Samira Said

Samira Said سميرة سعيد
File:Samira Said performing appears on August 1, 2010 in her Carthage show..jpg Said at the International Carthage Festival Concert, Tunisia, 1 August 2010
Background information
Birth name	Samira Bensaïd
Also known as	Samira Said
Origin	Morocco
Genres	Arabic music, pop
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter, record producer, actress, entrepreneur
Years active	1975–present
Labels	Mazzika Alam El Phan Rotana Records
Website	SamiraSaid.net

Samira Said (Arabic: سميرة سعيد‎‎, Samira Bensaïd) is a Moroccan Arabic pop singer.

Career

In 2011, The Beirut International Awards Festivals (BIAF) honored Samira Said

Samira Said was born and raised in Rabat, Morocco. She began singing at the age of nine, and was discovered on the music program, Mawaheb, broadcast on Royal Moroccan TV. She has recorded many Moroccan songs, such as: "Kifash Tlakina" ("How we Met"), "Fayetli sheftek shi marra" ("I've seen you once"), "Sarkouh" ("They Stole Him"), and "Al Behhara" ("Mariners"). Her singles included "Maghlouba" ("Beaten") and "Wa'ady" ("My Love"). In 1980 she represented Morocco in the Eurovision Song Contest 1980 singing Bitaqat Hub, placing 18th out of the 19 contestants. age 54

Said has recorded "Ben Leef" ("The Circle of Life"), "Sayidati Sadati" (Ladies and Gentlemen"), "Malich Enwan" ("Ready When You Are") and "Akher Hawa" ("Last Love"). She worked with composer Mohamed El Mougi, sang and acted in the film Saaktob Ismak Ala Arrimal ("I Will Write Your Name in the Sand"), which included her singing "Yadamiiti Haddi" ("Tears, Fall from My Eyes"). Other recordings include "Lilet El Ouns" ("Magnificent Get-Together"), "Ech Gab Li Gab" ("A Cut about the Rest"), "Amrak Aajib" ("I Don't Get You"), and "Menghir Sabab" ("For No Reason").

In 2000, she released "Lilah Habeebee", ("One Night, My Love"), the album title track, which went on to win for best video in the Arab world in 2001 at the Cairo Arabic Music Festival. At the 15th annual World Music Awards in 2003, Said won a World Music Award based on worldwide sales figures for that year. Said won the BBC award for world music for the best artist in the Middle East with her album Youm Wara Youm. Said has won more than 40 awards.

Mazal was released in October 2013.

Reception

Halina Hopkis called Said "an emblem of trans-nationality in her moves between Morocco and Egypt as well the different awards and shows she has received and participated in as a representative of the Arabic music community".

Said won the Rabab D'or prize at the Tétouan's Voix des Femmes Festival in 2008. She was the winner of the Murex d'Or Award in 2009.

At the 2009 Timitar Festival in Agadir, Said performed for a crowd of 100,000 In 2011, the Beirut International Award Festival (BIAF) honored a number of Arab and international singers including Said. She has been both credited and criticized for bringing Arab music into the pop-driven, commercially fueled 21st century.

According to Al Ahram, Said's albums have sold over 50 million copies."

Musical style

Samira Said performing on the Star Academy Arab World TV Show; Beirut, Lebanon; 8 July 2011

Hopkins said "One reason Said’s music is so popular is because of the tonal beauty of her voice against the background instrumentation. The centrality of her voice represents her personal influence in her work.

Philanthropy and humanitarian work

Said spearheaded concerts to draw people together after the 2006 riots in immigrant suburbs across France, and to bring about solidarity between all religions.

Discography

• El hob elli ana a'aycheh (1975)
• Bitaqat Hub (1977)
• Ben Lif (1979)
• Hikaya (1981)
• Allemnah el Hob (1982)
• Ketr al Kalam (1983)
• Methaya'li (1984)
• Lilet el Ouns (1984)
• Ya Damaiti Haddi (1984)
• Ehki ya Shehrazade (1985)
• Youm akablak Fih (1985)
• Ech gab li gab (1985)
• Amrak ajib en (1986)
• Ana walla anta (1989)
• Moch hatnazel a'anak (1986)
• Sibak (1986)
• Ya ebn al halel (1987)
• Ghariba (1988)
• Sibni louahdi (1988)
• Ensani (1989)
• Ba'adin neta'ateb (1990)
• Choft el amar (1991)
• Hannitlak (1992)
• Khayfa (1992)
• a'ach'a (1993)
• Enta habibi (1995)
• Kolli de echa3at (1996)
• A'al bal (1998)
• Rouhi (1999)
• Laila habibi (2001)
• Youm Wara Youm (2002).
• Har Taraf (duet with Shaan from India)
• Awweeni Beek (2004)
• Ayaam Hayati (2008)
• Be winner ft. Fnaïre (2010)
• Khallouh (2010)
• Mazal (2013)

• Ayza Aeesh (2015) "Album"

Further reading

• Women of Fes: Ambiguities of Urban Life in Morocco, by Rachel Newcomb, University of Pennsylvania Press, 2009 - 236 pages. ISBN 0-8122-4124-X, 9780812241242. (English)
• Iraqi Maqam voices of women: an analytical study of the critical technical experience of Iraqi women in singing Almqami, by Hussein Azami, by Hussein Azami, AIRP, 2005 - 316 pages. ISBN 9953-36-677-2, ISBN 978-9953-36-677-7. (Arabic)
• Songs and stories, by Karīm Irāqī, by Karīm Irāqī, Company Whites of Arts and Letters, Volume 1 de Aghānī wa-ḥikāyātuhā, Karīm ʻIrāqī - . (Arabic)

External links

• Official website
• BBC.co.uk; Samira Said: Youm Wara Youm; review by Garth Cartwright; 16 November 2007; BBC

|}