Joudia Belkabir discusses upcoming album

21/07/2008

Young Moroccan singer Joudia Belkabir, famous for her appearance on Studio 2M, speaks with Magharebia about her career and future plans.

By Hassan Benmehdi for Magharebia in Casablanca – 21/07/08

[Hassan Benmehdi] Moroccan singer Joudia Belbakir tells Magharebia she is back in the studio, recording her next album.

Singer Joudia Belkabir of Marrakesh became famous for her successful turn on the opening season of Morocco's Studio 2M singing competition. After a break to study and refine her musical goals, Belkabir is busy in the studio working on an upcoming album. She took time out recently to speak with Magharebia about her progress.

Magharebia: Did you have problems with your family when you told them you wanted to get into singing?

Joudia Belkabir: After I got my baccalaureate I wanted to go to a singing school. But since it's an uncertain career, I hesitated too much at first, so I didn't have the courage to tell my parents that I wanted to go and learn to sing. But after a couple of years I finally made my decision and returned to Morocco, telling my parents that I planned to finish my studies to leave for Paris and go to a singing school. At the time my parents told me that I shouldn't rush into anything and that I should take my time to think about what I really wanted to do in the future.

Magharebia: I believe your return to Morocco came just as the programme Studio 2M was first broadcast, didn’t it?

Belkabir: Yes, my parents encouraged me to take part in Studio 2M which was being broadcast for the first time in 2004.

Magharebia: What was that experience like?

Belkabir: I think that proving my singing ambitions to myself and my parents was a huge challenge for me, so Studio 2M gave me an opportunity to express myself and face that challenge. The programme also gave me a chance to come face-to-face with the Moroccan public for the first time.

Magharebia: And what happened after Studio 2M?

Belkabir: I must say that, in reality, it was a bit tough. Last year I had a bit of a break and stayed off the stage for a while to think about where I was going and work out what my goals were. During that period I got a lot of offers, but I knew that if I was just going to focus on money, my artistic career might fail. Right from the beginning I knew I didn't want to be a one-hit wonder. It is in fact quality, message and the noble mission of art which interest me the most. That's why I really take my time to think about what I want to do in terms of my musical style. In any case, my career in singing has barely lasted four years. That's really nothing at all for an artist.

Magharebia: Do Moroccan audiences like it when you sing Moroccan songs?

Belkabir: I've been thinking about doing a Moroccan song for four years now. The public has followed what I do and every time I come up with a new song, the issue of whether to sing in Arabic arises. So I've wanted to sing a Moroccan song, but I wasn't really sure how to go about it. Sometimes you’re lucky enough to meet people who have ideas about which direction you can go in and encourage you to take that first step. It was hard for me to choose a direction, but I had to find my own way of doing things.

Someone suggested that I sing a Moroccan song during the recent Mawazine festival in Rabat. I approached Nabil Khaldi for help. We worked very hard together and changed things around a lot before arriving at the final version. And, thank God, the result was encouraging. I’ve got a surprise lined up for the Moroccan public, and Marrakechis in particular, because very soon I’m going to release a new version of the famous Marrakechi folk song "Ach Dak Temchi Lazine Wanta Rajel Meskin".

Magharebia: Was it a privilege to work with Nabil Khaldi?

Belkabir: Absolutely. Nabil is a competent and professional musician and composer. He listens to artists, he's a great communicator and it's always a real pleasure to work with him and his team. Nabil is a professional artist who was there to train, coach and encourage me. For a young artist it's a privilege to work with him, and for me it was an enriching experience that taught me a lot.

Magharebia: What plans do you have for the future?

Belkabir: At the moment I’m focusing on making my new album. I'm spending a lot of time on it, working track by track. I haven't chosen the name of the yet because it's still in the early stages. I’m hoping it'll be finished before Ramadan.

Magharebia: What messages do your songs convey to young Moroccans?

Belkabir: My latest song, called "Al Youm", deals with time and the fact that young Moroccans are losing their hope. In this song I try to show the value of every minute and every second of our lives. My message is that life is very short and we have to make the most of every moment we get. There's also the issue of the emigration of young Moroccans. I hope our young people will believe in their own potential and stay here to work in their own country and for their own country. Love is another theme I deal with in my songs because it's at the root of universal human values, especially respect for others, tolerance and cultural diversity.

Magharebia: Have you got any concerts planned for this summer?

Belkabir: For the moment I'm holed up in the studio. I'm dedicating all of my time to the new album!