Janan Sawa is a musician of Assyrian origin, born in 1956 in Nohadra (Dohuk), Iraq. He began singing at the age of 17 in 1972, but his musical journey was interrupted when his father arranged his marriage in 1975. He also served in the Iraqi army from 1974 to 1978.

In 1980, Janan fled Iraq and sought refuge in Greece for two years before moving to the United States in 1982, where he has resided ever since. Initially, he worked as a taxi driver for two years before being discovered by a restaurant owner who offered him a regular gig as a singer. In 1985, Janan recorded his first studio album titled "Nohadra" after his hometown in Nohadra (Dohuk). The album's first single, "Chokhe," quickly gained popularity among Assyrian party-goers.