Ragheb Alama reveals his love for Morocco, and especially its cuisine

"Since the time of the late King Hassan II, Morocco has always supported art and artists," said Ragheb Alama on Tuesday during a press conference as part of his participation in the 20th edition of the Mawazine-Rythmes du Monde Festival, noting that King Mohammed VI continues this tradition. "Artists have always found a safe and benevolent refuge in Morocco," he added. The Lebanese singer does not hide his admiration for Moroccan culture and cuisine. "As soon as I arrived at the hotel, I was asked what I wanted to eat. I said Harira soup, tagine and Moroccan tea," he said with a smile. "That’s how I spend my time here."

Speaking about Moroccan artists, Alama expressed his admiration for the iconic artist and composer Abdelwahab Doukkali. He also expressed his support for the Moroccan singer Saad Lamjarred, who was sentenced in 2023 to six years in prison for rape and aggravated assault on a French woman. For the Lebanese singer, this case is a "conspiracy" or even "blackmail." "Saad is very dear to me, like a brother. I always tell him, in private and in public, that I am by his side," he said. "He is a great artistic force and he should focus on his music instead of being distracted by these problems."

The two singers have a joint artistic project: a duet blending Moroccan Arabic with a "white dialect" (a term referring to a neutral or simplified form of Arabic) - mixing Moroccan, Egyptian and Lebanese. "We hope to move forward with this project and present it to our large Arab audience. Inshallah, it will happen," added Alama.