I¹m very proud to be one of the first Canadian male R&B singers to record with a major recording artist from the States², says Massari. The end result was a hit single skyrocketing up the charts and one of the hottest urban videos by a Canadian artist. Canada and the United States were the first to play ³Smile For Me², however other countries such as Germany, Australia, Brazil and the UK have begun playing the hit song. Massari¹s next single ³Be Easy² is already starting to heat up in the clubs.
For this record, Massari has been working closely with the Capital Prophet Records production team comprised of Da Heala and Lynx. ³Their vibe is a perfect match for my sound and style², explains Massari. The album draws influences from his middle-eastern origins. ³Because of my background, my music is heavily influenced with middle-eastern melodies. Over the past few years so many artists are trying to bring Arabic styles into their music, but mine is authentic.² Along with its culturally rich sound the album with its upbeat club-style tracks, mid-tempo joints and smooth ballads pays special tribute to the ladies. ³My music is made for the ladies because that¹s where I get my inspiration. You¹ll notice a lot of the music is upbeat and positive. Women give off so much energy; it¹s hard not to be inspired by them.²
Massari¹s self-titled debut album hits store shelves May 31st, 2005. There are plans for a nation-wide tour for the talented R&B singer. When asked about touring Massari responds, ³I¹m going to hit the road and take it national. I¹ve got mad love for the whole nation.²
