Youssra El Hawary’s socially-aware, personal, and original music innovates as much in content as it does in style. In the half-decade since she became a slyly defiant sensation in the aftermath of the Egyptian revolution, El Hawary continues to be a bellwether of everyday life. With charismatic charm, her lithe compositions capture the stories of Cairo, and the charged alchemy of the Mediterranean basin that fuels her distinctive and soulful sound. “Perfect, easy magic. I'm totally hooked on music by this folkie-ish, indie-ish, chanson-ish singer/songwriter from Egypt armed not with a guitar, but ... an accordion.” (NPR’s All Songs Considered

Youssra is performing as part of Center Stage 2018.  For its fourth edition, Center Stage – a cultural exchange program initiated by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and produced by the New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) – will bring five contemporary music and theater ensembles from Egypt and Ukraine to tour in the United States in September-November 2018. During independent month-long tours Dina Elwedidi (Egypt), Kurbasy (Ukraine), Mohamed Abozekry and Karkadé (Egypt), Teatr-Pralnia with CCA Dakh (Ukraine), and Youssra El Hawary (Egypt) will present more than 50 performances and hundreds of residency activities, classroom visits, workshops, artist-to-artist exchange, and community gatherings. The 2018 Center Stage ensembles will visit and engage with people in 16 states and the District of Columbia. The artists will perform in a wide range of locations and venues, from large cities to small towns. Venues will include major performing arts centers such as the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC as well as universities, cultural and community centers, festivals, contemporary art venues, music clubs, and artist-run spaces.