The world may be a conflicted and divisive place, but wherever music is played with a universal voice, differences melt away, and in that moment, there is a felt sense of healing. For many years, the London-based musician, Sami Yusuf, who’s born to Azerbaijani parents, brought together musicians from east and west to perform his unique brand of world music that has dazzled and moved audiences worldwide. While he is known for his spiritual-sounding music, Yusuf insists that his compositions do not promote one faith over another. The purpose of his music, he once said, is to help himself and his fans reconnect with the roots of faith — the core of spirituality in all religions, which he believes is love.

Below is a short segment from Sami Yusuf’s L’amour Vivant, one of the  compositions from volume 2 of his recent album, When Paths Meet. The movement begins with the gentle sounds of the classical guitar, the African kora, and the Chinese erhu, backing the haunting vocals of Yusuf himself. An orchestra then joins in, with the lush sounds of instruments from both Western and Central Asian traditions bringing the movement to a rousing close. Performed at the Paris Philharmonic on December 9, 2023.

Listen: L’Amour Vivant, from ‘When Paths Meet’, Volume 2 (Sami Yusuf, composer)