Icon of modern Moroccan song
Mohamed Nait Youssef
A bird was hiding in her voice. Naïma Samih, one of the icons of Moroccan and Arab song, passed away on the night from Friday to Saturday, after a long battle with illness. She was 72 years old. She left behind a prolific, singular, and immortal musical body of work.
An eternal voice…
Her unique and unforgettable voice marked generations of music lovers and fans of Moroccan and Arab song. Her iconic tracks and masterpieces such as "Yak a Jarhi", "Amri Lilah", "Chouft El Khatem O Aajabni", "Jari Ya Jari", "Kif Lmaani", "Ala Ghafla", and many others have not only enriched the national musical repertoire, but they have also enchanted ears and transcended hearts and minds. Her authentic vocal timbre, marked by a mixture of sweetness and melancholy, made her art unique. Her voice and talent crossed borders to embrace other audiences and wider horizons. The late Naïma Samih, an essential figure of Moroccan and Arab music, has certainly left the world of the living, but her artistic legacy remains alive and will continue to endure through her immortal songs. In truth, true artists never die.
The beautiful beginnings…
She was born singing. As a child, she spent her time singing. Expelled from school, she devoted herself to traditional sewing, and subsequently to hairdressing. But her ultimate dream was music, art, and song. At the TVM premises in Casablanca, she took part in an artistic evening hosted by Mohamed Bouanani where she covered "Wa hyatak ya chikh Masaoud", a hit track by Charifa Fadel. This first appearance on the small screen impressed the public, lyricists, and composers.
And that is how the wonderful adventure began. Coming from a modest and large family of twelve sisters and brothers, the late Naïma Samih was born in Derb Soltane, in Casablanca. She loved to sing. Art was her first passion since the age of 9. Indeed, it was in the 70s, during the artistic show "Mawahib" by Abdenabi Jirari, that the public discovered her enchanting voice and her talent as a singer and artist. The late Naïma Samih followed her dream by crossing into the Arab artistic scene in the 80s. Her famous song "Yak Ajarhi" was a hit. Furthermore, the late artist collaborated with very well-known composers and poets on the Moroccan and Arab musical and artistic scene, among others, Ahmed Tayeb El Alj, Abdelkader Rachdi, Ali Haddani, and Ahmed Alaoui.
An extraordinary artist…
It was her beautiful destiny. She was born to be an artist. And she proved it. Loved and appreciated by the Moroccan public, the late Naïma Samih knew how to make a name and a reputation for herself on the national and Arab artistic scene through her robust voice, her perseverance, and her love for art, at a time when the artistic field was dominated by men.
Diva, icon, doyenne, and lady of modern Moroccan song, the late Naïma Samih was the first Moroccan singer and the third Arab artist to deliver a concert at the famous "Olympia" in Paris, after the legendary voices of Oum Kalthoum and Fairouz. A source of pride!
A shower of tributes
Numerous artists paid a moving tribute to the late Naïma Samih, whose musical legacy transcends time and crosses generations. Through solemn words, the tributes praised her human and professional qualities while celebrating her prolific and immortal work.
"Today, I lost a childhood friend, a large part of my memories, and a face always radiant with life and spontaneity. Naïma was not only an exceptional voice, but also a warm person, generous in her emotions, filling the world with her smile and kindness. Since our childhood, I was the turbulent child and she, the natural one who acted with rare spontaneity. Her closeness to my family made her a part of my life, and her love will remain engraved in my heart. You have left, but your presence will never disappear.", it was with these words that the Moroccan singer Samira Saïd paid a vibrant tribute to Naïma Samih.
"You were the most important, the sweetest Moroccan voice, the 'mother' that all Moroccan artists spoke of, and the kindest of colleagues.", wrote Asmaa Lamnawar on her official page on social networks.
Latifa Raâfat and other Moroccans expressed their deep sadness mixed with respect and admiration for this singer who marked her era and left an indelible mark on the hearts of Moroccans. "Our only consolation in the face of the departure of the lady of Moroccan music, who will never be forgotten, Lalla Naïma Samih.", she expressed.
The funeral of the late Naïma Samih, who passed away on the night from Friday to Saturday following a long battle with illness, took place on Saturday at the Sidi M’hamed cemetery in Benslimane.
The article Goodbye Naïma, Goodbye diva appeared first on ALBAYANE.