Prince of Assyria

  1. Home
  2. Wiki
Prince of Assyria
Born
Ninos Dankha

Baghdad, Iraq[1]
OriginSweden
GenresIndie, folk, singer-songwriter
Years active2009–present
LabelsKning Disk, Soliti, Busy Bee, PoA Records
Websitewww.princeofassyria.com

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]

Biography

[edit]

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]

Musical style

[edit]

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]

Reception

[edit]

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]

Discography

[edit]
Albums
  • Missing Note (2009/2010)[16]
  • Changing Places (2014)[17]
  • 3rd Level (2020)[18]
  • BOOK #4 (2025)[19]
Selected singles
  • “What Ever You Want” (2009)[20]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Exclusive interview with the Assyrian artist and singer Prince of Assyria (Ninos Dankha)". Assyria TV. 2020-11-01.
  2. ^ "Prince of Assyria : "Ma musique exige l'honnêteté sur scène"". Télérama (in French). 2011-06-15.
  3. ^ "At home, in exile. Changing Places with Ninos Dankha, Prince of Assyria". The Forumist. 2014-12-29.
  4. ^ "Telling Stories Through Song with Prince of Assyria (Episode 186)". Poddtoppen (Assyrian Podcast).
  5. ^ "Exclusive interview with the Assyrian artist and singer Prince of Assyria (Ninos Dankha)". Assyria TV. 2020-11-01.
  6. ^ "What Ever You Want – Prince of Assyria". Apple Music. 2009-06-18.
  7. ^ "Prince of Assyria – What Ever You Want". Kning Disk (Bandcamp). 2012-12-06.
  8. ^ "Missing Note – Review summary". Kritiker.se (in Swedish).
  9. ^ "Prince of Assyria – Changing Places (Soliti 023)". Soliti. 2014-04-11.
  10. ^ Dahlström, Mattias (2020-10-12). "Prince of Assyria skapar väldigt vacker folkpop". Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish).
  11. ^ "At home, in exile. Changing Places with Ninos Dankha, Prince of Assyria". The Forumist. 2014-12-29.
  12. ^ "Prince of Assyria : "Ma musique exige l'honnêteté sur scène"". Télérama (in French). 2011-06-15.
  13. ^ Dahlström, Mattias (2020-10-12). "Prince of Assyria skapar väldigt vacker folkpop". Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish).
  14. ^ "Prince of Assyria : "Ma musique exige l'honnêteté sur scène"". Télérama (in French). 2011-06-15.
  15. ^ "At home, in exile. Changing Places with Ninos Dankha, Prince of Assyria". The Forumist. 2014-12-29.
  16. ^ "Missing Note – Review summary". Kritiker.se (in Swedish).
  17. ^ "Prince of Assyria – Changing Places (Soliti 023)". Soliti. 2014-04-11.
  18. ^ "3rd Level – Review summary". Kritiker.se (in Swedish). 2020-10-13.
  19. ^ "Official website". Prince of Assyria.
  20. ^ "What Ever You Want – Prince of Assyria". Apple Music. 2009-06-18.
[edit]