Since her performance at WOMEX in 2001 in Rotterdam, Souad Massi has become a well-known name among lovers of world music. In her native Algeria, Souad Massi performed with a flamenco band for years and then with a hard rock band. Traditional music did not interest her at the time. In 1999 she moved to Paris in order to take advantage of the greater freedom of expression. Although Massi is not really
… politically active, she likes to speak freely about the problems in Algeria and as a modern Muslim woman she wants to make a positive contribution to the image of this country. The album (2003) was full of melancholic songs, because Massi was homesick for her homeland. The CD was a great success. Like Deb, her third album Mesk Elil contains a mixture of Arabic music with Western pop, flamenco and African music. Calm ballads on sultry rhythms (Malou) alternate with rhythmic uplifting songs (Ilham) and duets (with among others ). A wonderful album. (CP)more
