BEIRUT — The Syrian singer Assala Nasri, one of the Arab world’s most famous artists, is scheduled to perform at a concert on Thursday in Damascus, her first appearance in the country she left 15 years ago because of her outspoken opposition to the government of Bashar al-Assad.

Assala, who uses only her first name professionally, arrived at Damascus International Airport on Tuesday, accompanied by her family.

In a video circulating online, Assala expressed her happiness at returning to Syria, saying that her country remained just as she remembered it, as she walked the streets of Damascus.

"قعدت أسأل على كل حارة مرقت فيها".. التعليق الأول لـ #أصالة بعد وصولها إلى دمشق @AssalaOfficial pic.twitter.com/KpXN1pa80b

— Aghani Aghani (@aghaniaghani) September 15, 2026

On Wednesday, the singer began rehearsing with her band at al-Fayhaa Sports Hall for two concerts scheduled to take place there Thursday and Saturday.

أصالة الغناء العربي #أصالة_نصري تضع اللمسات الأخيرة استعداداً لحفلها في #سوريا بعد غياب لسنوات عن جمهورها
@AssalaOfficial pic.twitter.com/e2KGhuWqjM

— Aghani Aghani (@aghaniaghani) September 16, 2026

The 57-year-old singer paused during the rehearsal to meet briefly with Syrian Culture Minister Mohammed Yassin Saleh and Sports and Youth Minister Mohammed Sameh Hamedh. Saleh praised her support of the 2011 revolution, describing her stance as “authentic,” which is also a reference to her first name, which is Arabic for “authenticity.”

Assala will perform some of her most famous singles, including her latest song “Assala,” in which she sings about returning to her home country and her deep connection to her Syrian roots. Released in August, the song achieved instant success, with more than 20 million views on YouTube.

The concerts, sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and the Syrian Artists Syndicate, are part of Summer of Syria 2026, a festival of cultural events in the nation's capital.

Artists syndicate president Mazen al-Natour last month told state-run news agency SANA that Assala’s return reflects the renewed artistic and cultural activity in Syria, expressing his hope that more Syrian and other Arab artists will perform in the country in the future.

Since the ouster of Assad in a rebel offensive in December 2024, Syria’s new leadership has been working to rebuild the country’s various sectors, which were devastated by more than a decade of civil war (2011–25) and sanctions.

In April, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa attended the inaugural ceremony of al-Fayhaa Sports Hall, which reopened after a $3 million renovation. The venue sustained severe damage from mortar and rocket attacks in 2015.

While excitement surrounds Assala’s comeback concert, her return to the Syrian stage has not been unanimously welcomed. Some hard-liners have criticized the upcoming event as a “sinful act,” and videos posted online show some of the promotional posters for her concerts torn down.

فيديو متداول يُظهر أشخاصاً يمزقون إعلان حفل الفنانة أصالة نصري، المقرر إقامته في 17 أيلول الجاري بصالة الفيحاء. pic.twitter.com/cRrgfxG3Kj

— أخبار سوريا الوطن Syrian (@SyriawatanNews) September 10, 2026

In July, concerts by the Lebanese singer Mohamad Iskandar and Syrian singer Hossam Jneed scheduled to take place in the Homs province were canceled after popular backlash over their past support for the Assad government.

In late June, the Culture Ministry canceled a concert at the Damascus Opera House by the Syrian singer Shadi Jamil, who was also known to have supported the former government.

When Assad held power, a number of Arab singers regularly performed in Syria, most prominent among them the Lebanese artists Georges Wassouf, an ardent supporter of the government, Najwa Karam and Ziad Bourji. The Tunisian artist Saber Rebai also appeared on stage.

Assala last performed before a Syrian audience when she held a charity concert at the Damascus Opera House in February 2010, a year before the outbreak of the Syrian uprising.

She left Syria in 2011 after anti-government protests erupted, and she publicly expressed her support for the Syrian people, which led to her being kicked out of the Syrian Artists Syndicate. She moved to Cairo and never ventured to return to Syria under Assad because she feared being arrested for her well-known political views.

In 2017, Assala was briefly detained at the Beirut international airport for drug possession. In 2014, Lebanese authorities had arrested her at the same airport and confiscated her passport based on an Interpol search warrant issued at the request of the Assad government on the grounds of treason and supporting opposition groups. She was released hours later, and her passport returned, after pressure and criticism that her arrest had been politically motivated.

Who is Assala?

Assala was born in Damascus in 1969 to the late 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. 

Assala launched her music career in 1991 with the hit “Law Ta'rafou,” an Egyptian song, and immediately rose to fame across the Arab world, becoming known for her powerful, emotive voice and interpretations of classics in the Egyptian tarab style.

In 2012, she released “Ah law hal korsy Byehki” (If This Chair Could Talk), a song expressing solidarity with Syrian protesters.

Her discography, spanning more than three decades, includes over 22 albums and has earned her multiple regional awards, among them the Lebanese Murex d’Or for Best Female Arabic Singer.

Assala has performed on stages around the Arab world and overseas, including in Paris in April. She is scheduled to embark on a US tour next month.

On Wednesday, a Damascus-based merchant specializing in traditional artifacts gave Assala a 100-year-old antique oud that had belonged to her late father. The businessman said he acquired the instrument in 2013.

"الأمانة رجعت لصحابها".. أصالة تسترجع عود والدها الراحل الملحن مصطفی نصري بعد سنوات من الغياب#متداول pic.twitter.com/SlErrL45td

— سوريا الآن - أخبار (@AJSyriaNowN) September 16, 2026

Assala has been married three times. Her current husband is Faeq Hassan, an Iraqi poet and business manager of the Iraqi-Saudi singer Majed Al Mohandis. She has four children.