Syrian singer Assala Nasri has performed in Damascus for the first time in more than 16 years, marking a symbolic and emotional homecoming after her outspoken opposition to former president Bashar Al Assad kept her away from the country.

Thousands attended the concert at Al Fayhaa Sports Hall in the Syrian capital on Thursday and the Damascus-born singer became emotional as she returned to a Syrian stage. The event was streamed live online on Syrian and Arab digital platforms and watched by millions. It marked a significant moment for those who supported the Syrian revolution.

The performance, titled The Return of Assala, had the backing of the country’s Ministry of Culture and was one of the most high-profile cultural events since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024.

The show began with clips of Assala singing as a child in Syria, reminding her fans of her roots in the country and then clips of her making political statements in support of the revolution while in exile. Assala then appeared on stage and opened the night with Syria Janna (Syria is Heaven), whose refrain includes Erfa’ Rasak Fok (“Raise Your Head High”). Released after Al Assad was toppled, the song was followed by some of her best-known tracks across two sets.

The singer, 57, had arrived in the capital with her family on Tuesday. It was her first performance in her home country since a charity show at Damascus Opera House in February 2010.

Assala expressed her happiness at returning to Syria in a video posted on social media.

Her return carries particular significance because of recent discord in the country, which she addressed on stage. “Healing begins with art” she said, expressing her understanding of the pain that many Syrians feel.

Assala publicly supported the uprising and was one of the most prominent entertainers to condemn the actions of the regime. She later left the country and was removed from the Syrian Artists Syndicate.

In 2012, she released Ah Law Hal Korsy Byehki (If This Chair Could Talk), a song expressing solidarity with Syrian protesters. Her political position meant she stayed away from Syria throughout the rest of Al Assad’s rule, while continuing a career that made her one of the Arab world’s best-known singers.

Symbolic return

Posters announcing her return appeared across Damascus in the weeks leading up to the concert, with the singer’s name – which means “authenticity” in Arabic – lending the campaign an additional symbolic meaning.

Syrian authorities presented the concert as more than an entertainment event. Culture Minister Mohammed Yassin Saleh said Assala’s return celebrated the position she had taken during the uprising, while the ministry said the concert formed part of efforts to bring Syrian artists back to the country and revive its cultural life.

Artists Syndicate president Mazen Al Natour told state news agency Sana last month that Assala’s comeback concert reflected renewed artistic and cultural activity in Syria. He expressed hope that more Syrian and Arab artists would perform in the country in the future.

Assala’s return also coincided with her release of The Syrian Album, a collection of 14 songs that draw on musical traditions from each of Syria’s 14 governorates.

Addressing the crowd during the show, she spoke of having long dreamt of the moment she could once again perform in her home country, before continuing a performance that stretched beyond midnight.

Who is Assala?

Assala was born in Damascus in 1969 to Mostafa Nasri, a prominent Syrian composer and singer. She showed an interest in music at a young age, singing patriotic, religious and children’s songs as a teenager.

She launched her music career in 1991 with the hit Law Ta’rafou (If Only You Knew), an Egyptian song, and rose to fame across the Arab world. She is known for her powerful voice and interpretations of classics in the Egyptian tarab style.

Her catalogue, spanning more than three decades, includes more than 25 albums. Her songs remain popular across the Arab world, often being played at weddings, concerts and on music playlists.

Assala has performed regularly in the UAE, as well as on stages across the Arab world and overseas. She is scheduled to embark on a US tour next month.