Prince of Assyria | |
|---|---|
| Born | Ninos Dankha Baghdad, Iraq [1] |
| Origin | Sweden |
| Genres | Indie, folk, singer-songwriter |
| Years active | 2009–present |
| Labels | Kning Disk, Soliti, Busy Bee, PoA Records |
| Website | www |
Prince of Assyria is the stage name of Swedish-Iraqi singer and songwriter Ninos Dankha. His music blends elements of Scandinavian folk and subtle Middle Eastern influences, often described as melancholic and introspective. [2] [3]
Ninos Dankha was born in Baghdad, Iraq, and moved to Sweden with his family when he was less than one year old. [4] [5]
He first gained attention in 2009 with the single “What Ever You Want”, released by the Swedish label Kning Disk. [6] [7] His debut album, Missing Note, was released in 2009/2010 and was noted for its sparse arrangements and lyrical tone. [8] The follow-up, Changing Places, appeared in 2014 on the Finnish label Soliti. [9] His third album, 3rd Level (2020), continued his minimalist sound and received a 4/5 review from Swedish daily Dagens Nyheter. [10]
Dankha’s music is characterized by a mixture of Nordic melancholy and Middle Eastern tonality, often using minimal arrangements, acoustic instrumentation, and introspective lyrics. [11] [12]
Prince of Assyria has received positive critical attention in both Scandinavian and international media. In a review for Dagens Nyheter, Mattias Dahlström described his music as “very beautiful folk pop” (väldigt vacker folkpop). [13] Télérama highlighted the honesty and vulnerability of his performance, stating that “his music demands honesty on stage.” [14] In The Forumist, writer Pejman Birounvand compared Dankha’s sound to that of Nick Drake and Tim Buckley, citing its “searching expression and pared-back honesty.” [15]