Shams (singer)

Shams Bandar Al-Aslami (Arabic: شمس بندر الأسلمي, born April 28, 1980), known mononymously as Shams, (Arabic: شمس) is a Saudi-Kuwaiti^[1][2] singer.

Shams released her first album in 2000, but did not achieve mainstream success until she appeared as a guest on the show Leman Yajro'a Faqat on LBC with the presenter Tony Khalifa to talk about her problems with the Saudi singer Sara. Her third album was released a few weeks after the show and has been a major success. She has enjoyed media attention after her conflict with the singer Ahlam. She also released the successful video "ahlan ezayak", which pokes fun at the Bush Administration.

She has recorded several music videos. Some of Shams's popular songs include "ahlan izayak" with George Bush, "tatah" feat. Obama, "kobar rasek", "mothahra nesa2ya", "milion", "ain frash" and "wesh sayer".

On September 26, 2013, in an effort to show solidarity with demands that Saudi women may be allowed to drive, she launched a single (in Arabic) titled 'It's our right to drive' which went viral on the internet.

In a 2015 interview, Shams lamented the plight of those fleeing the Syrian civil war, the deaths caused in the refugee crisis, and blamed Arab governments for being callous and uncaring. The interview became a viral video and attracted significant attention.^[3]

Due to her criticism of the Arab's culture and traditions, Shams has dropped the Kuwaiti nationality in favor to hold the nationality of Saint Kitts and Nevis.^[4]

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