Sofiane Saidi and his musical accompaniment Mazalda recently brought the sound of Algerian rai, American soul, and European electro-house to the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. His unique sonic mix encompasses a philosophy of the global stage. They fuse elements of diverse genres into a quasi-psychedelic spin on traditional Maghrebi beats and vocals.
Neo Rai Music Combines Tradition with Modernity
Saidi’s style of choice is a personal take on rai. A type of Algerian folk music that often tackles social issues, rai blends traditional Algerian instruments and motifs with Western ones. The name of the genre comes from the Arabic word for “opinion” or “advice,” as singers traditionally insert or repeat pieces of advice in their songs as they improvised extra choruses.
“Rai is about liberty and self-expression, to sing about what is going on in the world is another way of engaging,” Saidi explains. He adds his own twist to this established genre, incorporating sounds like big band and funk.
For his latest tour, Saidi has teamed up with France-based Mazalda group to form what they describe as a combination of “an electro-Maghreb vision” and “oriental science and cotemporary urgency” converging in an “epicenter of all Rai music.”
Global Influences on Sofiane Saidi
Saidi has been singing since 15 years old. First, he got his start in the legendary clubs of Oran, the birthplace of Rai in western Algeria on the Mediterranean coast. Then, at the age of 17, he fled Algeria due to political instability and dropped performing for two years. He then picked up music again in France and began to develop his own signature style.
Saidi has had several notable collaborations, including:
La Hafla (Get-Together/Party/Ceremony) – Acid Arab feat. Sofiane Saidi:
El Mordjane – Sofiane Saidi & Tim Whelan
Saidi currently tours with Mazalda. They describe themselves as “a group which can travel the world and in time to bring the treasures of groove and trip to Algerian music.” For example, in El Ndjoum, traditional Algerian vocal techniques blend with saxophones, a North African drum beat, and the occasional synth to create an almost hypnotic club sound:
Sofiane Saidi and Mazalda: Making Global Music Truly Global
Although Saidi and Mazalda mostly tour in Algeria and France, their global style has found appeal around the world.
The band earned rave reviews for their performances in Washington and New York City. Maria Barrios of The Washington Post writes that “whether the listener is at an after-party in Europe or a pop festival in the United States, Sofiane Saidi and Mazalda achieve no smaller fear: to make us feel like citizens of a boundless, more compassionate world.”
Saidi’s entire performance at the Kennedy Center can be found here, on the Kennedy Center’s website. For more information on the current tour, check out Saidi’s website and Facebook.
