Rabat - Following her successful 2013 album, “Soul of Morocco,” Moroccan Sahrawi singer Oum El Ghait Benssahraoui will release her new album, entitled ‘Zarabi’ (Carpets), on September 22 as a tribute to the colorful carpets of M’hamid El Ghizlane, formerly known as Taragalte, a rural commune in the province of Zagora, located in the far south-east of Morocco.

The album features various styles of Moroccan music, including Gnawa, Jazz and Hassanya, that reflect Oum’s creativity and ability to incorporate Moroccan culture into her tracks. It also includes the music of well-known artists such as the percussionist Mohammed Krija and Yacir Rami.

Oum EL Ghait, which literally means “Mother of relief," is the first name that Moroccan Sahrawi nomads give to baby girls born on a rainy day, believing that it is the luck of the new born that brings with it water and relief.

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Rabat - Yassine Bourial is the founder of the Moroccan Metal Community (MMC). In 2010, before moving to Canada, he organized the first edition of the MMC concert and now plans to organize a second edition. “People still think metal is Satan’s work,” Bourial told Morocco World News. He wants people to discover this kind of music before judging it, through the MMC.

MWN: Could you tell us about the Moroccan Metal Community, in few words?

Yassine Bourial: The MMC is a group of musicians and metal music lovers from Morocco, who share the same passion and love for this kind of “controversial” music.

MWN: After 2002, what was the situation of metal in Morocco? Is it still“controversial”?

Yassine Bourial: Metal in Morocco does not advance like other musical genres. There's a big lack of resources, unlike rap music where all it takes is a cheap instrumental which you can download, and you can record a song for 200 or 300 dirhams. It’s expensive to buy an instrument, and most of the bands struggle to find a drummer.
It is really hard to get permission to organize a metal concert, especially in big cities. 2003 was a historic year for metal in Morocco, after what happened to the bands Reborn, Nekros, and Infected Brain [the nine band members and five fans were given prison sentences after being accused of disturbing public order and wearing satanic,“anti-Islamic” t-shirts]. I think personally that since then the vast majority of Moroccans have thought that metal is Satan's work. They will not hesitate to call you names in public just for wearing a black t-shirt. By finding out about us and our work, people can change their ideas. Metal is not Satan’s work, discover the music before you judge!

MWN: How did the MMC come about?

Yassine Bourial: The MMC was created in March 2009 to unite fans of metal music in Morocco and also to give the musicians a chance to promote Moroccan metal in our country.

I talked to my partner from an art organization about creating a Facebook group for Moroccan metal fans. The idea was rejected because it could tarnish the reputation of the organization (which deals with different kinds of art) and from this rejection, the MMC came into being.

MWN: What distinguishes the MMC from other metal communities?

Yassine Bourial: What distinguishes the MMC is its image. We want to promote Moroccan metal musicians. Sometimes all artists want is moral support.  They are not asking for money or fame. They do what they love and all they are asking for in return is to listen.

MWN: Which bands inspire the MMC the most?

Yassine Bourial: What inspires the MMC is Moroccan metal. There are plenty of good bands, with huge potential and a lot of talent.  Their work is what pushes us forward.

MWN: July 3, 2010 was the first edition of the MMC. Under what conditions did you organize it?

Yassine Bourial: The first edition was hard to organize, we really struggled to get a permit to play at Complexe Culturel Mohamed Zefzaf, and even with the permit we could not access it in the begining.

But we had massive support from our sponsors (sound system, security, photography) and also our friends who made it possible, so we could access it and we were satisfied with our work.

MWN: This first edition brought together five groups (including Vicious Vision and Despotism). Why exactly five? Was it to avoid the evil eye?

Yassine Bourial: (laughs) Absolutely not, it is just that we could only have five bands playing that day because of our limited time and resources.

MWN: What were your criteria for selecting these groups?

Yassine Bourial: We wanted to make a start with the best bands we could find in Morocco. We were totally satisfied with the result.

MWN: In 2010, you organized the first but also the last edition of MMC. What prevented you from continuing to organize other editions?

Yassine Bourial: I had to move to Canada for studies, and people weren't motivated to keep it going.

MWN: Do the MMC members still have the same objective: "gathering the metal community and providing a stage for local groups to have concerts throughout the year"?

Yassine Bourial: It is hard now to organize an event because most of the MMC members have left Morocco, but we are collaborating and working with people in Morocco, so expect to hear something new soon.

The three most active members do not live in Morocco. How do you manage your communication?

Yassine Bourial: When someone has a new idea or wants to work on something, he tell the other members about it and we see what we can do to make it better. We are always Skyping and talking to each other; even if the timezone is a ***** we still manage to communicate.

MWN: How did you know each other?

Yassine Bourial: I met Amine in a Japanese event held in Casablanca, Manga Afternoon. He was the first one to buy the MMC shirt and then we became friends. He was in charge of selling t-shirts in the region of Meknes.

As for Samir, I met him during the first MMC concert. He was the first one to congratulate me, and he supported us for what we were doing.

Both of them showed great interest in the idea of the MMC, they wanted to help, and that is what they did.

MWN: You have not been able to organize a festival before leaving to Canada because of the lack of staff. Were you able to overcome this problem later?

Yassine Bourial: Not really, because I moved out of Morocco and a festival needs big sponsors with a lot of money. People might riot if they heard there was going to be a metal festival in Morocco. There is still a lot we have to do before taking bigger steps.

MWN: Which genres do Moroccan metal groups play?

Yassine Bourial: Every genre, from heavy metal to Japanese metal, except for those genres where foreign folk instruments are required, like Viking Metal.

MWN: You are currently working on a shredding contest with a prize for the winner. What is the principle of this contest and what for?

Yassine Bourial: The idea of the #MMCShredContest is to show the community that the Moroccan metal scene is full of awesome guitarists, with great talent, and perfect mastery of the instrument. The success of the event depends on the members of the community. The MMC is just here to organize and watch how things are going. Even the members of the jury are not affiliated with us, they are great musicians who have the respect of all of us. They gave a lot to the Moroccan metal scene.
As for the prize, we did not want to give one at first, but then I remember I saw a Moroccan shop that sells instruments online, Rock.ma. We sent them a message with all the details about the event, and they accepted our request for sponsorship. They’re offering a TC Electronic Dark Matter and a Rock.ma tshirt for the winner.

MWN: Who are the well-known local musicians you worked with for this event?

Yassine Bourial: We had positive feedback from most of the bands we talked to. In fact, without the help of Sami Jawahir, the founder of the one-man band Torment, the event could not have happened. He is really talented, I have huge respect for him. He gave so much to the Moroccan metal scene and music in general, and he made us awesome backing tracks for the contest.
There is also Omar, the first person who contributed to the event a few hours after the start of the contest. I would like to thank him and wish him his band Suicide Machine good luck in Tremplin e.i. the Boulevard, another competition that will be held next week.

I would also love to thank Simohamed Eddaoudi – lead guitarist of one of the oldest Moroccan metal bands, The Nightmare – for the support he gave us.

MWN: What are your future plans?

Yassine Bourial: We would love to organize the second edition of the MMC concert. We are seriously thinking of it and we just need time to make it happen. Everything is possible.

MWN: Will be there any collaboration with the Boulevard?

Yassine Bourial: We have not had contact with the Boulevard [an urban music festival organized every year in Casablanca which promotes young artists], but everything is possible in the future. Whoever wants to make the Moroccan metal scene a better one is more than welcome.

MWN: What messages would you like to send to fans in Morocco?

Yassine Bourial: Fans are members of the community, they are the MMC. Without them the MMC would not exist, and I would like to thank them for keeping the MMC alive.

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Azrou - Belgian rapper Stromae released a new video clip on Monday entitled ‘Quand C’est?’ (When is it?) on YouTube, embodying a patient struggling with cancer, describing it as a lethal disease.

Stromae appeared in a vacant old theatre performing a choreography and addressing a monologue to cancer. He personified the heartache of a man experiencing a malignant tumor and described his parents experience who had both already undergone the same disease.

“Oh yes, we know each other. You even tried to get my mother. Started with her breasts and my father’s lungs. Do you remember them?”

The video clip was filmed in black and white to symbolize suffering and the disease’s stages, which the patient goes through.

Stromae’s new video clip was a hit including his objective lyrics tackling the spread of an abnormal group of cells that perish the body of human being.

Paul Van Haver, known by his stage name Stromae was born in 1985, and is a Belgian rapper and songwriter. He rose to fame in 2009 with his track “Alors on dance”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aJw4chksqM

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Rabat - Amid the worldwide solidarity with Aylan Kurdi, the Syrian toddler whose death epitomized the dire predicament of Syrian refugees, Syrian rapper Ahmad Ebn sba'a released a humanitarian video clip on September 14, entitled “Immigrant Away”, directed by Yaman Antabli, to shed light on the circumstances driving Syrians to migrate.

In an interview with Morocco World News, artists Yaman Antabli and Ahmad Ebn sba’a talked about the message they hope to share through their heart wrenching video clips of Syrian refugees,“Many Syrian toddlers have been tortured to death, not drowned at sea, and they did not appear on the mass media. The video clips are intended to save the future of Syria and to show why Syrians have been forced to leave their homes,” Yaman said.

The 19-year-old director and screenwriter went on to add that no one could bring back the drowned Syrians, but they can save others. “The video clip’s idea by rapper Ahmad Ebn sba’a, is to bring to life the actions of Aylan Kurdi and his parents and describes reasons for their migration and the heartache they have experienced during their deadly journey to Europe.

“We wish to see sympathy from other countries, and especially from the Arab world, to welcome the Syrian refugees. I hope Arab countries take a humanitarian initiative as soon as possible to receive Syrians. We are not terrorists; we migrate to escape from barrel bombs, destruction, and injustice. We only need to be protected and safe,” he said. Holding back tears, he continued, “It is a message to the whole world, and that’s why the video is shown with English subtitles.”

He went on to reveal the difficulties the artists had experienced behind the scenes in making the video,“Money was one of the main obstacles we encountered. We just collected a few coins to hire the camera and the boat. Secondly, we worked away from each other: I was in Lebanon, and Ahmed was in Saudi Arabia. In addition, it was difficult to direct toddler Youssef Alsamra, who played the role of Aylan Kurdi, because he is only a little older than three years. However, he unleashed his acting passion.”

Ahmad Ebn sba’a, a rapper and songwriter with 25 years of experience and composer of “Immigrant Away,” also described his sympathy for Syrian refugees and the message he hopes to share with the world: “With limited possibilities the Earth can hear our voice. I did not want to migrate, but there is no solution. I am a migrant and half of all Syrians have left home. I hope to see peace and stability cover Syria’s heart and sky in order for us to return to our homes and live in serenity.” Ahmad said optimistically, “I am proud to contribute to capturing the scene of Syria and narrating Aylan’s family story.”

He noted that, “Some people have diminished the idea of filming the video clip and showing the unpleasantness of the Syrian refugee crisis. Our relatives criticized the idea because they ignored the wellbeing of Aylan’s family when they were in Syria. However, we kept our faith, and the aim was to save the rest and transmit the truth to the universe,” Yaman concluded.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Sf4ISjq8lA

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Taroudant - A Muslim thrash metal guitarist who reportedly converted to Islam in 2009, performs on stage wearing a niqab.

The video of the Muslim convert, Gisele Marie, from Sao Paulo, Brazil, went viral on social media with mixed reactions about her performance with “a dress associated to radical Islam.”

[video id="o8R74t_LdMw" type="youtube"]

The 42-year-old, who is a guitarist for the heavy metal band Spectrum, said that she wanted to break that negative stereotype about Muslim women.

Marie said that while some people are shocked to see her playing at a concert with her pink polka-dotted Gibson Flying V guitar, others are curious and find it “interesting” or “cool”.

“I do not care about people looking at me because I wear the niqab, but I hope that people understand that Islam is just my religion and music is my profession, and indeed these two things are only my personal characteristics," the musician told MailOnline.

“Music is my focus and the fact that I'm Muslim has no influence on the music,” she added.

Speaking about her clothes, Marie said “For me it's a normal clothes, my clothes, and there is nothing different about wearing the niqab on stage.”

[video id="lAW9NuJUs_c" type="youtube"]

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Rabat - Douzi, Hatim Amour, Ahmed Chawki and other Moroccan singers are due to perform on November 21 and 22 in Orlando, Florida at an event organized by Chabab Orlando to celebrate the 40^th anniversary of Morocco’s Green March.

A press release obtained by Morocco World News said this event will bring together a group of Moroccan politicians, media, music, and sports figures, such as former Moroccan international football players Youssef Roussi, Nour Eddine Nybet, Zakaria Aboub and Ben Abicha.

The release goes on to add that the celebration will feature concerts by Hatim Amour, Ahmed Chawki, Douzi and Asmaa Lamnawar, as well as a standup act by comedian Rachid Allali.

The event will also include a soccer tournament in which the former Moroccan internationals will participate along with the Moroccans Living in America team, Miami, New York and Orlando.

Chabab Orlando, who organized the event, consists of a group of Moroccans living in Orlando for the purpose of promoting the Image of the Kingdom and boosting the citizenship spirit among Moroccans throughout cultural and social activities.

Moroccans will celebrate the 40^th anniversary of Green March on November 6. The Green March is commemorated annually to immortalize the 350,000 Moroccans who marched into Morocco’s southern provinces in the Sahara, as well as the millions of Moroccans who marched in spirit to free the territory from the Spanish rule.

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Miami - Rhita Bennani is a Moroccan singer, songwriter, and guitar player. Born on July 18, 1994, in the historically rich city of Fez, Morocco, Rhita left Fez when she was a child and moved to the Kingdom’s capital, Rabat, where she currently lives. Her family - her mother and grandparents - live in Fez.

The 21-year-old singer is becoming a YouTube sensation with her soulful voice and diverse style, ranging from jazz and blues to rap. Her song covers are viewed by thousands through her YouTube channel.

Rhita has been singing since she was 8 years old, when she first discovered her musical talent. Inspired by a musical film in her childhood, the emerging star developed a passion for music. The first song she knew by heart was Hero by Mariah Carey.

A natural-born talent who has never taken formal voice lessons, Rhita is self-taught. She claims YouTube videos have helped her greatly. In an interview with Morocco World News, she said, “Apart from going to school, I was all the time stuck to my computer’s screen, listening to music and watching movies. My family was always asking me to go out with them or with my cousins, but I wasn’t interested.”

Rhita describes her music style as a combination of reggae, blues, jazz, soul, and R&B. She sings in English, a language she speaks fluently. Rhita also speaks Arabic, French, and some German.

The Fez-native was born with music in her heart. “Music is my life, not a part of it,” she told MWN.

When she was a little girl, she used to hear her uncle sing Andalusian tunes that he composed himself. Bennani is also writing 2 original songs, which she will release soon.

Her musical inspirations are Bob Marley, Robert Plant, Stevie Wonder, Janis Joplin, Selah Sue, Sarah Vaughan, Anne-Marie, and the late Amy Winehouse. About Winehouse, Rhita said, “She’s Queen, she’s my everything, my inspiration, my muse. So sad that she had to leave us so soon!”

Rhita’s vocals bear a large resemblance to the English singer of “You Know I’m No Good”, a track Bennani has covered in her videos.

The young Moroccan has performed at the American School of Leadership, Mega Mall in Rabat, Cultural Center of Agdal-Rabat, and several universities.

“I’m ready to work day and night to improve and reach my dreams. I want to sing in front of some of my favorite artists….it might seem difficult now, but who knows what life is hiding,” said a hopeful Rhita.

“I would love to visit the US,” she added. Her YouTube cover videos are seen all over the world, and many of her fans are from America. Although she has never been there, her voice is reaching other continents and she would to meet her fans, about whom she expressed, “I love them, they’re sweethearts; they love me and support me all the time….they’re amazing!”

Rhita is also a full-time graduate student at the University of Rabat, where she seeks a Master’s in Didactics of French, currently in her last year.

When she is not studying or recording covers for her YouTube channel, Bennani loves dancing and reading books by Nikolai Vasilievish, Gogo, and Franz Kafka. “They are my favorites! I’m in love with all of their books,” she said.

Not only is the raven-haired singer a symbol of Moroccan female beauty, she holds true to her rich traditions and Moroccan culture. Rhita is a Muslim who loves Morocco and knows that wherever life takes her, she will carry her values and family’s pride with her.

Rhita plans to record a professional cover of a reggae song and continue to please her fans with renditions of her favorite covers every Saturday.

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Rabat - The Oasis Festival is a brand new electronic music festival launched this year in Marrakesh, Morocco. From September 11 to 13, 2015, Fellah Hotel Marrakesh was the destination for over 2000 electronic beats lovers from over 25 different countries who landed in Morocco for the weekend.

The line-up included international electronic DJs and music producers, such as Chloé, Guy Gerber, Cassy, Alex Nigemann, Eli & Fur, Amine K, Driss Skali, Ardiatique, Ellen Allien, DJ Harvey, Agoria, DJ Tennis and many more.

The dance floor was full of energetic people moving their bodies to the music of the sets played by host DJs in Bamboo Arena and Desert Oasis. The electronic vibes were like healing medicine for dancers and attendees during three intense days.

Every moment spent around the location was an inspiration for me. Although I have attended many electronic music festivals in Europe during the last few years, those experiences can’t compare to my experience this year at the Oasis festival. It is such a great initiative and a step forward that brings a new asset to the electronic music scene in Morocco and internationally.

Morocco World News approached Eli & Fur, the duo from England, who made the dance floor go insane after playing their scheduled set at Fellah Hotel Marrakesh.

MWN: What is your impression after landing in Morocco, and how do you find the location of the Oasis Festival?

It is beautiful; we like it so much. We will go on an excursion tomorrow, so basically, we will see more of it. But the setting of the Festival is incredible. We’ve never seen anything like it -- super original -- and the vibes are amazing. It is great to be here.

MWN: Tell us more about how you met and collaborated to produce such original and dope melodies?

We met at school, and we started DJing for fun. We started working as songwriters for people and for another music company. It was such a natural thing, and we both loved the same music. It is exciting; we want to keep going. We love it, we absolutely love it.

MWN: What are your plans and scheduled gigs after the Oasis Festival?

We are currently working on a bunch of new tracks to put out at the end of this year and next year. We got a couple of gigs in the UK, and we will be playing at the closing of Ushuaia (music club) in Ibiza, and we are really excited about that. We will be just continuing to gig and make more music. For the long run, we love it and really enjoy it.

MWN: I heard about your road trip across the U.S. You are planning to visit three states, while dropping by radio stations there. Can you tell us more details about this coming trip? 

It is something we wanted to do for so long. You know, the US is a great place to put your music out there. We don’t like just to play gigs, but to bring people into a story, so it is going to be an adventure as well. We will be there for three weeks and will be on the Madison boat party, and that’s going be an interesting experience for us.

MWN: Are there any new releases coming out soon?

 Probably, there will be something out before the end of the year.

We never like to rush the music. So, no specific dates yet, but definitely, something will be out soon. Our latest release is “Your Eyes” and that’s on our own label, and it is nice to put stuff on our label.

Your catchy title, “Seeing is Believing,” is one of my favorites. Tell us what story inspired it.

A lot of times we write loads of lyrics, and depending on the vibes of the music, we sort of create something out of it.

As we are traveling a lot, we write down a lot of ideas that pop into our head. You always get inspired by certain things -- it is very organic -- so when we write, a story or an idea just comes out naturally.

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Rabat - Morocco’s Doukkala association will host the fifth annual Jawhara International Festival in three cities: El Jadida, Azemmour, and Bir Jdid, from October 6 to 8, 2015.

Jawhara International Festival returns this year with an exciting artistic program, including Music, Arts, Theater, Sports, and much more, led by famous Moroccan artists.

The festival allows thousands of people from different backgrounds to attend for free and take part of the event.

The festival places importance on popular music. Chaabi will have a strong presence in various forms and variations. Other genres will also be present, such as rap, fusion, and oriental music.

The list of Moroccan singers that are performing at the event includes Issam Kamal, AbdelAziz Stati, Saida Charaf, and Zina Daoudia.

Many other international singers will participate in the festival, including Algerians Cheb Bilal and Reda Taliani, Lebanese Pascal Mechalani, and French-Moroccan rapper Mister You.

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Rabat - British pop singer Lily Allen is currently in Marrakech, shooting a new campaign for fashion label Vero Moda and taking some time off for a little relaxation.

The 30-year-old singer who became the new face of the Danish brand Vero Moda last May, landed this week in Marrakech for the next ad campaign of the ready-to-wear brand, according to Huffington Post Maroc.

Allen who is currently boasting pastel-pink hair, appeared to be traveling without her husband Sam Cooper and their daughters – three-year-old Ethel and two-year-old Marnie.

Lily Allen shared a picture on her Instagram account, where she enjoying the sun while reclining under a canopy in Marrakech. The pop star also shared a selfie wearing minimal makeup.

She revealed her current location in Marrakech, for Vero Moda’s next ad campaign, tagging the brand’s account: "@veromodaglobal and using hashtags: #veromodaxlily #marrakech."

Lily Allen has recently contributed a pair of new songs to the soundtrack for “Pan”, the Peter Pan ‘origin story’ film due to open in theaters stateside on October 9th.

Allen's tracks, the uplifting ballad "Something's Not Right" and the upbeat, low-key "Little Soldier," presumably the anthem of the Lost Boys, were both written and produced by Keane's Tim Rice-Oxley.

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By Latifa Lakri

Fez - The 18^th National Festival of Madih and Sama’a took place this year from October 9 to 17 in Fez.

Madih and sama’a, or religious recitation, is a rich cultural and spiritual practice that has been honored for centuries by many Moroccans. Within the art, one hears specific kinds of oral presentations that compliment and pay special tribute to the prophet Mohammed.

Its history dates back to the era of the prophet, when some little girls welcomed the prophet happily with long elaborate songs as he traveled from Mecca to Medina. The girls, members of the Najjar tribe, sang, “We are neighbors from Najjar, welcoming Mohammed who becomes our neighbor.” One may also hear the famous lyrics, “Tala’a lbadro ala’ina, min tani’ati louada’a …” The prophet Mohammed, happy with the poetry, told them that he loved them for the way they welcomed him.

Madih and Sama’a continued to develop and became part of Morocco’s heritage. Abed Al Aziz Ben Abd Aljalil, a Moroccan researcher of Music Heritage, says that this art dates back to the 7^th century, when celebrating the feast of the prophet’s birthday required remarkable considerations. It was further developed during the time of the Merinids, Aljalil argues, when the kings gave orders to organize ceremonies and include Islamic songs that paid tribute to the prophet on his birthday.

[caption id="attachment_170753" align="aligncenter" width="720"] Photo credit: Omar Chennafi[/caption]

The art reached its peak during the time of the Saadiyin, when great religious ceremonies were organized and various religious songs and long poems were performed for kings and men with political and social power. With the emergence of the Alaouite dynasty, the art of Madih and Sama’a was developed with particular artistic and literary characteristics that turned it into a professional art, performed on every occasion as an integral part of their culture and spirituality.

In Morocco, a number of shrines have celebrations featuring religious recitation. These include Moulay Idriss in Fez, Sidi Ben Abbass in Marrakesh, Sidi Saleh Lhakmaoui in Rabat, and Zaouia Rissounia in Tetouan. Madih and sama’a is specific and unique for each region and shrine.

Fez is most widely known for the celebration of this type of music. Organized by the Fez city council, the festival also coordinates competitions of this pure original art among children and young people of different schools of assama’a in Morocco. Ceremonial performances by various Moroccan groups of madih and sama’a, each with its own particular artistic and spiritual touch, are also featured.

The 18^th national festival focused not only on religious recitation but also on values of coexistence, love, and humanity, with an aim of creating a strong spiritual link among people from all corners of Morocco.

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By Rania Entifi

Tangier - At many events in northern Morocco, there is a singer that impresses the audience with her amazing voice and her style… When she sings Flamenco, you can’t say that she’s not from southern Spain, and when she sings northern folk songs, you know she’s definitely from Tangier.

She is Naoual Alaoui, an artist who has perfected the Flamenco, Moroccan, and Middle Eastern musical styles, but chooses to perform a fusion of Flamenco and folk songs of the northern region.

Her first album “El Amor Ya Habibi” contains diverse musical styles such as Flamenco, Reggeaton, Rap, and others. The songs are in different languages. Alaoui chooses to express herself in Arabic, French, Spanish, and Turkish. She is an artist who believes that music is an international language, and that every song has a message to deliver to the audience.

The new Flamenco star is about to launch her next album very soon. It will contain Fusion music, where she sings both Moroccan folk songs and Flamenco. The album also features a duet with Moroccan Rai star Rachid Berriah.

Alaoui just finished shooting an episode of “Fein ghady biya” a discovery show on the Moroccan channel Al oula. According to her, this experience took her to an “exotic and unexpected destination.”

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When Soraya El Awad, a Moroccan singer who lives in the Netherlands took the stage of “The Voice Arab”, her breathtaking voice captured the jury of the television show.

Soraya seduced all four judges of the singing competition with a sensual interpretation of Etta James’ song “At Last”.

A video of the Moroccan beauty’s performance posted on H24 info, shows the long-haired singer wearing a hat dressed in a two-texture black ensemble and simple makeup during her presentation.

Since the beginning of the song, members of the jury were instantly in awe of Soraya’s voice without looking at her – keeping true to the rules of the show.

During several key moments of her performance, the judges demonstrated their liking for the singer, which prompted them to listen and enjoy the song nearly to the end.

When their emotions were too intense, all four judges hit the red light as their chairs swung around to reveal Soraya’s identity.

The Moroccan was accepted by the entire jury of “The Voice Arab” unanimously to the applause and joy of the audience and her family.

The dreams of the Moroccan singer are one step closer to becoming a reality.

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By Abdelbaar Mounadi Idrissi

Tangier - The 9^th Annual International Festival of Expressive Dance, organized by the initiative of the “Babylon Cult-Art” association, will take place in Fez under the theme of “Toledances” on October 27-31.

Choreographic groups and artists from Brazil, Spain, the United States, France, India, Italy, Morocco, and Russia will participate in the festival, presenting spectacles of ballet, flamenco, oriental dances, classic, modern, Berber, and African dances, in addition to hip-hop and free expressionist dance.

This year, the festival will include several workshops and conferences with Moroccan and foreign artists that aim at highlighting the role of such festivals in cultural interactions and dialogue between cultures, in addition to exchanging universal choreographic experiences.

It also aims at fostering discussions about the appropriate tools to develop traditional Moroccan dances from the level of ordinary body movements to the level of becoming a part of the universal choreographic language.

This festival is one of many that promote cultural tourism and make Morocco a cultural melting pot and a place where cultures meet and interact.

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New York - Moroccan singers Hafid Douzi and Abdellah Daoudi will perform in Boston and New York next November.

The events, which will be organized by Achraf Rami Production, will take place in Boston on Friday, November 27 and in Astoria, Queens, on Sunday, November 29 from 2 to 8 pm.

 The events will also feature Moroccan singer based in New York Nouredinne Al Maghribi.

Douzi is accustomed to performing for the Moroccan diaspora in the United States. Last spring, he held a number of performances in New York.

He is also due to perform in Florida on November 21 and 22 in an event that will commemorate the 40^th anniversary of the Green March, when Morocco regained sovereignty over the so-called Western Sahara.

The 30-year old Rai star made headlines last August when he cancelled his participation in the 16^th annual International Festival for Palestine in Ramallah, after he discovered that he and his band would have to enter Ramallah via Tel Aviv airport.

The Moroccan diaspora in New York will also enjoy a performance by the Abdellah Daoudi, one of the leading figures of Chaabi music in Morocco.

This won’t be the first time Daoudi will perform in the United States. He has delighted the Moroccan community in the US several times with his talent. Daoudi made several tours in the US at the beginning of his artistic career in the late 1990s.

The price for tickets is set at $55. Music lovers interested in attending the event, should call Simo El Aissaoui at: 516-902-3622 or Achraf Rami at: 617-285-2962.

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By Jamal Bellahsen

Rabat - Tawargit is a Moroccan Amazigh music band in the south east of Morocco. The group has won the national modern Amazigh music awards, given by the Royal Institute of Amazigh Culture.

Morocco World News conducted recently an interview with Mohammed Naciri, “Muha,” the leader of the Amazigh band Tawargit.

MWN: Congratulation on the award, how are you feeling?

Great. This prize will push us to continue in this domain, and it gives a legitimacy and credibility to our group. It’s not easy to be an artist, especially in a traditional society like the south east of Morocco. We are proud to be the third group in the south east to win this prize, after Moha Mallal, an Amazigh musician from the village of Tamlalte; and Nbarek Olaarbi, known as NBA and founder of the famous music group Saghru.

MWN: How did you start playing music?

I started music alone, when I was a student in Errachidia (a city in the south east of Morocco). There, I had my first contact with Amazigh music: I listened to the songs of NBA, who later became my friend. I was influenced by his music and his personality, so I start to play music myself. During my studies in Errachidia, I sang my first song with a group named Taghensa, and I even started playing with Saghru. I played music with them occasionally, and after the death of Nbarek Olaarbi, we created our own band, Tawargit.

MWN: Who are the musicians that have influenced you?  

Personally, I was highly influenced by Nbarek Oulaarbi—not just by his music, but also by our unity, our Amazigh identity. I’ve also listened to other musicians from all around the world, especially from the Kabylie like Idir, lounes Maatoub, Mark Knopfler, and others.

MWN: When did you produce your first album?

Our first album was produced in 2011, with the title “Saghru: Eternal revolution, memory of a forgettable mountain.” Our second album was released in 2013, named “Azwu n Tlelli,” which means “wind of freedom” in Tamazight. In this album, we sing about different topics, such as our history in North Africa, our mothers, freedom, etc.

Now we are preparing our third album, and will be participate in a film about Jewish-Berber music produced by the Moroccan director Kamal Hachkar.

MWN: Why do you choose to play Amazigh music?

It’s not a choice; we grew up in an Amazigh society that has a lot of problems like poor living conditions and lack of infrastructure. These are the things we try to talk about in our songs. Amazigh music for us is a priority: we can’t play music just for dance or have fun, we play music because we have a message. We play music to defend the Amazigh cause and to defend our culture.

MWN: What are the themes that you talk about in your songs?

We sing about everything: what we feel in our daily life, poverty, the Amazigh identity, love, etc. We don’t have borders for our topics. We sing about anything we feel.

MWN: Do you earn money from your music?

Our goal is not to earn money. All members of the group are students, all of them intellectuals. We play music to defend our ideas, and this music helps us in our studies. For us, music is education, and this is our philosophy. Our Amazigh music is not a way for us to earn money because we don’t participate in festivals. We are not featured in the media—we are marginalized, but it’s not a problem for us. We will continue to play our music.

MWN: What is the biggest challenge for your group?

Our challenge is continuing our music. It’s difficult to play Amazigh music, especially in the south east of Morocco, but we will not change. We will fight about our culture and our cause. Another big challenge for Tawargit (and all other music groups in the south east), is that we don’t have institutions to learn music. We have over 40 music bands, and all of them are self-educated musicians. We need conservatories: young talent needs framing. If we had a conservatory in Tinghir (a city in the south east of the country), I’m sure that we will discover a lot of talented artists.

Edited by Katrina Bushko

© Morocco World News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten or redistributed without permission

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Rabat - Moroccan singer Dounnia Batma along with a number of Moroccan and foreign figures were decorated by King Mohammed VI on Saturday in Laayoune, on the 40th anniversary of the Green March.

This is the second time the Moroccan singer receives a royal wissam, after she was awarded a Royal Wissam on the 50th birthday of the Sovereign in August 2013.

Abdelhadi Belkhayat, Hayat Idrissi, fathallah lamghari as well as Abdou Charif and Sanaa Merhati.are also among the Moroccan artists decorated by the King.

 Moroccan filmmaker Youssef Briteland and Outman Benzakour, a filmmaker and producer, aslo received Royal Wissams.

King Mohammed VI also awarded decorated Khalihenna Ould Errachid, president of the Royal Consultative Council for Sahara Affairs (CORCAS), and Ahmed Ould Souilem, a former prominent figure of the Polisario, and former Morocco’s Ambassador to Spain.

The post Dounia Batma Decorated by King Mohammed VI For Second Time appeared first on Morocco World News.

By Cindy Basha

Rabat - The Eagles of Death Metal, the band that was performing at the Bataclan during the Paris attacks on November 13, told Vice magazine on November 21^st that it is eager to return to that venue and play again.

“I cannot wait to go back to Paris, I cannot wait to play”, said the band’s co-founder, Jesse Hughes. He added “I was there when it went silent”.

Hughes added that his eagerness to return was not political, but rather for the love music. “Our friends went there to see rock and roll and died.  I wanna go back there and live”

During the attack, members of the group fled the gunmen along with fans. The band’s bass player, Matt Majunkins, hid with fans in a room off-stage.

“There’s a bunch of people helping each other get in. As soon as we get there, there were people who had been shot…We used chairs to barricade the doors”

They had also expressed gratitude for those who helped them. Eden Galindo, the lead guitar player, told the press how he was helped by fans when he escaped.

The band’s co-founder, Josh Homme, wishes he could speak with the parents of his fans and give his support.

“I wish I could get down on my knees and say “whatever you need””.

The band Duran Duran, whose song “Save a Prayer” was covered by The Eagles of Death Metal, will donate proceeds from that song to the families of the victims. Also, the band has asked music publishers such as Itunes and Spotify to give proceeds from the song “I Love You All the Time” to these families.

Hommes expressed his solidarity to the victims, as well as the bravery of the fans.

“We represent the fans that did not make it, whose stories may never be told” he added, while holding a list of names of those who died in the attacks.

The post Paris Attacks: Eagles of Death Metal Will Return to Bataclan appeared first on Morocco World News.

New York - Lebanese superstar Haifa Wehbe published a video on her official Facebook Page announcing her arrival in Morocco.

“To my fans awaiting my arrival in Morocco, I will meet you in Casablanca at the Scenario, wait for me. I love you all”, Haifa said through a short video recorded by the star herself on a mirror reflection using her mobile phone.

The singer is scheduled to perform this Thursday, December 3 at the “Scenario Oriental Club” in Ain Diab, Casablanca.

Haifa Wehbe has performed several times in Morocco, including in a concert for tolerance in Agadir in 2009.

The Arabic pop singer and actress is one of the most famous singers in the Arab world and considered one of the most successful Lebanese singers.

Her visit to the North African country has been criticized by Moroccan sheikh, Mohammed Fizazi, who said on social media that the singer is not welcome in Morocco.  “You are not welcome in Morocco,” y are not welcome said, calling on Moroccans to denounce her presence by saying, “No for Wehbe’s visit to sully Morocco’s soil”.

The post Haifa Wehbe Talks to Her Moroccan Fans appeared first on Morocco World News.

Washington DC - Last year I wrote about well known Moroccan musician, tradition bearer, and ambassador of peace, Rachid Halihal. Recently, I became acquainted with another musical ambassador of peace from Morocco, an up and coming young Gnawa musician named Samir LanGus.

Samir is based in New York. He played at the International Festival in northern Virginia in October and recently sat down with me and told me about his musical journey from Morocco to the U.S.

Samir hails from Agadir, Morocco. In 2010, he won the lottery to come to the United States. Now, at only 25 years old, he has been inspired by many musicians, including Gnawa masters such as Hamid el Kasri and Hassan Ben Jaafer.

The music of the Gnawa, a Sufi religious order in Morocco, is ritual trance music of Morocco’s black communities, originally descended from slaves and soldiers once brought to Morocco from Northern Mali and Mauritania. The music is believed to heal people possessed by jinn, or spirits. What most Americans do not know is that Gnawa music is the genesis of both American jazz and blues, and many American and British artists, including Randy Weston, Mick Jagger, Robert Plant, Brian Jones, and Jimmy Page, have embraced it for decades.

But “Gnawa is not just the music,” says Samir. “It’s the culture. You can’t play just the sintir, you also need the castanets [qarqakeb] to have the Gnawa spirit.” He describes the sintir, a stringed percussion instrument made of wood and camel skin with goat gut strings, as a “powerful instrument” with an amazing sound. “You feel it in your heart,” he says.

Samir says there is big audience for Gnawa music in New York.  New Yorker magazine documented the rise of Gnawa music in the U.S. last year.

Recently the band LanGus founded, Innov Gnawa, was listed as one of the top ten bands in Brooklyn, NY.

While emulating the pure Gnawa masters, Samir also takes inspiration from fusion such as that played by Jil Jilala, “the first band to do it.” He would like to improvise with Berber, Indian, Saharan, and even Flamenco music. He says he tries to play a mix that keeps the Gnawa tradition. He recently released his first fusion album called “Mimouna.” It is a mix of traditional songs and fusion with Jewish Moroccan music, including songs about Sidi Moussa (Moses).

Samir wants to “take Gnawa music to the next level and bring it the respect it deserves.” Gnawa music is “the mother, the real thing, the foundation,” he says. “When you hear it, you fall in love with it.”  What makes his music exciting is a fusion of a centuries old North African tradition with the pulse and attitude of New York City.

I asked Samir about his name, LanGus. He said that LanGus comes from the word “lobster” in French (langouste). He said that most Gnawa musicians have a name related to a fish. He explained that this naming tradition reflects their love of the sea and of nature. He chose LanGus because it represents his position in society and his culture. He said choosing a fancy name would have been like wearing a djellaba with fancy shoes: “they don’t go together.”

Although he himself is modest, Samir dreams big. He dreams of having a significant Gnawa festival in the U.S., both to showcase bands that are already in the U.S. —  Gnawa as well as jazz, rock, and blues bands — and to bring over musicians from Morocco for a giant collaboration that would draw on traditional music from the older generations and bring in new elements from the younger generation.

In the meantime, he believes in giving newer, up and coming musicians a helping hand, bringing them in, and encouraging them to play. “Being a successful musician is not just being good on stage. You need to be good with helping people too — helping someone who wants to learn or to know about the culture.” Quoting from Mahatma Ghandi, he says, “If you face violence with violence, you get violence.” He wants to teach people about his culture. “Gnawa means Morocco; Gnawa means Africa.”

Samir returns to Washington D.C. this weekend to play a free concert at the Kennedy Centre at 6pm on Sunday, February 20, 2015. There will be an after-party performance at Bossa in Adams Morgan. More information is available at https://www.facebook.com/events/389686881155737/.

© Morocco World News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten or redistributed without permission

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