Cheb Mami

• Genre: Rai

About

Cheb Mami, thanks to his vocal performance on Sting's "Desert Rose," is a rising international pop star. In France, his adopted home, he is already well recognized by a public that includes many other Algerian expatriates. His voice flows smoothly through Arabic scales, at times soaring to a high range like a bird takes to flight. Combining traditional Algerian musical forms (such as wedding songs) with world class dance production that rides the funk, Rai music is the modern sound of the Arab world -- cosmopolitan yet rooted in ancient form. After years of popularity in the Algerian community, but unable to perform due to death threats, he finally sang in his homeland in a landmark concert attended by over 150,000 people.

- Robert Leaver