Their names are Frizzy, Ouidad, Nayra, to name just a few… What do they have in common? They represent the new generation of female artists who bring a breath of fresh air to the Moroccan musical landscape.
From rap to pop, including electro Music and even gnaouie, more and more women are taking center stage, drawing on their Moroccan musical heritage to create their own creations. But can we still speak of a “new scene” as was the case for the “Nayda movement” that appeared in the 2000s? Maria Daïf, cultural actress does not seem to be of this opinion. “I don’t know if we can really talk about a new scene, in the sense that I don’t see a phenomenon like in the years 2000-2010. Today, there is no new Moroccan female scene but there are indeed Moroccan female artists who are emerging.. I have also observed, for 10-15 years, a real desire to draw on Moroccan musical heritage…”
Same story with another influential cultural actor who prefers to remain anonymous. “What these young artists also have in common is their audacity. They take over genres that were until then dominated by male figures. This development reflects a rapidly changing Moroccan society, where women are increasingly claiming their place.”
Eclecticism and commitment
The Moroccan music scene is booming, it is emancipating itself and gaining ground. The artists of this new generation do not just produce music; they also carry strong messages. Through their songs, they address social and political themes such as gender equality, women’s rights, and freedom of expression. Their music then becomes a tool for advocacy and awareness-raising, which finds a particular resonance in a Moroccan society in search of change.
At the same time, their success is also based on mastery of new technologies and social networks. These platforms allow them to bypass traditional music distribution circuits, which are often more conservative, and to reach a wider audience, beyond Moroccan borders. By appropriating these modern tools, they participate in the internationalization of the Moroccan music scene, thus contributing to making it shine on a global scale.
Among the artists who mark this new generation, there are “Frizzy, young rapper who established herself by broadcasting freestyles on social networks”, explains our specialist. Last year, Frizzy was called to be part of the campaign “Bghatha lwa9t”. Supported by UN Women, the campaign aimed to raise awareness of the need to reform the Family Code and the Penal Code. This campaign is also available through a rap song written and performed by Frizzy. A song driven by a poignant text that quickly became viral. Alongside him, we can also cite Nayra, a Moroccan-Egyptian rapper, author and composer. With Amazigh tattoos on her face, she loudly claims her origins. Ouidad is also one of those young artists who are on the rise. “She set up this wonderful project “Aïta mon Amour”lists Maria Daïf before remembering: “I also want to mention Hind Ennaira and Asma Hamzaoui who are in the Gnaoui register. They are proof that there are padlocks that are broken, and borders that are crossed.”
We cannot address the question of the new generation of female artists without mentioning the emergence of Moroccan female rappers in recent years. Among them, “Khtek, a pioneer in the world of rap who is recognized on the scene as an established rapper”underlines the cultural actress.
Among DJs, women are not left out. More and more, women are taking over the decks and doing it brilliantly. This is the case of Kawtar Sadik, who has established himself as an essential figure in electro fusion music. Her powerful voice and her compositions make her one of the most popular DJs of the moment. From Rym Fikri to Soukaina Fahsi, Manal and Jaylann to name but a few, all these artists stand out for their strength and authenticity which resonate with Moroccan youth. “These artists have a claim to dual belonging to their territory, to their land and to their culture of origin which is Morocco. They also have a universal belonging to have an influence at home but also internationally. supports Maria Daïf.
Challenges to overcome
However, this meteoric rise is not without obstacles. Women artists in Morocco continue to face considerable challenges, whether social, cultural or institutional. The weight of traditions, the lack of support from production structures, as well as gender stereotypes persist, sometimes making their journey strewn with pitfalls. “In the world we live in, all areas combined, women are warriors”intones Maria Daïf. “Women suffer what I call the double punishment, that of the exercise of being an artist in the sense that we are in a country which struggles to develop a real musical industry and production… In Morocco, we do not have system that allows the emergence of a scene. We have people who are fighting to be able to be there and to be visible”affirms the cultural actress before adding: “There is also the fact of being a woman artist and having to manage the view of society which still looks negatively at women who assert themselves and give voice”. She continues: “The other obstacle is this kind of masculine diktat which means that we think of men first before thinking of women. The programming is essentially male”deplores Maria Daïf. However, Moroccan society is evolving and women now have their place in all sectors, including music.
“There are not many of them but they are there, we see them, we hear them”tempers the former director of Uzine. “There are festivals like L’Boulevard, Gnaoua, Timitar, Jazzablanca, Moga and others which work towards parity so that these women can be visible”underlines our cultural actor. “Other levers which allow these young artists to have visibility are social networks, streaming platforms and tele-hook-ups”, he continues. It is clear that the future of Moroccan music now seems inextricably linked to these female voices. They embody the evolution of a society in transition, where modernity intertwines with traditions, where social demands find artistic resonance. Their growing success suggests a future where parity and diversity will be at the heart of the Moroccan music scene.
