Jazzablanca 2025 : Emel, a voice of art, activism, and humanity
Performing on Stage 21, Emel delivered a powerful and visually striking show, returning to the stage as a committed, contemporary diva. Draped in a Palestinian flag, she made a bold statement against the ongoing genocide in Gaza. Her performance reflected the same inclusive, emancipatory spirit that defines both her life philosophy and her creative work. Now based in the United States, the Tunisian singer, songwriter, and composer invited the Casablanca audience into an artistic universe rooted in deep humanism.
Surrounded by ethereal soundscapes, hip-hop rhythms, and indie-pop textures, Emel's musical journey unfolded into a memorable concert, charged with the raw generosity that defines her eclectic approach. As a mother, woman, and artist, she continues to explore freedom in all its forms, and MRA is the result of that evolution: a mature work shaped over three years, created with an all-female team of 30 women from 22 countries.
Showcasing Female Talent Beyond the Mainstream
MRA serves as a liberating manifesto, a call for reinvention and a refusal to fall into self-caricature. At its core, it's a stance against the limited roles often assigned to women in the music industry. Emel's approach champions the idea that women can, and must, take creative control beyond being muses or symbols. In the current context, this call for liberation resonates universally, especially in solidarity with Palestine, a message woven into her Jazzablanca performance.
Speaking with Yabiladi shortly before her show, Emel shared: «I find that as women musicians and artists, we don't do enough to support each other. We need to create opportunities and open doors for one another. That really hit me while working on this album».
She clarified that this isn't a rejection of men, but a push for balance and honesty: «I value all my collaborators. We're not against men, but there's an imbalance that needs correcting».
«It would be hypocritical to sell an image of freedom on stage if I were the only woman behind it. Early in my career, I used to be proud to be the only woman in my band. But that's the patriarchal world we live in. We grow up in it. If we're going to call ourselves thinkers, we have to live up to that title».
Emel wanted MRA to challenge clichés and preconceived notions, especially about women in technical or creative leadership roles: «We still get uncomfortable with the idea of a woman being a sound engineer, a producer, or the one behind the mixing desk. Through this album, I wanted to break that».
For her, elevating women doesn't mean excluding men, it's about creating space for more voices, and more kinds of collaboration.
Independent Music to Combat «Intellectual Impoverishment»
This deep artistic process naturally led Emel to embrace a wide range of musical styles and influences, a diversity she considers essential: «I've always been afraid of intellectual impoverishment. I'm not chasing complexity for its own sake, but I never want to create something trivial. That's not what I do, or ever wanted to do».
«I don't like repeating myself. As artists, and as human beings, we have a duty to push boundaries and offer new possibilities to music and to listeners».
Emel Mathlouthi clearly refuses to be boxed in. Convinced that freedom is never fully achieved, she uses all the facets of her identity to keep pushing the boundaries of her music.
With MRA, she brings that vision to life, uniting female artists from around the world in an independent, deeply intentional project. It's a testament to the idea that diversity, change, and artistic integrity are built not on slogans, but through action.
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Ya Biladi
08-07-2025
- Ya Biladi
Jazzablanca 2025 : Emel, a voice of art, activism, and humanity
Can one embrace transformation with intention and depth, while remaining true to oneself? For Emel Mathlouthi, the answer has always been yes, a truth she's carried since the days of her albums Helma, Kelmti Horra, and Ensenity. Through reflections on freedom, the condition of women, and both personal and collective struggles, the Tunisian artist has carved out a unique artistic path, one that defies convention. That journey now continues with MRA, her fourth album released in 2024, which she presented live for the first time in Morocco at the 18th edition of the Jazzablanca Festival (July 3–12, 2025). Performing on Stage 21, Emel delivered a powerful and visually striking show, returning to the stage as a committed, contemporary diva. Draped in a Palestinian flag, she made a bold statement against the ongoing genocide in Gaza. Her performance reflected the same inclusive, emancipatory spirit that defines both her life philosophy and her creative work. Now based in the United States, the Tunisian singer, songwriter, and composer invited the Casablanca audience into an artistic universe rooted in deep humanism. Surrounded by ethereal soundscapes, hip-hop rhythms, and indie-pop textures, Emel's musical journey unfolded into a memorable concert, charged with the raw generosity that defines her eclectic approach. As a mother, woman, and artist, she continues to explore freedom in all its forms, and MRA is the result of that evolution: a mature work shaped over three years, created with an all-female team of 30 women from 22 countries. Showcasing Female Talent Beyond the Mainstream MRA serves as a liberating manifesto, a call for reinvention and a refusal to fall into self-caricature. At its core, it's a stance against the limited roles often assigned to women in the music industry. Emel's approach champions the idea that women can, and must, take creative control beyond being muses or symbols. In the current context, this call for liberation resonates universally, especially in solidarity with Palestine, a message woven into her Jazzablanca performance. Speaking with Yabiladi shortly before her show, Emel shared: «I find that as women musicians and artists, we don't do enough to support each other. We need to create opportunities and open doors for one another. That really hit me while working on this album». She clarified that this isn't a rejection of men, but a push for balance and honesty: «I value all my collaborators. We're not against men, but there's an imbalance that needs correcting». «It would be hypocritical to sell an image of freedom on stage if I were the only woman behind it. Early in my career, I used to be proud to be the only woman in my band. But that's the patriarchal world we live in. We grow up in it. If we're going to call ourselves thinkers, we have to live up to that title». Emel wanted MRA to challenge clichés and preconceived notions, especially about women in technical or creative leadership roles: «We still get uncomfortable with the idea of a woman being a sound engineer, a producer, or the one behind the mixing desk. Through this album, I wanted to break that». For her, elevating women doesn't mean excluding men, it's about creating space for more voices, and more kinds of collaboration. Independent Music to Combat «Intellectual Impoverishment» This deep artistic process naturally led Emel to embrace a wide range of musical styles and influences, a diversity she considers essential: «I've always been afraid of intellectual impoverishment. I'm not chasing complexity for its own sake, but I never want to create something trivial. That's not what I do, or ever wanted to do». «I don't like repeating myself. As artists, and as human beings, we have a duty to push boundaries and offer new possibilities to music and to listeners». Emel Mathlouthi clearly refuses to be boxed in. Convinced that freedom is never fully achieved, she uses all the facets of her identity to keep pushing the boundaries of her music. With MRA, she brings that vision to life, uniting female artists from around the world in an independent, deeply intentional project. It's a testament to the idea that diversity, change, and artistic integrity are built not on slogans, but through action.
![Aïta mon amour at Jazzablanca 2025 : «Moroccans are great partygoers!» [Interview]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.yabiladi.com%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2Fyabiladi.a3117c0f10d74f8847e32f9296b2bf0520250707155855.webp&w=3840&q=100)
Ya Biladi
07-07-2025
- Ya Biladi
Aïta mon amour at Jazzablanca 2025 : «Moroccans are great partygoers!» [Interview]
A jazz festival open to a wide range of musical styles, Jazzablanca made a fitting choice by including «Aïta mon amour» in the lineup of its 18th edition, held from July 3 to 12, 2025. The duo behind the project, versatile artists Widad Mjama and Khalil EPI, refuse to recognize boundaries in music. By paying tribute to the ancestral heritage of aïta, they have crafted impressive contemporary compositions rooted in this unique Moroccan art form, now featured on their album Abda. «Aïta mon amour» offers a sonically rich experience, blending electro with centuries-old traditional sounds in perfect harmony. This fascinating fusion not only evokes emotion and poetic nostalgia, but also gets audiences moving, body and soul. Once a pioneering figure in Moroccan rap, Widad Mjama teams up here with Tunisian musician and producer Khalil EPI in an eclectic and successful partnership, which she discussed with Yabiladi. In 2022, you told our editorial team that the project closest to your heart was called Aïta mon amour. How have things been since? We've tried to nurture this project with care and commitment, something you truly have to believe in. Today, we see the enthusiasm it's generating, both in Morocco and abroad. That response reassures us about the artistic direction we chose. It's incredibly rewarding because, in the end, the work always pays off, as long as you keep going. You've played several shows in Morocco and internationally since then. But your first real tour promoting Abda happened last June. What kind of feedback have you received from Moroccan audiences? The response has been overwhelmingly positive, especially since we performed in cities that are often left out of the usual concert circuits. Each time, we were pleasantly surprised to find that we already had an audience there, people who knew us. One thing that truly fascinated me was discovering just how much Moroccans love to celebrate. Everyone loves aïta! This tour, organized with the French Institute of Morocco, was amazing, whether in Tangier, Tetouan, Fez, Meknes, El Jadida, Kenitra, Agadir, or Essaouira. We had a warm audience in each of those cities, and it makes us want to return, to meet new fans in other regions and share our music in places we don't often get to visit. Some believe aïta should be preserved in its original form, untouched by modern influences. Is that the best way to safeguard this largely oral cultural heritage in Morocco? There's absolutely nothing wrong with preserving traditional heritage and presenting it as it is. But I don't see a problem with evolving aïta either, especially since those who perform it traditionally are still the majority. These artists know the rules and codes. They reproduce and pass them on. Orality has kept this transmission alive, even though it naturally introduces change over time. Across the centuries, some things remain while others fade. Aïta has survived precisely because it has evolved. Change ensures continuity. In the context of the Aïta mon amour project, I've met with chioukh and connoisseurs of this popular art form. We've learned a lot from them. And here's something I want to emphasize: when I first started exploring this music, I focused on the chikhates, but I also met musicians, generous and open-minded, who shared their knowledge with us. They come from the aïta tradition, but they embraced our creative vision with great openness. You were the first female rapper to perform on stage in Morocco. Today, you're a pioneer in the electro-aïta genre. Have you always aimed to be on the cutting edge, or did this project emerge from a more organic journey? I think it would be a bit pretentious to say I've always wanted to be at the forefront. That's not the case at all. I don't think anyone wakes up one day thinking, «I want to be the first to do this». In my view, no one is ever truly the first to do anything. A good friend of mine who runs a theater company often says, «We didn't invent anything, let's stop pretending otherwise». In other words, I experience Aïta mon amour more as a personal and artistic journey. It probably also has something to do with a certain maturity, which ties together all the themes we've touched on. In many ways, this project feels like a full-circle moment. Back in high school, I was already singing popular aïta songs. And now, here I am, on stage, mic in hand, performing them live. Like jazz, both rap and aïta are musical forms deeply rooted in protest, artistic expressions that speak out against injustice and celebrate freedom. They began as raw, cathartic cries from within. Do you relate to that tradition, especially as a woman in a male-dominated artistic scene? Absolutely. Misogyny and underrepresentation are still widespread across all genres. People tend to think this issue is specific to certain cultures, but it's the same in Europe and the West. We're still surprised when we arrive somewhere and find female sound engineers, whether in the artistic or production side of things. I also believe there's a built-in protest element in everything we do right now that carries political weight. Aïta is a form of music that was historically carried by women to denounce local injustices and to resist French colonization during the Protectorate. Even when the lyrics speak of love, they remind us that love itself is a political act—loving who we want, when we want. Are these themes reflected in your album Abda? Definitely, they're already present in aïta itself, which celebrates love. We often forget that most of this repertoire's lyrics were written from a female perspective, even if the authors remain unknown. Aïta speaks of love, of absence, of grief, it also speaks of war. It's a mirror of the society we live in. Many of these old lyrics still carry contemporary meaning. They resonate with us because, unfortunately, so many things haven't changed—starting with injustice. During your European tour, you performed at the foot of a church, and even inside a deconsecrated one. Was that a special experience for you? It absolutely was, especially in the early stages of this project. If I remember correctly, it was our third show, and we were performing in a deconsecrated church in France. It was incredibly powerful to bring aïta into a space like that, during one of our creative residencies. We were two North African artists stepping into that space to perform. It meant a lot to me in terms of reclaiming space, especially given the legacy of Western domination in our countries. These power dynamics still linger, and we have to reckon with that. So yes, for me, performing aïta in a deconsecrated French church was a deeply symbolic and powerful act. On a more personal note, is aïta a way for you to pay tribute to your ancestors? Absolutely. It's a homage to my rural roots. My brother, sister, and I are part of the first generation born in the city—Casablanca. But the countryside has never been far from us. Here at Jazzablanca, a jazz festival, you're clearly open to musical diversity, easily moving between global and local styles. Could you see yourself exploring jazz in the future? Why not? I think we can try anything. I truly believe that music has no borders. I'm already an avid listener and consumer of many different genres.
Morocco World
27-06-2025
- Morocco World
Moroccan TV Host and Actress Kaoutar Boudarraja Dies at 40 After Battle With Illness
Rabat – Moroccan media and entertainment circles are mourning the loss of Kaoutar Boudarraja, a well-known TV host and actress, who passed away on Friday morning, reportedly after a long and difficult fight with cancer. She was just 40 years old. Born in 1985, Boudarraja became a well-known figure in Moroccan media, recognized for her strong presence both on television and in acting roles. Her passing has deeply affected many of her fans and colleagues in the artistic and media community. In recent weeks, rumors had spread on social media claiming that she had passed away. However, people close to her denied those reports at the time, saying she was seriously ill but still fighting. Sadly, the news has now been confirmed, and she has passed away after her health worsened. Boudarraja began her media career on the show Star Academy Maghreb and gained fame through various programs on Tunisian channel Nessma TV, such as Nass Nessma and Mamnou3 3ala al-Rijal. She later joined Morocco's Medi 1 TV, where she hosted the popular show Jari Ya Jari, and also took part in Mouzii3 al-Arab (Arab Presenter), which aired on Abu Dhabi TV and Egypt's Al-Hayat channel. Her talents were not limited to television hosting. Boudarraja also appeared in several Moroccan drama series, including Al Madi La Yamout, Sewlou Doumou3i, Ahlam Banat, and Salamat Abou Al Banat. She recently took part in the 2025 Moroccan sci-fi film. Following the news of her death, numerous actors, TV personalities, and influencers took to social media to mourn her loss and express their condolences to her family.
