Hamed Sinno

Hamed Sinno (Arabic: حامد سنّو‎; born 25 April 1988) is the Lebanese-American[1] lead singer of the alternative rock band Mashrou' Leila.[2]

Hamed Sinno
Sinno in Ehden, Lebanon, 2017
Background information
Born (1988-04-25) April 25, 1988
Beirut, Lebanon
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • musician
Associated actsMashrou' Leila

Early life

Sinno was born to a Lebanese father who had lived in the United States and a Jordanian mother who had lived between Morocco and Rome.[3] He has American citizenship.[4]

Growing up, Sinno's household was Anglophone. He attended an American school and graduated "not knowing how to properly speak Arabic", mostly learning Arabic as he wrote songs.[3] While Sinno did not have formal musical training or learn to read music, he sang in the school choir.[4]

While studying at the American University of Beirut, Sinno came out. There he also began to experiment with subversive graffiti as a form of self-expression before getting involved with Mashrou' Leila.[5]

Career

Sinno co-founded Mashrou' Leila in 2008 while studying graphic design at the American University of Beirut, when responding to an open jam session call put out by Andre Chedid, Omaya Malaeb, and Haig Papazian.[6]

According to Sinno, his parents initially disapproved of his career in music, fearing for his financial prospects and physical safety due to the band's controversial reputation.[4]

In media

Sinno has been featured on the cover of several magazines, including France's Têtu, Jordan's My.Kali, and UK-based Attitude.[7][8][9] He also appeared on the cover of the Middle East edition of Rolling Stone magazine as part of Mashrou' Leila.[10]

Sinno figured in a painting by the Iranian artist Alireza Shojaian dubbed Hamed Sinno et un de ses fréres, in the painting Sinno is depicted pinching the nipple of Anubis, the ancient Egyptian god of funerary rites. Anubis dons a rainbow colored Usekh collar alluding to the pride flag.[11][12] The work references and draws inspiration from a painting by an unknown painter, titled Gabrielle d’Estrées et une de ses soeurs, that depicts the mistress of Henry IV of France.[13] The collaboration with Sinno was a statement against systematic state-led persecution of LGBT minorities in Egypt. Shojaian painted the piece after the September 22, 2017 Mashrou' Leila Cairo concert during which the pride flag was flown. The Cairo pride flag incident resulted in the arrest of a number of concert-goers.[11][12]

Hamed Sinno et un de ses fréres , a 2017 paiting by Iranian artist and visual activist Alireza Shojaian.

Personal life

Sinno is gay and advocates for LGBT rights in the Middle East and around the world.[14][15] He lectured and is currently studying at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire.[16][17]

References
  1. Paula Monroy (Reporter) (December 5, 2015). Hamed Sinno on Mashrou’ Leila's new album 'Ibn El Leil' and their artistic freedom. CUTV.
  2. "Lebanese Rock Band Mashrou' Leila's Long-Awaited First US Tour Ended with Sweet Success". VICE. November 2, 2015.
  3. "A Conversation With Mashrou' Leila". Maison MIM. 16 Oct 2017.
  4. "Queer Desire Has Always Been There (Ep. 116: Kurt Cobain)". Matt Baume. June 1, 2017.
  5. "ON HAMED SINNO". My.Kali. December 2, 2012.
  6. شخصية: حامد سنو، مجلة موالح 1 ديسمبر، 2012.
  7. "Hamed Sinno, un artiste libanais en Une du magazine gay Têtu". The Huffington Post. September 25, 2013. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved November 27, 2015.
  8. "Spotted: Hamed Sinno on the Cover of MyKali Magazine". Beirut.com. November 26, 2012.
  9. "Mashrou' Leila frontman Hamed Sinno on LGBT lessons row: 'There are schools of Islam that are OK with being gay'". Attitude.co.uk. 2019-03-28. Retrieved 2019-04-12.
  10. Alarabiya English: Rolling Stone Mideast choose first regional artists for cover
  11. Zaramella, Nicole (2020-06-22). "Alireza Shojaian, the Painter of Middle Eastern Queer Men | Il Grande Colibrì". Archived from the original on 2020-07-01. Retrieved 2020-07-01.
  12. Vartanian Collier, Lizzy (2018-09-18). "Pinched and Prodded". Khabar Keslan. Retrieved 2020-07-01.
  13. Fawaz, Jad (2018-09-26). "Beirut Art Fair takes on a queer flair". Medium. Retrieved 2020-07-01.
  14. "Mashrou' Leila's gay frontman confronts homophobia in Lebanon". Canadian Broadcast Corporation. October 22, 2015.
  15. "Gay Lebanese singer with Freddie Mercury edge fronts band". Reuters UK. Retrieved 2015-11-27.
  16. "In Conversation with Hamed Sinno". dartmouth.edu. Archived from the original on 2021-01-25. Retrieved 2021-01-25.
  17. Inc, Crowdcast. "Writing Pop Songs with Hamed Sinno". Crowdcast. Archived from the original on 2021-01-25. Retrieved 2021-01-25.
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