Sofiane Saidi

Algerian Raï/World Music - Algeria

Raï is an algerian musical genre that originated in its traditional form in the early 20th century in the Oran region (Oran, Sidi-bel-Abbès and Aïn Témouchent). This music was modernised in the 1970s and achieved international success from the 1990s onwards, thanks to artists such as Cheb Khaled and Cheb Mami.

Means of conveying social reality without taboos or censorship, Raï tackles themes such as love, freedom, despair and social pressures. It draws inspiration from various sources: rock, oriental and rural music from Algeria.
In 2022, Raï was added to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity as a popular song genre of Algeria.
Sofiane Saidi, algerian singer and producer, is one of the contemporary icons of Raï music. The press nicknamed him the 'Prince of Raï 2.0.'

Never forgetting his oriental roots, Sofiane Saidi has managed to preserve the flavour of the tarab of Arabic music in his singing, a flavour that penetrates the soul like the rasa in Indian music. He explores since 30 years new bridges, from the electronic vibes to the funk and the sounds of the whole planet.