Moroccan Singer Latifa Raafat Reveals Late King Hassan II’s Musical Influence on Her Career

Latifa Raafat told Al3omk that the late Hassan II advised her to focus on Moroccan song when she tried to interpret Oriental songs. According to her, the late king also asked her to take up the old works he liked to listen to. The singer claims to have tried to follow the advice of the late Hassan since the beginning of her artistic career, choosing to pursue her career in Morocco, unlike some colleagues who settle abroad. Unlike some singers, she claims not to have suffered from the issue of preference given to foreign artists during artistic events, whether materially or morally. She says she has benefited from the assistance in managing her affairs with the treatment she deserves, whether in Morocco or abroad.

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When questioned about wearing the veil and her withdrawal from the music scene, Latifa Raafat believes that the veil is not reserved for artists and that women who decide to wear it benefit from God’s favor. The idea of her withdrawal from the music scene is conceivable at some point, "but if my passion for singing persists, I don’t think I will be a burden to the public," she says.

Regarding the delay in the release of her musical works, Raafat explained that her working method differs from that of young artists. She says she has been in the habit since her debut of releasing a musical work per year, while these young artists prefer to release a musical work every 3 or 4 months, which she finds difficult to do. She also justified her absence from the music scene in recent years by the Covid-19 pandemic, her pregnancy, and the birth of her only daughter, Elmass, in 2019, in addition to the lack of festivals.