Haja El Hamdaouia Pioneered in Moroccan Aita Music
Haja El Hamdaouia was an icon of Moroccan Aita and “Chaabi” music. Her legacy and the way she pioneered a new take on Moroccan Chaabi music has inspired many musicians, and Google featured her in a Doodle in October 2022.
Born in Casablanca in 1930, she started singing from a young age. From the 1950s, she had a growing interest in El Aita al Marsaouiya sub-genre of Chaabi music. “El Aita” translates to “the call” or “the cry” and involves singing for a particular cause. The music is characterized by “poetic lyrics and blues-like melodies”.
Images: 1) Dialna 2) TV5 Monde
El Hamdaouia was particularly known for pushing the boundaries of what Chaabi and El Aita music could sound like. From 1959, she began singing with a makeshift orchestra (consisting of a saxophone, organ, guitar, drums and violin) at various cabaret venues around Casablanca.
Via SRNT News
Some of her most famous songs include “Daba Yiji”, “Piti Majiti” and “Hna Mada Bina”. She performed with other iconic musicians such as Cheb Khaled and Hamid Bouchnak.
Images all via VH Magazine
El Hamdaouia died in 2021 at the age of 91.
If anyone can share more about her life and music, we’d love to add more information to this article. Comment below!