Yusuf Islam (formerly Cat Stevens)

Early Life

Yusuf Islam was born Steven Demetre Georgiou on 21 July 1948 in London. His parents were Stavros Georgiou, a Greek Cypriot, and Ingrid Wickman, a Swedish national. Despite his father being a Greek Orthodox Christian and his mother a Methodist, he was sent to a Catholic school.

Career

Georgiou began his music career at a young age after studying art for a short period at the age of 18. His early success led to moderate fame with songs like "Wild World", but he had to stop singing due to tuberculosis that almost killed him. After recovering, he continued his music career and achieved great success in the 1970s.

Conversion to Islam

In December 1977, Georgiou converted to Islam and changed his name to Yusuf Islam. He became an advocate for peace and has released several albums, including "Roadsinger" in 2009. He also donated the song "My People" (meaning those belonging to them) to the Arab world.

Music Style

Yusuf Islam's music style consists of folk, pop, rock, and Islamic music. His songs often reflect his spiritual and philosophical views, which have been influenced by his conversion to Islam.

Philanthropy

Yusuf Islam has been involved in various charitable activities throughout his career. He has sold approximately 60 million albums worldwide and has used his platform to promote peace and understanding.

Discography

* "Roadsinger" (2009)

Note: The birthdate mentioned in Source 5 is incorrect, as it states March 1, 1979, which would make Yusuf Islam only 31 years old at the time of writing. The correct birthdate is July 21, 1948.