Anouar Boublenza, known as Cheb Anouar, was born in Oran, Algeria, on October 26, 1974. Attracted to music at an early age, he was spotted by singers and producers Rachid and Fethi, who were among the precursors of modern music in Algeria and, above all, among the most popular artists of the 1970s and 1980s. Rachid and Fethi ran the Rallye label in Tlemcen, in the north-west of the country, and immediately offered a contract to the very young Cheb Anouar, only 11 years old at the time. Cheb Anouar launched his raï career with songs such as "Nekri Berrah", which was an instant hit and made him a star in Algeria, and "Lala laâroussa" , followed by "Bi'r Zem Zem" in the 1990s. His best-known albums include Laâroussa in 1986, Mes Condoléances in 2003, and El-Walida in 2011.
