The emotionally charged voice of Najat Aatabu (Also spelled Aatabou, in French) is one of the strongest and most thrilling in popular Moroccan music, known as chaabi. On stage, her voice and presence are electrifyingsome of her movements derive from jedba exorcism/trance ritual from Northern Africa. Her dynamic performances and forthright views take her straight to the heart of the Moroccan public and have made her a star.
As a teenager, she liked to sing songs in Berber and Arabic. Her parents were not very pleased because they believed that being a singer was not a reputable profession for a woman. Najat Aatabu decided to move from her hometown, Khemisset, to Casablanca, where she got a record deal. with the Hassania label.
She receives inspiration from thousands of Moroccan women who write letters to her and she replies singing. Her lyrics are witty and she combines words from Arabic and Tamazight (Berber).
Discography:
The Voice of the Atlas (Globe Style, 1991)
Country Girls & City Women (Rounder, 1997)
Najat Aâtabou (La Fa Mi, 1998)
La Diva marocaine (La Fa Mi, 2001)
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
