Assala Mostafa Hatem Nasri was born 15 May 1969 is a Syrian musical artist, Asalah was born in Damascus, Syria to a middle class couple. Mostafa Nasri, Asalah's father, was a revered Syrian composer and singer. Asalah began her musical career by performing patriotic, religious, and children's songs when she was four years old. She sang the theme song "Qessas Al Sho'oub" of the cartoon show, Hekayat Alamiyah . In 1986, Mostafa Nasri died after suffering from internal bleeding caused by a car accident. Aged 17 she helped care for her siblings, Reem, Amani, Ayman and Ayham with her mother.

Asalah's commercial musical career debuted in 1991 with Law Ta'rafou , The album had 4 songs in the oriental operatic tarab style. The album was an instant hit with heartbreaking songs like Ya Sabra Yana and Samehtak Ketir. She quickly cemented her presence in a growing industry brimming with new, young talent like Najwa Karam, Saber Rebai, Angham, and Abdelmajeed Abdullah.