Syrian musician Assala Nasri stepped onto a Damascus stage for her first performance on home soil in 15 years, ending a long era of political exile with a sold-out show at Al-Fayhaa Sports Hall.
The 57-year-old artist had been forced into banishment in Cairo after openly backing the 2011 uprising against former President Bashar al-Assad ,a stance that led to her expulsion from the national musicians’ union and barred her from performing in her homeland.
Her return was made possible by the sweeping political shifts that ousted the former regime in 2024, with the new ministry of culture extending an official invitation and framing her appearance as a milestone for free expression.
In widely circulated clips seen online, Nasri delivered an emotional performance featuring legacy hits alongside selections from her latest project, The Syrian Album, which weaves together traditional folk music from across all 14 of the nation’s provinces as a tribute to its diverse regions.
“Souls of my heart, I missed you. My loves, my people, I swear, until this moment I could not believe that I am among you. I want to tell you how much I dreamt of this,” Nasri told the emotional audience.
The event also highlighted the ongoing debate surrounding public life in the city. Tight security measures surrounded the venue to counter pushback from conservative religious figures who had campaigned on social media for the show to be canceled.
Nasri addressed the tension indirectly during her performance, telling the audience that artistic expression remains vital to national healing and recovery. Half of the proceeds from the highly anticipated concert will be donated to local charitable initiatives.