Moroccan Singer Saïda Charaf Defends Festival Appearances Amid Peer Criticism

Charaf stated that her participation in these festivals is due to the good relationships she has with the organizers of these events. "Praise be to God, in 18 years, I have established artistic and official relationships and I have gained the trust of the public," she said.

The Moroccan artist added that her regular presence on these stages is the result of several years of effort during which she has worked to build a reputation and achieve success. "It’s not just about coming and building an audience, everyone has to question themselves. You can’t just lie down until the afternoon and then wake up and say you weren’t called," she indicated.

These statements by Saida Charaf follow the reactions of several Moroccan singers who have denounced their exclusion from festivals and artistic events organized during the summer. Some of them have called on the Minister of Culture, Mehdi Bensaid, to take measures to correct this injustice of which they claim to be victims.