Shawn Rae, Bridging the Gap Between Islam and The West, One Song at a Time

Meet the Man Who's Bringing "White Christmas" to the Muslim World

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Dec 17, 2010, 07:45 ET

MIAMI, Dec. 17, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Even in a place well accustomed to strange and exotic sights, this was one for the books. An American Muslim on Pakistani television. Singing Christmas songs.

Impossible to imagine, and yet it happened. But there was more: scores of interviews, talk show appearances, major speeches, and pleas for autographs from newly won fans. All for a man whose own personal story was already the stuff of adventure novels before he ever set foot in Islamabad.

Shawn Rae's journey began in Pakistan's rugged foothills and has taken him from refugee camps to high academic achievement, U.S. Citizenship and, ultimately, to the world's stages as an acclaimed entertainer. But this? Well, this was something different.

In 2009, Rae, worked side-by-side with Jews, Christians and fellow Muslims to create a truly unusual Christmas CD: A World Christmas, Love Knows No Borders. The plan was to "send a love letter to America" from a Muslim man who had found peace and success in his adopted land. And it could have ended there, but Rae had something else in mind. He would travel the world with this iconic music and reach out directly to Muslims.

According to Rae, "There is so much misunderstanding between the Muslim world and the West. I recognize that I happen to be in a unique position to speak to each side as one of them, but also as a representative of the other culture. When someone sings along, or taps a foot and breaks into a smile upon hearing my music, they are celebrating both East and West simultaneously. What a wonderful thing to have happen!"

And so Rae embarked on a 4-month intercontinental tour, bringing "White Christmas," "Winter Wonderland" and "Feliz Navidad" to audiences throughout Europe; the Middle East, including Israel; and recently, his homeland of Pakistan.

"When Muslims first hear my music, they are often surprised," Rae says. "After all, an American Muslim singing Christmas songs is an oddity indeed! But soon, something changes. There becomes a connection. An awareness and realization hits, that people everywhere are tired of war and strife. I know that hearts can change in the course of hearing a message, and in this case, Muslim hearts from a song. This tour has certainly been proving that!"

For information about Shawn Rae's Love Knows No Borders tour, or to schedule an interview, contact Dawn Carr. For a 5 minute television Shawn Rae interview example, click on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4E7gm-BUE0, to see Shawn Rae Video Biography, click on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0tp7ZmtTJo. For photos, music clips, for information on Shawn Rae's Perfume, Oneness by Shawn Rae, the book, The World Of Perfumes & Fragrances, A Global Perspective by Shawn Rae, visit http://www.ShawnRae.com or email [email protected]