Souad Massi
Souad Massi ( Arabic سعاد ماسي, DMG Suʿād Māssī , Central Atlas Tamazight ⵙⵓⵄⴰⴷ ⵎⴰⵙⵉ Suɛad Masi ; * August 23, 1972 in Bab El-Oued , a district of Algiers ) is an Algerian singer, songwriter and guitarist whose ethno-rock music is characterized by a wide variety of sound influences.
biography
Souad Massi grew up in modest circumstances with her Kabyle parents. Although Souad Massi was interested in music from an early age, it was far from clear that she would actually make music later. On the one hand, the father - an engineer - disapproved of his daughter's ambitions, on the other hand, it is generally difficult to assert oneself as a musician in Algeria. That's why she wanted to be a boy as a child. At that time she had a preference for western films and, associated with that, for country and folk music . She later discovered her passion for many other musical styles such as rock , flamenco and Indian film music .
Souad Massi's older brother continued to support her musically, and with his help she was able to take guitar lessons. She also started writing poetry, and soon she combined the two things.
She gained her first stage experience at the age of 17 as a member of a flamenco group. She also studied urban planning at a university in Algiers and after graduating she worked in an architecture office. In 1997 she joined the hard rock band Atakor , in which her brother was also, and which was relatively successful in Algeria. At that time, however, the government tried to censor the music scene so that bands could hardly perform in public. Souad Massi felt constrained by it. When she was invited to the Femmes d'Algérie music festival in France in January 1999 , the audience immediately won over her and she decided to stay in France.
In the summer of 2001 she released her debut album Raoui ("The Storyteller"), which received a lot of attention in France and earned her a nomination for best newcomer at the BBC's World Music Awards . Deb ("Heartbroken") was their second album. Although she is well known in Europe and North America, her music is only gradually gaining more attention in North Africa and the Middle East .
Souad Massi's songs are mostly autobiographical and shaped by many different musical styles and influences, such as flamenco or American folk rock , but also typical Arabic sounds . She sings in Arabic, French, and now and then also in Kabyle .
| year | title |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 BE W
|
 CH
|
 FR
|
|||
| 2001 | Raoui | - | - |
FR62 (33 weeks) FR |
Wrass 061
|
| 2003 | Deb | - |
CH79 (4 weeks) CH |
FR20 (45 weeks) FR |
Wrass 096
|
| 2005 | Mesk elil | - | - |
FR56 (41 weeks) FR |
Wrass 170 / new version 2006
|
| 2007 | Live acoustique 2007 | - | - |
FR138 (2 weeks) FR |
Wrass 209, also as DVD: Wrass 211
|
| 2010 | Ô houria |
BE W90 (2 weeks) BE W |
- |
FR51 (10 weeks) FR |
|
| 2015 | El Mutakallimûn (Masters of the Word) | - | - |
FR115 (2 weeks) FR |
|
| 2019 | Oumniya | - | - |
FR196 (1 week) FR |
|
Film music
- Mauvaise foi by Roschdy Zem (France 2006)
Web links
- Portrait of the artist on the website of her record company
Individual evidence
- ↑ Chart sources: France - Switzerland - Belgium (Wallonia)
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Massi, Souad |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Algerian ethno rock singer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 23rd August 1972 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Bab El-Oued near Algiers |