Souad Massi

Born on August 23, 1972 in Algiers, Souad Massi grew up discovering Algerian chaâbi, then rock, folk, pop and fado. Fascinated by music from an early age, she chose to learn guitar and music theory. In 1989, Souad Massi took her first steps on stage with the flamenco group Les Trianas d'Alger. However, the difficult living conditions in Algeria in the 1990s made it difficult for the singer to pursue an artistic career. After studying urban planning, she left Algiers and worked in architecture before joining the group Atakor, with whom she achieved significant success. This success convinced her to devote herself entirely to music. She performed at the Cabaret Sauvage in Paris in 1999 and recorded her first album, Raoui, in 2001. Acknowledged by critics for her blend of folk and chaâbi music, Souad Massi reached the airwaves of Radio France and embarked on an extensive tour. The singer went on to gain further experience, presenting her second album Deb in 2003. The success of her productions established her on the French music scene, and led to duets with Marc Lavoine, Florent Pagny and Francis Cabrel. Her talent, already recognized internationally on stage, was then recognized institutionally in 2017 when Souad Massi was elevated to the rank of Officier des Arts et des Lettres. With titles such as "Ghir Enta" (2003) and "Dessine-Moi Un Pays", released in 2022 on her tenth album Sequana, Souad Massi has established herself as a major voice of the Algerian diaspora in France.