Nemahsis

Last updated
Nemahsis
Birth nameNemah Hasan
BornOntario, Canada
Genres Pop
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Years active2021–present
Website nemahsis.com

Nemah Hasan, known professionally as Nemahsis, is a Palestinian-Canadian singer-songwriter from Toronto, Ontario. She independently released her debut album Verbathim on September 13, 2024, which won the 2025 Juno Award Alternative Album of the Year and was shortlisted for the 2025 Polaris Music Prize.

Contents

Early life

Nemah Hasan was born in Ontario, Canada and raised on a farm in the town of Milton. [1] [2] She is the daughter of Palestinian immigrants [3] and is Bedouin from her father's side. [4] As a child, Hasan's parents kept her from wearing her hijab in fear she would be bullied, to which she began hiding it in her backpack and putting it on at her bus stop. [4]

Career

Hasan began her career on TikTok, posting beauty and fashion videos aimed at Muslim women alongside occasional videos of her singing Adele covers. [5] After being exploited by a company that hired her for an advertising campaign and then failed to pay her, in June 2021 she released her first original single and video "What If I Took It Off for You?", about social attitudes toward Muslim women who wear the hijab. [6] She followed up with the singles "Paper Thin" in October 2021 and "Dollar Signs" in January 2022, [7] before releasing the EP Eleven Achers (stylized in all lowercase) in March 2022. [8] The EP was listed as one of the best extended plays of 2022 by Exclaim!. [2]

She followed up with the new non-EP singles "Criminal" in October 2022 [9] and "I Wanna Be Your Right Hand" in February 2023. [10]

In May 2024, Hasan released the single "Stick of Gum" for her upcoming album. The song's music video was shot entirely in her family's hometown of Jericho in the occupied West Bank. [3] The single was selected by Spotify editors as one of the best songs of 2024. [11] In the summer, she released the singles "You Wore It Better", "Fine Print", and "Coloured Concrete". [12] "Coloured Concrete" was listed as one of the "25 Best Canadian Songs of 2024" by Billboard Canada. [13]

On September 13, Hasan independently released her debut album Verbathim. [14] [15] Hasan stated the title "Verbathim is just the word verbatim except someone is grabbing my tongue" to symbolize the censorship she has faced. [3] The album was listed by CBC Music as number three in the top 15 best Canadian albums of that year. [16]

In March 2025, Hasan was awarded Artist of the Year by non-profit organization Women in Music Canada. [17] She also won Breakthrough Artist of the Year and Alternative Album of the Year for Verbathim at the 2025 Juno Awards. [18] The album was also shortlisted for the 2025 Polaris Music Prize. [19]

Artistry

Hasan's music has been called been compared to that of musicians Mitski, Fiona Apple, and FKA Twigs. [4]

Hasan has been inspired by singer-songwriter Feist's "approach to pop music". [20] Her influences also include Amy Winehouse, Billie Holiday, Charli XCX, Fiona Apple and Marina Diamandis. [21]

Activism

On October 12, 2023, soon after the October 7 attacks, the singer shared on social media that she had been dropped by her label, stating "My label just dropped me, a Palestinian artist, for being pro-Palestine". [22] Her subsequent posts include a rendition of "Team", originally by New Zealand artist Lorde, with images from Gaza before and after the bombardments. [21]

Discography

Albums

TitleDetails
Verbathim
  • Released: September 13, 2024
  • Formats: digital download, streaming
Track listing
  1. "Old Body, New Mind"
  2. "You Wore It Better"
  3. "Coloured Concrete"
  4. "Fine Print"
  5. "Miss Construed"
  6. "Delusion"
  7. "I Borrow Happiness From Tomorrow"
  8. "Dead Giveaway"
  9. "Spinning Plates"
  10. "Furniture Killer"
  11. "Stick of Gum"
  12. "Chemical Mark"

Extended Plays

TitleDetails
Eleven Achers
  • Released: March 11, 2022
  • Formats: digital download, streaming
Track listing
  1. "Immigrant's Tale"
  2. "Suicide"
  3. "Dollar Signs"
  4. "I'm Not Gonna Kill You"
  5. "Paper Thin"
  6. "Hold On To Me"

Singles

List of singles as lead artist, showing year released and name of the album
TitleYearAlbum
"What If I Took It Off for You?"2021Non-album single
"Paper Thin"Eleven Achers
"Dollar Signs"2022
"Criminal"Non-album singles
"I Wanna Be Your Right Hand"2023
"Stick of Gum"2024Verbathim
"You Wore It Better"
"Fine Print"
"Coloured Concrete"

Awards and nominations

AwardYearNominee / WorkCategoryResultRef.
SOCAN 2022"Paper Thin" SOCAN Songwriting Prize Nominated [23]
Prism Prize 2023NemahsisHi-Fidelity AwardWon [24]
2024"I Wanna Be Your Right Hand"Audience AwardWon [25]
Women in Music Honours2025NemahsisArtist of the YearWon [17]
Juno Award Songwriter of the Year Nominated [18]
Breakthrough Artist of the Year Won
Verbathim Alternative Album of the Year Won
Polaris Music Prize 2025VerbathimBest Canadian AlbumPending (Short-listed) [19]

Listicles

Name of publisher, year(s) listed, name of listicle, recipient, and placement result
PublisherYearListicleRecipientPlacementRef.
Exclaim! 2022Exclaim!'s 15 Best EPs of 2022Eleven AchersPlaced [2]
Billboard Canada202425 Best Canadian Songs of 2024"Coloured Concrete"Placed [13]
CBC Music The 15 best Canadian albums of 2024Verbathim3 [16]
Spotify Editor's Picks: Best Songs of 2024"Stick of Gum"Placed [11]
Rolling Stone 2025The Future 25NemahsisPlaced [26]

References

  1. ↑ "Nemahsis". COLORSxSTUDIOS. Retrieved 2025-01-27.
  2. 1 2 3 LaPierre, Megan (December 13, 2022). "Exclaim!'s 15 Best EPs of 2022". Exclaim! . Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 Ibrahim, Sara (March 19, 2025). "Nemahsis Hopes Her Music Won't Resonate So Much in the Future". Rolling Stone . Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 Cardenas, Cat (September 23, 2024). "Palestinian-Canadian Musician Nemahsis Doesn't Hold Her Tongue on New Album Verbathim". Teen Vogue . Retrieved August 12, 2025.
  5. ↑ Williams, Sophie (January 19, 2022). ""Nemahsis: the TikTok phenomenon looking to inspire and educate"". NME . Retrieved July 10, 2025.
  6. ↑ Wang, Steffanee (February 23, 2023). "Nemahsis Never Thought She'd Be A Pop Star". Nylon . Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  7. ↑ LaPierre, Megan (January 19, 2022). "Toronto's Nemahsis Pays Her Dues with 'dollar signs'". Exclaim! . Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  8. ↑ Forrest, Jo (March 12, 2022). "Nemahsis unveils her debut EP 'eleven achers'". TotalNtertainment. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  9. ↑ LaPierre, Megan (October 19, 2022). "Toronto's Nemahsis Confronts Covert Crimes on New Single 'criminal'". Exclaim! . Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  10. ↑ Slingerland, Calum (February 22, 2023). "Nemahsis Is at Your Service on New Song 'i wanna be your right hand'". Exclaim! . Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  11. 1 2 "Spotify's Music Editors Reveal Their Picks for the Best Songs of 2024". Spotify. December 11, 2025. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  12. ↑ Lapierre, Megan (August 23, 2024). "Nemahsis Announces Debut Album 'Verbathim,' Shares "coloured concrete"". Exclaim! . Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  13. 1 2 Richard, Trapunski (December 18, 2024). "The 25 Best Canadian Songs of 2024 — Staff Picks". Billboard Canada. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  14. ↑ "On 'Verbathim,' Nehmasis Is a Clear-Eyed Truth Teller". Exclaim! . Retrieved September 20, 2024.
  15. ↑ Madarang, Charisma; Reid, Tara Catherine (September 12, 2024). "The Breakdown: Nemahsis on 'Coloured Concrete'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  16. 1 2 Gordon, Holly; Warner, Andrea; Harmsen, Natalie; Kinos-Goodin, Jesse; Lau, Melody; Adams, Kelsey (November 28, 2024). "The 15 best Canadian albums of 2024". CBC Music. Retrieved August 12, 2025.
  17. 1 2 Gregory, Allie (March 6, 2025). "Nemahsis Nabs Artist of the Year Award at 2025 Women in Music Honours". Exclaim! . Retrieved August 12, 2025.
  18. 1 2 Trapunski, Richard (March 31, 2025). "Tate McRae Sweeps 2025 Juno Awards, But Isn't at the Ceremony to Accept: Full Winners List". Billboard. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
  19. 1 2 Gregory, Allie (July 10, 2025). "Polaris Music Prize Reveals 2025 Short List". Exclaim! . Retrieved July 10, 2025.
  20. ↑ Nguyen, Jennifer (March 28, 2025). "Nemahsis on Showing Up, Modern Modesty, and Her Backstage Routine on Tour". Teen Vogue . Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  21. 1 2 Raza-Sheikh, Zoya (November 11, 2024). "Nemahsis: "I always had to stand up for myself. It's all I've ever known"". NME. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  22. ↑ Rashotte, Vivian (July 10, 2024). "Nemahsis says her label dropped her for her pro-Palestinian stance". CBC/Radio Canada. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
  23. ↑ Bercier, Myriam (June 1, 2022). "Les finalistes du Prix de la chanson SOCAN 2022". Le Canal Auditif. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  24. ↑ Okazawa, Ben (June 27, 2023). "Prism Prize Announces 2023 Special Award Honourees". Exclaim! . Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  25. ↑ Doole, Kerry (June 25, 2024). "Mustafa Wins 2024 Prism Prize As 'Name Of God' Named Best Canadian Music Video of the Year". Billboard . Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  26. ↑ "Special Report: Future of Music 2025". Rolling Stone . Retrieved April 7, 2025.
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