“With a powerful message, Bassel & The Supernaturals bring fans on a soulful journey that is brilliant in every way.”
Syrian Heart. Midwest Soul.
Bassel & The Supernaturals tells the story of Bassel Almadani's experience as a first generation Syrian-American using soulful melodies, funk inspired rhythms, and captivating lyrics regarding love, loss, otherness, and the war in Syria. They made their national television debut in May 2024 as part of a new PBS docuseries starring Dule Hill entitled The Express Way, regarding the transformative power of the arts.
Echoing Stevie Wonder’s rhythm and blues, Jamiroquai’s social justice centered lyricism over jazz-infused funk, and Steely Dan’s seamless amalgam of American music, Bassel & The Supernaturals evoke joy and thoughtfulness in diverse audiences throughout hundreds of cities across North America. In addition to performing in major festivals, performance halls, concert series, and clubs, the group works closely with organizations on events and residencies that build awareness and empathy for Syrian refugees and immigrants. Deeply inspired by Otis Redding, Bassel uses the stage as a vehicle to unite his listeners and share the story of his cultural duality. A substantial portion of their proceeds benefit the Karam Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on building a better future for Syria.
In the band's national television debut, PBS selected Bassel & The Supernaturals to represent Chicago in the season finale of The Express Way with Dulé Hill (May 2024). The episode highlights Bassel's story as a product of Syrian immigrants, challenges growing up as a Muslim in America after 9/11, and his profound connection to the arts as a channel to process his own experience while amplifying the voices of refugees.
In 2022, Bassel & The Supernaturals, three times finalists for American Music Abroad, collaborated with American English, American Voices, and the U.S. State Department to create an educational package through their program, Wordplay, The Lyrics Project. Wordplay connects drivers of the English language with people learning it to create a fresh take on learning, enhancing our understanding of English through music, lyrics, and active usage. The entire lesson package is available for free download.
Bassel & The Supernaturals has performed in over 400 concerts and advocacy events between 2016-2024 on stages including SXSW, John F. Kennedy Center, The Cleveland Museum of Art, Summerfest, and Millennium Park, and supported internationally touring artists such as Youssou N'Dour, Aesop Rock, Emancipator, Brother Ali, The Dandy Warhols, Sinkane, and many others.
Their sophomore release, Elements (2017), was premiered by Noisey/Vice, generating impressive buzz with their music video “Lost,” a moving, tragic song about his young cousin who was fatally caught in crossfire, a casualty of the ongoing conflict in Syria. This led to their involvement in the nationally-acclaimed SXSW 2017 showcase 'ContraBanned: #MusicUnites' featuring artists from the diaspora of countries targeted by the travel ban. They've since been featured on PRI, Al Jazeera, Reuters, Paste Magazine, Huffington Post, NowThis, and many others.
Upon returning from a service trip to Istanbul in September 2019 working with displaced Syrians, Bassel & The Supernaturals released their full-length album, Smoke & Mirrors, in April 2020. "Stepping Back in Time" was featured on Spotify's official "All Funked Up" playlist and recently surpassed 550,000 streams. The band collaborated with TedX Talks on their music video for “Calculated Love” featuring Chicago’s resilient youth in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, the group has released three new singles, including a music video for “Sandman” which captures the group’s recording sessions with Grammy Award Winning producer and engineer Jeff Breakey of Good Wolf Music.
They continue to tour the country, spreading a message of hope through their music wherever they travel. Bassel & The Supernaturals also plans to record a new studio album in 2025.