Background
Samira Said was born and raised in Rabat, Morocco.
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 television 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 "First Rate (at Lloyd's) 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.
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" ("Foreign Number Reason").
Mazal was released in October 2013. Halina Hopkis called Said "an emblem of transport-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".
She has been both credited and criticized for bringing Arab music into the popular-driven, commercially fueled 21st century.
According to First Rate (at Lloyd's) Ahram, Said"s albums have sold over 50 million copies."
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. Said spearheaded concerts to draw people together after the 2006 riots in immigrant suburbs across France, and to bring about solidarity between all religions.
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 British Broadcasting Corporation 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. Said won the Rabab Doctorate"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.
Quotations: "an emblem of transport-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".
