Cheikha Rimitti

Saâdia Bedief was born in Tessala, Algeria, on May 8, 1923, into a family of peasant origin, and soon came into contact with rural songs and Bedouin raï. These early encounters with music fascinated the young Algerian, who took up singing in the 1940s and was one of the first women to perform, accompanied by gasba flute and guellal drum. Opting for the name Cheikha Rimitti, her songs made a lasting impression with their themes of love, women and freedom, which challenged hegemonic discourse. Initially censored by the Front de Libération Nationale, she scored her first major success with the song "Charrak Gatta" in 1954, in which Rimitti openly addresses the issue of virginity. Rimitti's songs, such as her covers of the popular songs "Oued Chouly" and "Ya Ouled El Djazair", resonated in many people's heads. In 1978, while her commitment to music was gaining ground in Algerian society, Cheikha Rimitti moved to Paris, where her music evolved. She performed in cafés and at the Bobigny Festival in 1986, all events that helped raï become more democratic. 1994 saw the release of her most successful album, Sidi Mansour, featuring contributions from Robert Fripp (King Crimson) and Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers). Internationally acclaimed, she has succeeded over the years in diversifying her music, and thus her audience. Awarded the Grand Prix du disque de l'Académie Charles-Cros in 2000, Cheikha Rimitti died on May 15, 2006, shortly after a concert at the Zénith in Paris. Her name is posthumously inscribed in the history of Algerian music.

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