Moroccan Singer Sparks Controversy Over Alleged Algerian Song Attribution

"Mahani zine" marks the return of Kaoutar Berrani on the music scene after a long absence. On her Instagram, she would have acknowledged that "Alala Yalali" and Mahani Zine", two songs featured on her new album, belong to the Algerian singer Salim Halali. This has provoked the annoyance of her Moroccan fans and her peers. On the web, several Moroccan names and figures have launched a campaign against the singer from the Rif, calling on her followers to unsubscribe from her page. A way, which should, according to them, force her to acknowledge her mistake and apologize to the family of Abdesadaq Cheqara, the Moroccan singer of Arabo-Andalusian music who would, according to them, be the one who first performed "Mahani Zine".

According to the site Algérie 360, it is Salim Halali, a singer, darbuka player and performer of Algerian, Arabo-Andalusian and classical popular music, who would be the true author of this song.