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Artist: Souad Massi
Category: Newcomer
Souad Massi is a new name on the world music scene but she looks set to make a major impact. Born and raised in Algeria, Massi first came to prominence in Algeria as the leader of the hard rock band Atakor. Atakor were very popular in Algeria, touring regularly, their videos being shown on TV and their 1997 cassette breaking sales records. Yet Souad was not satisfied simply with being an entertainer - she spoke out on social issues, wrote songs about Algerian society and at every concert would invite someone from the audience up on stage to have a twenty-minute talk.
Things began to get difficult for Souad. The authorities made it clear they were unhappy with her outspoken manner. Fundamentalist Islamic groups also resented her for promoting the image of young Algerian women as independent and free thinking. Souad lost her job in town planning. She considered giving up singing. Then she was offered to join in the 'Femmes d'Algerie/Women from Algeria' concert in Paris in 1999. So successful was the concert - and especially Souad's performance - that she was offered a contract by Island Records.
The resulting album Raoui has been a critical and commercial success in France. On it Souad keeps things quite, preferring to tell her stories of love and combat with an acoustic guitar. Indeed, she has already been compared to Joan Baez and Tracy Chapman. Souad has got out on the road and toured, supporting Orchestre National de Barbes, Thierry Titi Robin, Geoffrey Oreyma and Idir.
Souad now lives in Paris yet her concerns remain those of Algeria. Her songs continue to rally against the hypocrisy and violence that both the government and the Islamic fundamentalist terrorists practise against the people of Algeria.
'To remain silent would mean that the terrorists have won and that all the intellectuals they murdered died for nothing,' says Souad firmly.
Biography by Garth Cartwright, November 2001
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Her album is released in the UK on 3 December 2001 by Wrasse Records.
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